Section of
the
Museum 
The Museum galleries are
divided into three major sections, viz., "India Fights for Freedom",
"Visual Biography of Mahatma Gandhi" and "Relics and
Replicas". Also a Philatelic Gallery on Gandhi is functioning
in the ground floor.
INDIA FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM
VISUAL BIOGRAPHY OF GANDHIJI
RELICS AND REPLICAS HALL
PAINTINGS & CRAFTS
INDOOR THEATRE
THE DOME
Right at the entrance the first
section entitled INDIA FIGHTS FOR FREEDOM is located with 265
illustrations displayed in 30 panels at the Dubar Hall depicting the
history of the Indian Freedom Movement. A List of the content of
this section is given below along with the titles:
THE COMING OF THE WHITE
MEN-1498
–This depicts the arrival of the Europeans and the visit of Vasco da Gama
(European Seaman) and finally how the Britishers began to conquer
and rule India through trade and pistol point.
THE CHALLENGE FROM
TAMILNADU-1795
–This shows how warriors like Chinnamaruthu, Vellaimaruthu and
Kattabomman resisted the Britishers and met with heroic death.
MYSORE RESISTS-1767 –In this panel we
see the valorous fight of Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan with the British
and the death of Tipu in the defence of his Capital,Seringapatnam.
THE SIKH AND THE MARATHA
RESISTANCE-1775
–This depicts the first Maratha war (1775-1782),
role of ‘ Khalsa’ and the first and the second Sikh War.
WAGES OF SLAVERY –This shows how
Britain destroyed India’s indigenous industries, and imported raw
materials without taxes and exported back the finished products to
India with a very high profit.
THE VOLCANO ERUPTS –This panel depicts how
the Volcano of discontent erupted. Also this pictures the wounded psyche
of Indian soldiers in the East India Company.
THE FIRST SHOT-1857 –This panel shows
the birth of the First War of Indian Independence and the
declaration of the ageing Bhadur Shan as their Emperor by the
rebels.
THE REVOLT SPREADS –This depicts the spreading
of the First War of Indian Independence, the role of Nana Saheb
and the remarkable, sacrifice of the lives of Indian patriots.
THE BIRTH OF THE INDIAN
NATIONAL CONGRESS-1885
–This panel shows how the Indian National Congress was
founded in Dec. 1885 at Bombay and its first President W.C.Banerjee,
Secreaty-General A.O.Hume, G.Subramania lyer, Pherozeshan Mehta and
others like Dadhabhai Naoroji, Govind Ranade, Sundredranath
Banerjee, Each one distinct in his skill and dedication.
THE MODERATRES AND THE
EXTREMISTS-1900
–This panel shows the different levels of
extremists and moderates the information about the leaders of both
groups.
THE PARTITION OF BENGAL AND
THE AFTERMATH-1905
–This panel shows the announcement of Lord Curzon to
bifurcate Bengal and as a result the Birth of the Swadeshi Movement.
THE CULT OF THE
BOMB-1907 –This panel
depicts how terrorist movements continued till 1918 in Bengal and
all over. Also it shows how the movements like Anusilan Samitis,
Jugantar, Mitramela, Abhinava Bharat Samaj and others spread the
cult of using bombs.
THE LIMITS OF
CONSTITUTIONALISM-1909
–This panel exhibits how the Morely-Minto reforms disappointed the
Indian leaders, the birth of Musilm League and about stalwarts like
Srinivasa Shastri, Sarojini Naidu, Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya,
Annie Besant, Tej Bahadur Sapru, Mohammad Ali Jinnah and other
leaders.
THE GANDHI ERA
BEGINS-1915 –In
this panel we see the return of Gandhiji from south Africa, the
beginning “Gandhi Age” in Indian politics and the definition and explanation
of Satyagraha (Nonviolent direct action).
THE MASSACRE AT JALIANWALA
BAGH-1919
–This panel shows the passing of the Rowlatt Act of 1919 by the
British, the prostest emerged throughout India and the rude massacre
at Jalianwala Bagh, Amritsar.
THE CHALLENGES OF THE
CONSTRUCTIVE PROGRAMME-1919
–This panel shows the need of the ‘ Constructive
Programme’ envisaged and practiced by Gandhiji to liberate India not
only in the Political arena but also in economic, social, education
and spiritual levels.
TRYING TIMES-1923 –The coming of the
royal Simon Commission to India to find out whether India is fit for
Parlimentary democracy, the decision of the Congress in its Madras
session to boycott the Commission and in December 1929, the demand
of the Lahore congress for Poorna Swaraj (Complete Independence) are
depicted in this panel.
THE SALT SATYAGRAHA-THE
MARCH TO DANDI-1930
–The description of the historic Salt Satyagraha which
was started on the banks of river Sabarmathi and concluded at Dandi
for breaking the Salt Law, and subsequently the nonviolent direct
action demonstrated throughout the Nation including the March from
Trichy to Vedaranyam in Tamil Nadu.
THE ROUND TABLE CONFERENCE
AND AGFTER-193
1- In continuance of the
Gandhi-Irwin pact, this panel shows Gandhiji’s participation in the Round Table Conference
as a sole representative of India which became a failure
mission but a grand success in making the people
of England and the rest of the world to understand
the Indian Struggle for Independence. Also it shows The Communal Award of the British
in 1932 which gave sepreate electorates to the Harijans and
Gandhiji’s fast unto death in prison against this attempt to separate the
Harijans from the rest of Hindu society, the founding of the Harijan
Sevak Sangh all over the country and the Harijan Temple Entry
in Madurai Sree Meenakshi Temple, etc.
