A Silent Legend
Expeditions were always unexpected for me. And 2008 proved to be an year of travels that led me to many places in Northeastern regions of India. I feel proud and happy to say it here.
Actually it came as a blessing for me and my friends that we were able to be in Delhi as part of our professional tour. On 15th July 2008 we started our journey to New Delhi from Thrissur at 5.30 pm in K K Express. Our team included our two faculty members, Dr Chakkappan C D, Head of the Department, Mr Nirmal Jacob and seventeen Post Graduate students of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Joseph’s College, Iringalakuda, Kerala.
At the end of the train journey of forty-six hours we landed at the New Delhi Railway Station. As I touched the land I could feel my heart throbbing for Delhi was a place that ever enchanted me and attracted me. The well-maintained roads gave Delhi the status of the capital city of our country. We saw everything orderly and tightly secured there.
First two to three days we spent visiting media institutions like Financial Express, Times of India, Doordarshan, Indian Newspapers’ Society, Press Trust of India etc. Then only we could move for ‘Delhi Darshan’. Through out our trip we stayed at the International Youth Hostel, Chanakyapuri.
As we were saluting the national monuments such a Raj Ghat, Parliament House, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, India Gate and so on we were led through the snake-windings of the No. 1 Safdarjung Road to a white modest bungalow on 20th July. Among all other places that we visited, this very place enthralled me more with its simplicity, elegance and sophistication preserving the silent story of a powerful lady. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, a memorial erected for the first and the only woman Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, started functioning in 1959 in the home where she lived as PM and where she was shot dead.
What we saw there inside the museum was an astonishing collection of black and white press clippings and photographs. The press clippings of all the national and regional newspapers depicted the political history of Mrs. Gandhi, of her father Jawaharlal Nehru and of her son Rajeev Gandhi.
The wide range of photographs, that adorned the walls, stood as a legend before us. It was like a visual narration of the Nationalist movement of the personal and public life of Nehru-Gandhi family. It unleashed the power that her presence had over the country and over the people. The lively photographs of Mrs. Gandhi with her father, husband, kids, grandchildren and especially with Mahatma Gandhi were really touching.
Along with them, there were some personal belongings of Mrs. Gandhi. The simple wedding saree displayed there was woven by her father while he was at prison.
There was also a room full of honours and gifts she received from leaders all over the world. Then we got attracted by her library, sitting room and dining room, which have been maintained just as she kept them. We could see all these through big glass windows, as these rooms were not opened to the public. As the displays and descriptions were incredible, we could even imagine the Gandhi family having dinner in their dining room.
A section of the bungalow is devoted to Rajeev Gandhi where his story I told through another set of photographs. As Rajeev himself was a skilled photographer, the best of his photographs are also displayed there.
The most distressing exhibit there were the bloodstained sari, shoes and bag that Mrs. Gandhi was wearing at the time of her assassination and the shreds of clothing that Rajeev Gandhi wore when he was assassinated in a bomb blast in May 1991 in Tamil Nadu.
The house is surrounded by a lovely garden that is maintained properly. There is crystal path through this garden which looked like frozen water. It was the place where Mrs. Gandhi was shot on October 31st, 1984, a revenge for the Blue Star Operation- the storming of the Golden Temple. Two of her bodyguards assassinated her as she was walking through the garden for an interview for an Irish channel. Thirty-one bullets were removed from her body.
The museum is open everyday except on Mondays from 9.30 am to 5 pm. The place is not on the metro line. So it would be easier to go there by hiring a taxi.
On the same day we went to the Lotus Temple and Raj Ghat. Both were equally inspiring. Lotus Temple have he power to dissolve us into its tranquility. At the same time Raj Ghat made us all the more patriotic. On the next day we went to Agra to be a part of the love that was materialized as the marble tomb, the Taj Mahal.
After the six days’ of such an enlightening tour, on 22nd July at 10.30 am we started back to Kerala with all those memories, peace and harmony in our hearts that were showered upon us.
Actually it came as a blessing for me and my friends that we were able to be in Delhi as part of our professional tour. On 15th July 2008 we started our journey to New Delhi from Thrissur at 5.30 pm in K K Express. Our team included our two faculty members, Dr Chakkappan C D, Head of the Department, Mr Nirmal Jacob and seventeen Post Graduate students of the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, St. Joseph’s College, Iringalakuda, Kerala.
At the end of the train journey of forty-six hours we landed at the New Delhi Railway Station. As I touched the land I could feel my heart throbbing for Delhi was a place that ever enchanted me and attracted me. The well-maintained roads gave Delhi the status of the capital city of our country. We saw everything orderly and tightly secured there.
First two to three days we spent visiting media institutions like Financial Express, Times of India, Doordarshan, Indian Newspapers’ Society, Press Trust of India etc. Then only we could move for ‘Delhi Darshan’. Through out our trip we stayed at the International Youth Hostel, Chanakyapuri.
As we were saluting the national monuments such a Raj Ghat, Parliament House, Rashtrapathi Bhavan, India Gate and so on we were led through the snake-windings of the No. 1 Safdarjung Road to a white modest bungalow on 20th July. Among all other places that we visited, this very place enthralled me more with its simplicity, elegance and sophistication preserving the silent story of a powerful lady. The Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, a memorial erected for the first and the only woman Prime Minister of the world’s largest democracy, started functioning in 1959 in the home where she lived as PM and where she was shot dead.
The wide range of photographs, that adorned the walls, stood as a legend before us. It was like a visual narration of the Nationalist movement of the personal and public life of Nehru-Gandhi family. It unleashed the power that her presence had over the country and over the people. The lively photographs of Mrs. Gandhi with her father, husband, kids, grandchildren and especially with Mahatma Gandhi were really touching.
Along with them, there were some personal belongings of Mrs. Gandhi. The simple wedding saree displayed there was woven by her father while he was at prison.
There was also a room full of honours and gifts she received from leaders all over the world. Then we got attracted by her library, sitting room and dining room, which have been maintained just as she kept them. We could see all these through big glass windows, as these rooms were not opened to the public. As the displays and descriptions were incredible, we could even imagine the Gandhi family having dinner in their dining room.
A section of the bungalow is devoted to Rajeev Gandhi where his story I told through another set of photographs. As Rajeev himself was a skilled photographer, the best of his photographs are also displayed there.
The most distressing exhibit there were the bloodstained sari, shoes and bag that Mrs. Gandhi was wearing at the time of her assassination and the shreds of clothing that Rajeev Gandhi wore when he was assassinated in a bomb blast in May 1991 in Tamil Nadu.
The house is surrounded by a lovely garden that is maintained properly. There is crystal path through this garden which looked like frozen water. It was the place where Mrs. Gandhi was shot on October 31st, 1984, a revenge for the Blue Star Operation- the storming of the Golden Temple. Two of her bodyguards assassinated her as she was walking through the garden for an interview for an Irish channel. Thirty-one bullets were removed from her body.
The museum is open everyday except on Mondays from 9.30 am to 5 pm. The place is not on the metro line. So it would be easier to go there by hiring a taxi.
On the same day we went to the Lotus Temple and Raj Ghat. Both were equally inspiring. Lotus Temple have he power to dissolve us into its tranquility. At the same time Raj Ghat made us all the more patriotic. On the next day we went to Agra to be a part of the love that was materialized as the marble tomb, the Taj Mahal.
After the six days’ of such an enlightening tour, on 22nd July at 10.30 am we started back to Kerala with all those memories, peace and harmony in our hearts that were showered upon us.
good travelogue. keep writing. ALL THE BEST. really missing all those moments yaar...
ReplyDelete