Around 16,000 tourists from India visited the Rainbow Nation from January to March this year
Indian tourists getting ready for the Gandhi-Mandela tour in South Africa. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement
Keshav Gupta, a young social activist from New Delhi, always wanted to visit Sarvodaya, the house where Mahatma Gandhi lived in Durban, South Africa. When he visited there last year, he was overjoyed. “It was inspiring to be at the Phoenix Settlement in KwaZulu-Natal where Gandhiji lived. It was a special experience to be in the house and learn about his continuing influence in society,” says Gupta, who was in Durban again recently to attend a conference to mark the 130th anniversary of Gandhi’s ejection from a first-class train compartment at Pietermaritzburg railway station on June 7, 1893.
Gandhi’s statue at Pietermaritzburg railway station. | Photo credit: Getty Images
More than a century after he left the country, Gandhi continues to inspire and influence socio-political discourse in South Africa. There are museums dedicated to the Mahatma and special tours covering places and institutions associated with his life. And, these are becoming of interest not just to the average South African tourist but also to Indians from across the world. “Every year, around 800 Indians visit Constitution Hill, where Gandhi was jailed in 1906,” says Janine Lavinia Muthusamy, marketing manager of the Constitution Hill Museum.
The former prison and military fortress has been converted into a museum showcasing the history of South Africa’s struggle for freedom and democracy. “The museum also has a Mandela-Gandhi exhibition,” says Muthusamy.
Constitution Hill Museum in Braamfontein, Johannesburg. | Photo Credit: Getty ImagesSouth Africa’s tourism minister Patricia de Lille said around 16,000 tourists from India visited South Africa from January to March this year. Special itineraries have been designed for Indians interested in Gandhi-related experiences. For example, the six-night ‘Explore Gandhi’ tour package starts at Rs 5 lakh, which includes vegetarian meals and two-night stays in Johannesburg, Pietermaritzburg and Durban. “Visitors can also experience the Gandhi-Mandela tour in a special coach in Pietermaritzburg,” says Bani Bhoola, deputy chairman of the Pietermaritzburg Gandhi Foundation. A visit to Tolstoy Farm in Johannesburg, a safari and a visit to Sun City to learn about traditional village life in KwaZulu Natal are also part of the package.
File photo of former minister Sushma Swaraj at the Pietermaritzburg railway station. | Photo courtesy: Special arrangement
Immerse yourself in history
Last week, a group of 15 tourists from Mumbai left for Durban on a Gandhi tour. Last year, 53 Indians had travelled on the same tour. “There is a sustained interest among Indians, especially the middle-aged ones, to know more about Gandhi’s life in South Africa,” says Syed M. Mujeeb, general manager of Hyderabad-based Aerowings Travel and Cargo Agency, which organises Gandhi tours. “They are keen to see the Gandhi ashrams and the prisons where he and his wife Kasturba were imprisoned,” he says.
Sarvodaya, the house where Gandhi lived in Durban. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
A statue of Gandhi in the Phoenix Settlement, KwaZulu-Natal. | Photo credit: K.S. Sudhi
Recently in India, Prime Minister Modi faced the wrath of many when he said in an interview that Gandhi became known worldwide only after the release of Attenborough’s 1982 film. Political leaders and critics pointed to the many global personalities who drew inspiration from Mahatma Gandhi. “Many leaders, including Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, have acknowledged Gandhiji’s influence on social movements in their countries,” says his granddaughter and former South African politician Ela Gandhi.
“Gandhian non-violent movement had a profound impact on the American civil rights movement led by King in the 1960s. Various leaders of the African National Congress also acknowledged the influence of Gandhian ideals in their freedom struggle.”
Ela Gandhi, former South African politician and granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
People may have different opinions on which side of politics he belongs to, but for the average Indian tourist, Gandhi holds a proud place in the country’s history. “During my visit to Durban, I had the opportunity to meet Ela Gandhi and she showed me some of her childhood photos with Gandhiji,” says Keshav Gupta. It was a memorable moment and probably the highlight of the trip.
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