The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : They swear by the ideals of the Mahatma

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Wednesday, Oct 03, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

They swear by the ideals of the Mahatma

S. Harpal Singh

Many elderly persons in Adilabad follow Gandhiji’s ideals religiously

ADILABAD: Adilabad was an integral part of the Nizam’s dominion, and was rather preoccupied with attaining freedom from the king instead of the British rule as was the case elsewhere in pre-independent India. Therefore, despite the Sevagram Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi being barely 140 km away at Wardha district headquarters in Maharashtra, its influence found no relevance in this district.

Yet, there were a few Gandhians in Adilabad who left their footprints on the sands of time and there are others who neither saw Gandhi nor read him, but follow his ideals in letter and spirit.

As Gandhi Jayanti was observed on Tuesday, people like Nigalinga Reddy and Bori Laxman from Sonala village in Boath mandal, Raghavender Reddy from Barampur in Talamadugu mandal were remembered for propagating the great man’s ideals.

All of them wore khaddar throughout and spent much of their personal wealth in helping the needy and removing untouchability and alcoholism.

Then there are people like Guruji Ravinder Sharma of Kala Ashram who are enlisted in the category of people who adhere to ideals of Gandhiji without having the benefit of seeing him of reading him. At Kala Ashram rural artisans and craftsmen are trained in traditional art based on the fact that such artisans and craftsmen were essentially a part of the given village’s economy.

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