When the issue of Mahatma Gandhi’s Samadhi was heated in the Parliament… Know how Raj Ghat came into existence

How did Rajghat become Mahatma Gandhi’s Samadhi Sthal? File Photo

Famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright was approached to design Raj Ghat, but this proposal was not taken forward because the opposition created a lot of ruckus in the Parliament. The opposition demanded that an Indian architect should design Bapu’s Samadhi.

Year 1948, date 30 January… That day Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had reached Birla House for a special discussion with Mahatma Gandhi. The conversation dragged on for a long time and it was time for evening prayers. However, the conversation between the Iron Man and Mahatma was still going on. Seeing the delay in the prayer, Maniben reminded him of the time and Bapu along with Abha and Manu left for the prayer meeting.

That evening of 30 January 1948

People were gathered on both sides of the road leading to the meeting place. Gandhi folded his hands to greet him on seeing him. Meanwhile, Nathuram Godse came out of the crowd and bowed towards him. Manu thought that he was trying to touch Gandhi’s feet. Abha tried to stop him, but Godse pushed Manu and the rosary and book fell down from her hand.

She bent down to pick them up, then Godse took out his pistol and fired three bullets one after the other in Gandhiji’s chest and stomach. He uttered, “Ram… Ram… Ram.” And Gandhi’s lifeless body started falling down.

It was evening time, six months had passed since independence and the country’s biggest leader was killed. This was the day of Gandhi’s assassination, which was later called Shaheed Diwas. The next day, the role of that place came to light, which came to be known as ‘Rajghat’. Rajghat… the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi.

The author of the book Gandhi’s Delhi (12 April, 1915 – 30 January, 1948 and beyond) and journalist Vivek Shukla tells that the country was completely shocked by this massacre that took place on 30 January 1948. This situation had arisen at a time when the country had not yet properly come out of the sting of partition. The situation was under control, but the tension… was still there. Meanwhile, he was assassinated. In such a situation, on one hand, care had to be taken to ensure that there was no chaotic atmosphere in the country and on the other hand, this politician, who was famous not only in India but all over the world, had to be given a final farewell.

How was the Samadhi Sthal built at Raj Ghat?
Vivek Shukla has also mentioned this entire situation in his book. He says that, it must have been around 9 o’clock in the night of January 30, 1948, when the then PM Nehru, Home Minister Sardar Patel and many senior officers of the Government of India reached Raj Ghat. It was cold weather and Delhi was in the grip of thick fog.

When Nehru and other leaders reached Raj Ghat, the officers of the Central Public Works Department were busy building a platform with the labourers. Bapu’s funeral was to be held on this platform the next day. On that ill-fated day of January 30, Bapu’s funeral site was discussed in the Nehru Cabinet meeting. It was decided that Raj Ghat would be the best place for the funeral.

First of all, it is on the banks of the Yamuna river and then it is also in the middle of the capital. After that, the concerned officers and departments were instructed to make all the arrangements for the funeral site. Delhi’s Inspector General of Police W.V. Sanjeevi was instructed to maintain law and order on the day of the funeral.

The next day, on 31 January 1948, Mahatma Gandhi was cremated. His last journey was prominently covered by the Indian as well as foreign media. A large crowd had gathered for his last journey. After that day in 1948, Rajghat remained like this for a few days. Somewhat desolate and a bit barren. This area on the banks of the Yamuna was completely empty then and now plans were being made to convert it into the Mahatma’s Samadhi Sthal. After 1950, the government became serious about the plan to develop Rajghat. Prime Minister Nehru was paying attention to this work prominently, but one of his wishes created a ruckus in the Parliament.

Uproar over the matter of making Bapu’s Samadhi Sthal… what was the matter after all?

Let us tell you that, much after Bapu’s funeral, Rajghat was converted into a Samadhi Sthal. History tells us that it remained like this till the mid-50s and then it was redesigned. According to Vivek Shukla, it so happened that the famous American architect Frank Lloyd Wright was contacted to design the Rajghat, but this proposal was not taken forward because the opposition created a lot of ruckus in the Parliament. The opposition demanded that an architect from India should design Bapu’s Samadhi. Then Vanu ji. Bhupa gave great simplicity to Rajghat. After this ruckus in the Parliament, Nehru withdrew his ideas and then in 1956 this responsibility was handed over to Vanu ji. Bhupa. The outline prepared by Bhupa for its construction was very simple and full of simplicity. Actually, he had an image of Mahatma Gandhi wearing half dhoti in his mind. Bhupa wanted the same simplicity in the image of Rajghat as well.

This is how the Rajghat complex was built

He built a Samadhi in the middle of the Rajghat complex on a square platform. He got Bapu’s last words ‘Hey Ram’ inscribed on it. Bhupa left a lot of greenery all around the Samadhi. The landscaping of this complex was done by Meerut-born Anglo Indian Ellis Percy Lancaster, who was then associated with the Horticulture Department of the Government of India.

On the instructions of Prime Minister Nehru, Habib Rehman, Chief Architect of the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and Chief Engineer TS Vedagiri had earlier studied the works of many other architects. Pandit Nehru had instructed both of them to also keep an eye on the project cost of the designers’ design of Rajghat. He himself was also keeping an eye on this entire process. Among the various designs received by Habib Saheb and Vedagiri, one design of Rajghat was similar to the architecture of a South Indian temple. There was also a design in which Bapu was sitting with a spinning wheel, but the simplicity of Vanu ji Bhupa’s design attracted everyone’s attention.

When Vinoba Bhave stayed at Rajghat
Vivek Shukla draws attention to the time before the construction of Bapu’s Samadhi Sthal. He tells that Vinoba Bhave came to Delhi in 1951 and at that time he stayed in huts with his 75 companions at Rajghat. Although PM Nehru wanted to accommodate him in a government guest house, but Acharya, who had come out with the resolution of Bhudan Yagna, did not agree. At the time when he had reached Rajghat, it was known as the Samadhi Sthal of Mahatma Gandhi, everyone used to go to the funeral site for darshan, but till then Rajghat was like a barren place.

Naming of 30 January Marg
Similarly, a road in the capital Delhi is named 30 January Marg. Here is Gandhi Smriti Bhavan, which used to be Birla House earlier. Mahatma Gandhi stayed as a guest in Birla House for the last five months (144 days) of his life. Birla House was located on this road. Therefore, in his memory, this road was named 30 January Marg on the date of his assassination. Delhi’s 30 January Marg was earlier known as ‘Albuquerque Road’.