2024 marks one of the greatest moments in the Independence struggle, it marks the 100 years of the 39th Belgaum (now Belagavi) session of Indian National Congress under the Presidentship of Mahatma Gandhi, it was the only term Bapu was the President of All India Congress Committee (AICC).
The Belgaum session held on 26th & 27th December 1924 was significant for many reasons, it was the first time Indian National Congress session was held in a village, it importantly united all factions of the Indian National Congress. Bapu declared spinning the yarn as an activity of the independence movement and non-violence & non-co-operation as the only means to achieve political freedom.
The 1924 session venue was named as Vijayanagar, which today is Veerasoudha Udyana that has preserved several memories, photos, and statue of Mahatma Gandhi. A huge well was dug which was named Pampa Sarovar and was inaugurated by Bapu and other delegates making water available in excess to the village.
The stalwarts like Motilal Nehru, Sardar Vallabhai Patel, Jawaharlal Nehru, Lala Lajpat Rai, Rajagopalachari, Annie Besant, Sarojini Naidu, Chittaranjan Das, Madan Mohan Malalviya, Saifuddin Kichalu, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Maulana Shaukat Ali, Rajendra Prasad, and so many others were part of the 1924 AICC session.
Over 17000 delegates across the country and abroad attended the session, they paid Rs 1 as delegate fee, important to point out that Bapu had requested the in-charge secretary to reduce the delegate fee for Rs 10 to Rs 1.
Mahatma Gandhi has visited Karnataka (present) for over 18 times between 1915-1940, and visited Bengaluru, Tumakuru, Mysore, Hassan, Hubballi, Dharwad, Chitradurga, Channapatna, Maddur, Mandya, Belgaum, Kolar, Nandi Hills, Kengeri, Shivamogga, Sandur and few other places.
From public meeting to promoting Kadhi, conferences on ending untouchability, Mahatma Gandhi’s foot steps can be traced across Karnataka. In his rural upliftment programs, he often spoke about Swadeshi, Sarvodaya and Aparigraha which become the core principles of self-less services in the many princely states.
Bellari District has a special place in Bapu’s life story, in 1934 Bapu visited Sandur on invitation from the royal family, mesmerized by the post monsoon greenery, rocky hills and scenic beauty, he called to ‘See Sandur in September’. The tiny town in Kudligi houses the memorial holding the ashes of Bapu, and still remind people about the Gandhian way of life.
In the celebration of 100
year of the AICC session in Belgaum and celebrating Mahatma Gandhi as its
President will be incomplete if the foot prints of Bapu are not traced in every
part of Karnataka and recorded for the future generations.
Kavitha Reddy