A staunch believer in mass movements, Mahatma Gandhi often insisted that the people in princely states carry out social construction programs.
These rural upliftment programs often incorporated principles such as swadeshi (home-based production), sarvodaya (commitment to public welfare) and aparigraha (non-possessiveness).
In order to enthuse the people, he often visited many native states, one of them being the Princely state of Mysore.
In May 1915, Gandhi came to Bangalore, as a token of his appreciation for the contributions that the people of Mysore state made towards the “Satyagrahis in South Africa”.
The Mahatma was also persuaded to visit the state by the freedom fighter G A Natesan. On his part, Natesan was persuaded to invite the Mahatma by D V Gundappa (DVG), the Kannada writer who was a great follower of Gopalkrishna Gokhale.
In fact, on May 8, 1915, the Mahatma even unveiled a portrait of Gokhale at the government high school (now government arts college) in Bangalore. Later that evening, he attended another meeting at the Glass House in Lal Bagh, where there was a large gathering.
Khadi tour
Almost a decade later, the Mahatma came to Mysore in 1927, and stayed at Nandi Hills as a state guest.
He stayed there on the advice of doctors who had treated him for appendicitis.
It was during this time that hordes of people came to see him, to seek advice and hold discussions about the upliftment programmes.
This visit to Mysore also brought him much closer to the people. Through the length of the tour, Gandhi spoke about the importance of the Khadi cloth. At meetings, he spoke about the spinning wheel. He even participated in the Khadi exhibition held at Bangalore, sponsored by the South India Khadi Exhibition and All India Charaka Sangha.
The ‘khadi tour’ also saw the Mahatama visiting Tumakuru, Mysore, Hassan, Chitradurga and Shivamogga, before leaving for Chennai on August 1927.
‘Harijan’ tour
The Mahata visited Mysore for the third time in January 1934, to visit a Khadi production unit in Badanavalu in Mysuru district that employed 2,000 spinners and 140 weavers from surrounding villages. After attending functions at Mandya, Maddur and Channapattana, he reached Bangalore.
Over the course of receptions in the city, Gandhi collected donations for the Harijan fund. He left Bangalore on January 9, 1934.
Two years later, Gandhi visited Mysore state again. He stayed at Nandi hills, before starting his campaign-cum-tour. He campaigned at many places in Kolar district, and also attended a conference of South Indian Harijan workers at Kengeri.
Addressing workers at the convention, he called for an end to the system of untouchability, which he considered a social and moral sin. It was at this time that C V Raman met him at Nandi hills. On June 13, Gandhi left Bangalore for Madras.