City Connexion

Jyoti Patil

It was for the first time I felt such an attraction towards my city. Attraction was in the form of an attachment. My heart bumped for my beloved city perhaps for the first time. When you live in your own city your attraction towards your city is hardly felt or exhibited but when you are away the dormant attraction turned into an attachment the moment someone takes just the name of your city.

 I happened to visit Ahmedabad in connection with some official work and got a chance to enjoy Gujarati reception and hospitality. It was really a ‘garvi Gujarat’ moment when the host took me to show all important and historical places.  When I visited Sardar Vallabh bhai Patel National Memorial, I found all those features which had been promised in the info-brochure.

 In the sprawling Mughal garden around the museum, peacocks were roaming freely on the green, giving a sumptuous treat to our eyes. We tried to go close to them to have a good look. But the big birds were smart enough to dodge us. After waiting for half an hour at the ticket counter to start the sale of ticket, we entered the museum around 11am. I was wondering whether the museum was really worth watching or wasting this much of time. But all my doubts were dispelled and proved wrong. It was well decked, well documented and well decorated museum which provided me a picturesque and point to point details of this great man and other historical figures related to him politically and historically.  

The museum, housed in Moti Shahi Mahal in Shahibaug area, had a recent hi-tech facelift on 29th October, 2013 that showcased artefacts and the belongings of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel which also included two multimedia halls that shed light on various aspects of Sardar’s life and work with interactive, experiential and historical exhibits. The original palace was built by Shah Jehan in 1622.

The feeling of satisfaction knew no bounds when I happened to read the historical details about Sardar Patel’s role in making a consolidated India even after freedom by merging 562 princely states that appeared before my eyes as virtual video with the minute details.

While observing all the historical details my eyes rested on one particular reference on one display. It was the Nagpur connection of Sardar Patel which attracted me the most to know more about it. It was about NAGPUR JHANDA SATYAGRAH between 1^st May to 18^th May 1923 in which Vinoba Bhave and Ravishankar Maharaj took the lead role to mobilise the crowd to agitate in support of the dignity of the National Flag.

In Apl 1923 British Govt banned on the processions sporting the National Flag in Civil Lines area of Nagpur. Vallabh Bhai Patel sent volunteers to join the Nagpurians to fill the Central jail. Vinoba Bhave and Ravishankar Maharaj were sent to jail too.  Then, Vallabh Bhai came to Nagpur to lead and with his mediation the British Govt allowed satyagrahi to take out peaceful procession along with National flag and prisoners were also set free. I got attracted and became attached to my city through its history. I read one slogan written there on the wall, “To be indifferent is neither brave nor gentlemanly, be attached”.