More light on Gandhi’s Chennai visits

Ever since we published the photo feature on some places in Madras that are associated with Mahatma Gandhi (MM Oct 16, 2019), we have had a flurry of phone calls, emails and messages via our website. V.R. Devika wrote in to say the Mahatma visited the Theosophical Society. B. Raman posted that he stayed at Baghdad House, the residence of Sivakozhundu Mudaliar in Patel Road, Perambur. Ramineni Bhaskarendra in characteristically thorough fashion dredged the Andhra Patrika archives and sent us this hourly itinerary of some of the Mahatma’s visits to Madras. It throws light on why he went to some places listed earlier and also enlightens us of some other places he went to – The Editor.

1896

October 26
After a series of meetings held in Bombay and Poona Gandhiji reached Madras and spoke about South African Indians at the Pachchayappa’s Hall

Visited Theosophical Society accompanied by (later Sir) C.P. Ramaswamy Iyer

1915 

April 17
Reached Madras Central from Haradwar. From Central, he went to the Indian Review Office (owned by G.A. Natesan & Co) near Broadway in George Town and stayed there.

October 18-20
Every afternoon, he met the students. On the 19th, he attended a meeting at Victoria Public Hall.

April 21
Gandhiji gave interviews to Madras Mail and Andhra Pathrika.

April 21
Evening: Spoke in Victoria Public Hall at the meeting organised by Indian South Africa League.

April 22
Evening: Visited the Madras Cosmopolitan Club.

April 23
Garden Party at Humayun Manzil residence of Nawab Syed Mohammad.
Humayun Jah Manzil, Royapettah, now home to the Government Hobart Higher Secondary School.
Humayun Jah Manzil, Royapettah, now home to the Government Hobart Higher Secondary School.

April 24
Spoke at a meeting organised by the Muslim League at Lawley Hall, Mount Road.
Meeting in the South India Athletic Association premises.

April 25
A meeting at Vasantha Mandapam, Govindappa Naicken Street, with Arya Vysyas (now Manali Hostel).
A meeting with Bohras in Mohammed Ali Buildings, George Town.

April 26
A meeting with the members of Madras Mahajana Sabha.
Visited the residence of Rev. T. Subrahmanyam and spoke with Indian and European Christian Community members. Rev. T. Subrahmayam was earlier in South Africa and shifted his residence to Peters Road, Royapetah, a few months prior to Gandhi’s visit. He knew Gandhiji in South Africa itself.
The Theosophical Society, Adyar

April 27
A meeting with Madras Students in YMCA.

April 28
Garden Party with Annie Besant and other Theosophical Society members at the Theosophical Society Office premises at Adyar.

Meeting with students at Pacchaiyappa High School.

1916
February 13
Gandhiji and Sorab Rustomjee arrived at Madras at 2.30 p.m. by Delhi Express.
Stayed at Bishop Whitehead and Lady Whiteheads’ residence at Teynampet (this was most likely a house by the Long Tank).

February 16
At 8.00 am he met the students at the YMCA.

Later he attended the Anniversary of the ‘Madras Social Service League’ in the Quadrangle Hall of the Madras Christian College, which was chosen at a late hour due to the swelling crowds in place of the originally fixed Anderson Hall.

A meeting with the students at the Victoria Hostel.

1919
March 18
Public meeting in the beach opposite Presidency College to protest against the Rowlatt Act.

March 19
Visited the Madras Labour Union Office with BP Wadia at 6.30 p.m. and had a meeting with the workers of various industries.

March 20
Public meeting in the beach opposite Presidency College to protest against Rowlatt Act but Gandhiji could not attend as he was slightly indisposed.

March 21
Meeting with agitating Tramway Workers.

March 23
Announced the programme of Satyagraha.
With the British Parliamentary Delegation headed by Prof. Richards at Madras in January 1946.

1920
August 12
Reached central at 9.40 am by Bombay Mail.
At 6 p.m. a public meeting at Tiruvallikkeni Beach where he explained to the public about Non-Cooperation Movement.

1925
March 7
Reached Madras by Bombay Mail, he was on the way to Vaikom and stayed at Sriman Srinivasa Iyengar’s Residence (Amjad Baugh)
At 3.30 p.m. visited Yamini Purna Tilakam’s Hindu Yuvathi Saranalayam.

At 4 p.m. Felicitation by the staff of Madras Corporation at Ripon Buildings.

At 6 p.m. a public meeting at Tiruvallikkeni Beach where he spoke about Hindi, Hindu Muslim Unity, Untouchability, Vaikom agitation and Khaddar.

March 21

Returned from Vaikom by Mettupalayam Mail along with C. Rajagopalachari, reached Madras Central at 7.30 a.m. and proceeded to Srinivasa Iyengar’s house in Mylapore.
At 10 am spoke to Adi Dravidas at Ratnavel Chetty’s Free Library Building (Whitehead Hall).

March 22
Visited the venue in Tiruvallikkeni, where a competition of spinning is conducted for women.

March 24
At 9.00 a.m. spoke about the prohibition at Gokhale Hall.

Visited Ramakrishna Students Home and Sanskrit College and had debate with the students there.

Visited Madras Ayurveda Pharmacy where Achanta Lakshmipathi, Ramachari, Satyamurthy and Gadde Rangaiah Naidu received Gandhiji.

Visited Hindi Prachar Sabha.

At 4.00 pm visited Andhra Patrika office in George Town.

Visited Tanguturi Prakasam Pantulu’s ‘Swarajya’ office.

Visited Scavengers colony and Andhra Panchamas colony in Royapuram.

Dinner at S. Srinivasa Iyengar’s residence ‘Amjad Baugh’, where 500 dignitaries from various fields attended.
At 7.45 p.m. a meeting was conducted in the vacant place behind the Ekambareswar Temple in Sowcarpet attended by Gujarati, Marwadi and Multani residents of Madras.

Next a meeting was conducted at Perianaickenpet.

At 9.15 p.m. Gandhiji left for Bombay from Central.

Addressing a crowd at Tambaram (Madras) from his special train in January, 1946.