CONGRESS MINISTRIES AND THE
AFTERMATH-1937
–This panel shows how the Congress won 85% of the
general seats in the 1937 elections and how England involved India
in the World War ll, the Congress protest, Gandhiji’s introduction
of Individual Satyagraha in which Vinoba Bhave was chosen and the
coming of the Lord Cripp’s Mission to India, etc.
QUIT INDIA-1942 –This shows the
genesis of the historic Quit India Movement and how it side-tracked
into violent ways.
TAMILNADU IN THE QUIT INDIA
STRUGGLE-1942
–This panel shows the role played by Tamil Nadu during
the Quit India Struggle, and violent activities erupted in different
parts of Tamil Nadu.
OTHER VALIANT
STRUGGLES-1942 –This
shows the inception and operation of the India National Army under
the dynamic leadership of Netaji Subash Chandra Bose and how it
operated in the war field.
ON THE EVE OF THE
INDEPENDENCE-1945
–This shows the coming of the Cabient Mission the setting up of the
interim Government, with the idea of carving out a Pakistan for the
Musilms under the advice of Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the Musilm League
opting out of the interim Government and the fast emergence of
separatism.
INDIA BECOMES
FREE - 1947 - THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA EPILOGUE - Finally these
panels show how India became free as a separate nation and the
Preamble of the Indian Constitution.
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This section contains photos, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts,
quotation and some of the selected Photostat copies of many of Gandhiji’s
letters and renderings. This section contains 124 rare photographs depicting
various phases of Mahatma Gandhi right from his childhood days until being
taken to the crematorium. The pictures displayed here are carefully selected.
STUDENTS LOOKING AT THE
VISUAL BIOGRAPHY SECTION
In between lot of paintings,
manuscripts, quotations and specimens are displayed including the
books which influenced him and Microfilms. Below are given some
important displays in the section.
GANDHIJI’S WRITING ON THE VISITORS’ BOOK OF SRI MEENAKSHMI TEMPLE
SPECIMEN COPIES OF LETTERS
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This is a very important section that it contains 14 original
artifacts used by Gandhiji. The most important thing is the Blood
stained Cloth of Mahatma Gandhi used by him on the day of him on
the day of his assassination. This is conserved inside a vaccum glass box.
BLOOD
STAINED CLOTH
Blood Stained Cloth
GANDHI
MEMORIAL PEACE PARK A portion of Mahatma Gandhiji’s sacred
ash is kept here. After his cremation the sacred ash was immersed
in holy rivers and oceans in India, Srilanka, Tibet, Myanmar
and Pakistan. Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai has the privilege
to preserve some portion of it. VIPs and visitors place wreath
in it on their visits.
BAPU
KUTIR(Gandhiji’s Hut)
Gandhiji shifted his abode from
Ahmedabad to a remote village near Wardha in Maharashtra state in
1936. There Gandhiji lived upto 1946 in a well ventilated, spacious hut
which was made out of renewable resources. This was designed by his Irish
disciple Ms.Madeline Slate popularly known as Mira Behan and built by Jamnalal
Bajaj. Historic incidents like Quit India were decided from this
hut.
Other relies are pairs of Wooden and Leather Chappals, the
box type Spinning Wheel, Thread spun by Gandhiji, Wooden Spoon used in
Sevagram during 1946, the Shawl used by him at the
St.James Palace, London while attending the Second Round Table Conference, Napkins
and Towel, Pillow Cover, Bed Spread and Blanket, the round shaped
Spectacles, replica of a Rosary and The Gita, etc. Also we can see a
lot of replicas used by Gandhiji like the Three Monkeys, Wooden
Bowl, China Clay Bowl to mix fruits and Earthen Bowl; Pen, pen
stand, The stone to clean the feet etc. Wooden Spoon and plate and
Earthen Bowl, a Wooden Plate, Metal Bowl and a Pomagranade shaped
metal Art Piece; Two Tamil writing along with Gandhiji’s Tamil
Signatures.
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Hall of Museum
A lot of Mural, Oil
and other paintings are displayed in different galleries. For example
the mural painting depicting the Harijan Temple Entry at the Anantha Padmanabaswamy
Temple, Thiruvanathapuram, Kerala beautifully painted by Deb Barman is available.
Also a lot of replicas of
paintings by Nandalal Bose, Avaninath, etc., are available. A Chinese Shanghai
Silk-woven Picture of Mahatma Gandhi presented to him is also exhibited.
Some of the chosen specimens of
Handicrafts donated by the then States of Tamil Nadu, Mysore, Andhra
and Kerala are also displayed.
Photos
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The Dome located in the third floor is an architectural marvel.
From there one can see the full view of Madurai city, the five
towers of the Meenakshi Temple, Tirumalai Nayak Palace, St.Mary’s Cathedral,
the Mosque, the surrounding hills and hillocks, Vaigai river and
the entire range of the Western ghats.
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Theatre
At the second floor of the Museum building a well equipped indoor
theatre is available with Audio/Video equipments and LCD Projector. Many
CDs and Videos on Mahatma Gandhi, Disarmament, Enviromentalism, Freedom
Fighters are Available. Pictures are shown to select educational
groups/related groups on request free of cost. About 100 persons can be
accommodated in the theatre at a time.
Dr.T.Ravichandran, is
heading this section.
Tel:
0091-9443037339
E.Mail:
dr.t.ravichandran@lycos.com
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