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Nagercoil,
June 17, 2012
On an expedition to honour the freedom fighters of Kanyakumari
-
Sornamma -
S. Sivanpillai
Interstate Gandhi Peace Bus Youth Expedition leaves Kanyakumari today
The Kerala Gandhi Smarak Nidhi in association with the
National Foundation for Communal Harmony (Government of India) and the
Indian Council of Gandhian Studies, New Delhi would organise the
Interstate Gandhi Peace Bus Youth Expedition, first of its kind in the
country, from Kanyakumari to Mangalore from June 17 to July 2 as part of
its diamond jubilee celebration programme.
The
Interstate Gandhi peace bus youth expedition would go through places
Gandhi travelled in the South particularly in Kanyakumari district
(known as Nanjil Nadu in the erstwhile Travancore state) to arouse
national consciousness, strengthen movement against social injustice,
accelerate temple entry proclamation and ensure equal rights for women.
Even
though quite a large number of people from this district dedicated and
lost their precious lives during the freedom struggle a few were still
remembered and their family members respected by the local people. It is
the right time to remember those who turned models to the younger
generation among many other unsung heroes in the freedom struggle from
the district.
Quoting a few freedom fighters who were
closely associated with Mahatma Gandhi, late A.Sankara Pillai, a
leading lawyer of Nagercoil bar, sacrificed his lucrative practice and
involved himself actively in the freedom struggle and served as the
president of Nagercoil Congress Committee.
During
this period Mahatma Gandhiji visited his home. He had been imprisoned
and his family faced a lot of difficulties during those times. During
his absence, the chief of Salvation Army, Dr. Noble, his wife and the
then Kottar Bishop helped the family members, recapitulates his daughter
Shantha Balakrishnan, who is now working for the welfare of the poor
particularly women.
Mahatma Gandhi travelled
throughout India to infuse patriotism in the minds of the people. On one
such occasion he had come to Nagercoil on October 8, 1927, along with
his wife Kasturibai.
He stayed in Perumal Panikkar's
house at Kottar. Gandhi saw Panikkar's eldest daughter, Sornammal,
wearing a lot of jewels. On looking at her, Gandhiji asked her “why not
you give it to the nation to help fight against the British rule in
India?” Inspired by his speech she gave all her jewels, remembers her
great grandson, S. R. Sree Ram.
Similarly the role of Dr. M. E. Naidu and Theroor S.Sivan Pillai is still remembered by all.
When
Vaikkom satyagraha was going on in Kerala, a committee was formed in
the erstwhile Kanyakumari district to create awareness on temple entry
in Suchindrum and satyagraha campaign along with Perumal Panikkar.
Dalits
were not only prohibited to enter the temple but also barred from
walking through the streets where the caste Hindus lived. Finally after
the temple entry proclamation, everyone was allowed to enter into the
temple to offer worship, said the son of Theroor Sivan Pillai, S.
Vijayakumar
Moreover Dr. Naidu continued to fight for
a decade i.e., from 1926 to 1936. He was affectionately referred as
‘Emperumal' literally meaning ‘deity.'
Mahatma Gandhi
visited the district thrice – twice in the year 1925 (Kanyakumari and
Nagercoil ) and third time in Nagercoil in 1934 to address a public
meeting.
Gandhiji also visited SMMS School at Suchindrum in 1937 and Scott Women's Christian College in Nagercoil.
The
specially designed Gandhi peace bus for the youth would travel from
Kanyakumari to Mangalore following Gandhiji's footsteps to recapture the
spirit of those times and rekindle the patriotic fervour as well as
remember and honour the sacrifices made by the freedom fighters of the
district during freedom struggle, said the working chairman of Kerala
Gandhi Smarka Nidhi, Dr. N. Radhakrishnan.
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