It was a cold February morning in 1934, when a young Seethamma, around 10 years old, woke up with excitement. After all, it was an important day and all she wanted was to catch a glimpse of Mahatma Gandhi, who happened to be in Kodagu.
Gandhi was set to address a gathering at Kakotuparambu grounds in Virajpet that day and Seethamma had to cover several miles on foot to reach the venue.
Her parents and cousins were already waiting outside and they all set out towards the venue immediately, only stopping to wash their faces in a small stream on the way. When they reached the ground, a large crowd had gathered and they saw the Mahatma from a distance.
“Gandhiji was sitting on the stage with his legs crossed to one side,” Seethamma would often tell her children and grandchildren, recalling that historic day. Just a glimpse of the great man was her most treasured memory.
The Mahatma, who was touring Tamil Nadu to mobilise funds for the upliftment of ‘Harijans’, was invited to Kodagu by Pandyanda I Belliappa and other freedom fighters of the district, which was then a Chief Commissioner’s Province.
On arriving at Kodagu, the Mahatma and his entourage first visited a Harijan colony in Gonicoppa, following which he addressed a meeting mostly attended by women. Though on a short visit, Gandhi also addressed gatherings at Ponnampet, Somwarpet and Madikeri among other places. He appealed to the people to donate generously to help the victims of an earthquake that had hit Bihar in January that year and also requested them to contribute to the Harijan Welfare Fund.
He asked the women to donate their gold jewellery and ornaments for the cause, while stating that, “The amount is not important to me because it is a token of tangible sympathy to the suffering. Thus, even a copper coin is valuable.”
Moved by the appeal, writer Kodagina Gowramma, who was around 22 years at the time, famously donated all her gold ornaments to the Harijan Welfare Fund.
Seethamma and Gowramma, and several others like them knowingly or unknowingly became part of the national movement – which was as much about uniting the very diverse people of India as it was about fighting a foreign rule.
Such was Gandhi’s charisma that he inspired people, young and old; women and men; poor and rich. This made the freedom movement a mass movement.
source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> Spectrum > Spectrum Statescan / by Dhanyata M Poovaiah / August 15th, 2020
