Gandhi Museum

Gandhi Museum

The building that houses the Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai is the historic Tamukkam Palace Rani Mangammal of Nayak Dynasty built about 1670 A.D. Later, Rain Mangammal this was under the occupation of the Nawab of Carnatic, The East India Company and a few others.

Finally the Palace had remained for many years as the official residence of the British District, Collector of Madurai, It was in 1955 the palace with about 13 acres of land was gifted by the Tamil Nadu State Government to the All India Gandhi Smarak Nidhi for the purpose of housing Gandhi Memorial Museum.

Gandhi memorial museum contains paintings, sculptures, Gandhian quotations, articles of village industries and Khadi crafts - a fine exhibition of South Indian village industries and handicrafts associated with Gandhiji. The Ghandi Museum is also worth a visit, but be forewarned about a somewhat gamy display of the dhoti Ghandhi was wearing when he was assassinated.

Madurai Gandhi Museum is something special, as it was in Madurai (which he has visited 14 times during his life-time) that the South-Africa returned wealthy Barrister – Mohandass Kharamchand Gandhi, engaged in the Freedom Struggle against the mighty British Empire (they boasted that the “Sun never sets” to describe the extent of British ruled lands) took a vital decision

Gandhiji stayed during his visit to Madurai in 1921 at the residence of Sri Ramji Kalyanji. On the night of 21-9-1921, he was restless with the thought of what he saw during the day. The farmers and poor people gathered to see him wearing only a piece of cloth – a dhoti, the size of a towel. They were shivering in the cold, while Gandhiji was wearing Kurta, long turban and dhoti. This troubled him mentally and he took that life-changing decision of wearing only a cloth in his loins from then on. Gandhiji was clad barely with this dress, even when he went to London, to take part in the Round Table Conference with the British Prime Minster. It earned him the name from the Colonial British Press “The Half-naked Fakir of India”.

Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru – another great leader and first Prime Minister of India, inaugurated the Museum on 15th April 1959. The US Black Leader Martin Luther King (Jr.) soon after his visit to this Museum said that he got inspired by the ways of Gandhiji. The same words are now being repeated by the new President of America, Barrack Obama that he has great reverence to Mahatma Gandhi and will adopt the Gandhian principles in his political life.

Gandhi Museum is situated at the Thamukkam Palace of Rani Mangammal of Nayak Dynasty, the rulers of Madurai. It is engaged in propagating the ideals of Gandhiji, by educational programs for students; conducting meetings; discourses etc. at the theatre (8000 seating capacity) annexed. Entrance is free. Timings 10.30 am to 5.30 pm. 2 KMs from Madurai Railway Station (Auto Rs.40).