Basudevpur: For people of Basudevpur, December 16 is a red-letter day. Back in 1927, when India’s struggle for independence was at its peak, Mahatma Gandhi paid a visit to Charibatia village in Balimeda panchayat of Bhadrak district and had stayed here for two days.
While the Mahatma’s visit is fondly remembered by locals, the British-era house on the banks of the Mantei where he stayed has now crumbled into ruins.
Sadly, there are no efforts to salvage the building from the ravages of time and convert it into a museum.
Gandhi had travelled along Chandbali, Tihidi and Mantei to reach Basudevpur. His visit was meant to be a stock-taking of the economic conditions of the people here, and he was greatly upset to witness first-hand the grinding poverty that people were living in here.
Thousands of people from nearby villages – Charibatia, Balimeda, Dasodarpur, Balimeda Kalidaspur, Birasa, Bideipur, Basudevpur, Khaparadiha and Purustompur – had gathered here to meet him. He was accompanied by several other prominent freedom fighters such as Mahadev Desai, Mira Ben, Kaka Kaleja, CF Andrews, and several leaders from Orissa. Gandhi spoke to people and instilled in them a deep sense of patriotism.
Several people had made a beeline to the house where he stayed, and donated money to the cause of Indian independence. While several memories are attached to the Father of the Nation’s visit, the house where he stayed has been completely neglected by the administration, and is surrounded by wild plants and creepers. In 2006, the government had built a Gandhi Smruti Kalyan Mandap but due to utter neglect, the building paints a picture of ruin and dilapidation.
“Both the Central and state governments are responsible for the ruin of such a historic place,” said Niranjan Biswal, secretary of Gandhi Smruti Committee.
Even a part of the land on which the structure stands has been encroached, said committee member Prashant Mohanty. Locals have demanded tourism status for the place and have asked for the place to be developed as a park. PNN
