REMEMBERING GANDHIJI: Deputy Commissioner Subodh Yadav carrying the urn containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi, along with members of the Sarvodaya Samiti, in Madikeri on Tuesday.

MADIKERI: Sarvodaya Samiti members carried an urn containing the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi in a solemn procession here on Tuesday from the District Treasury, where the urn is kept, to the Gandhi statue near Raja Seat to commemorate Sarvodaya Divas.

Deputy Commissioner Subodh Yadav, Superintendent of Police Ramachandra Rao and Chief Executive Officer of the zilla panchayat K. Sundar Naik participated in the procession along with samiti members, including B.A. Ramaiah and Kodi Chandrashekar.

Versus read

Versus from the Bhagavad Gita, the Koran and the Bible were recited. Students sang bhajans. Samiti members paid floral tributes to the Father of the Nation. Police personnel presented a guard of honour, and silence was observed for a brief while.

Memorial

Later, in an interview to a private television channel, Mr. Yadav said a Mahatma Gandhi memorial would be built here where the urn containing his ashes would be kept for public darshan. He said the administration would follow up on the matter once the samiti submitted a formal proposal.

Mahatma in Kodagu

Mahatma Gandhi visited Kodagu on February 21, 1934. Kodagina Gowramma, a writer, had invited him to her home and offered him all her jewellery. The Mahatma visited the Scheduled Caste colony at Kaikery near Gonicoppa and left for Mangalore on February 24.

Madikeri is the only place in the country, other than New Delhi, where the ashes of the Mahatma are still preserved.

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