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| Neelamben Parikh, daughter of Mahatma Gandhi’s estranged son Harilal, empties an urn containing his ashes into the Arabian Sea in Mumbai on Wednesday. Another granddaughter, Ushaben Gokani (left), looks on. (Fotocorp) |
Mumbai, Jan. 30: An urn containing the Mahatma’s ashes was emptied into the sea today by one of his granddaughters on the peace icon’s 60th death anniversary.
The rites were performed by Neelamben Parikh, the frail 75-year-old daughter of Gandhi’s eldest son Harilal who remained estranged from his father until his death and did not participate in the funeral.
As Neelamben emptied the urn into the Arabian Sea this morning, it marked a moment of reconciliation for the extended family that had come together in a brief but poorly-attended ceremony at Girgaum Chowpatty.
The family — Ushaben Gokani, the daughter of another of Gandhi’s four sons, great-grandson Tushar and others — took small boats from Chowpatty for the ceremony.
Neelamben, happy to be part of the event, said the controversy over her father’s troubled relations with the Mahatma — the subject of books, plays and films, including last year’s Gandhi My Father — was “unwarranted”.
“I have shown in my book that the father and son had love for each other, even if they were not together. It’s an emotional day for us, one meant for deep thought. This is a day we should remember him and remind ourselves of his teachings,” said Neelamben, who has authored Mahatma Gandhi’s Lost Treasure: Harilal Gandhi.
Hindu customs require the eldest son to perform the last rites but Harilal was not on talking terms when the Mahatma fell to Nathuram Godse’s bullets this day in 1948. Harilal had died a lonely death in utter penury after spending his last days on the streets of Mumbai.
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| Mahatma Gandhi |
“Bapu’s three younger sons have been present at earlier rituals. So, Neelamben scattering the ashes is the right thing to do,” said Ushaben, suggesting that the gesture to allow Harilal’s family to take part in today’s event marked a symbolic healing of the rift.
After the Mahatma’s cremation, urns containing his ashes were sent to followers across the country, to be displayed at memorials. One of those urns was with Dubai businessman Bharat Narayan, whose father Sriman, a Gandhian, had kept the ashes with him.
After Sriman’s death last year, the urn was given to Mani Bhavan, a Gandhi museum, here. But the Gandhi family objected to the public display and wanted the ashes to be emptied into the sea.
It is not known how many such urns are still around. Ashes from an urn found in a bank vault in 1997 were scattered by Tushar Gandhi in the Ganges, but only after he won a court battle for its custody.
Today’s ritual followed a ceremonial guard of honour attended by Union home minister Shivraj Patil, Maharashtra governor S.M. Krishna and deputy chief minister R.R. Patil.
Congress MP Priya Dutt was there, too, but her brother Sanjay, whose Lage Raho Munnabhai gave the Mahatma’s messages a contemporary ring, was away in Goa, shooting for Kidnap.
The small crowd of 200 people surprised visitors. “I thought this would be a big event. I am surprised that not many people have turned up,” said Frank Grosser, a German tourist.
But Rachana Parikh, a descendent of the Gandhis, felt it was worthwhile. “It makes me feel closer to Mahatma and his principles. It is humbling to be present along with freedom fighters who once worked with Bapu.”
Urmila Vora, 72, turned emotional as she watched the ashes being scattered. “It is an emotional moment for me to see the last remains of a great man being immersed. Hope he is reborn,” said the doctor, who was a child in Gujarat’s Bhavnagar when the ashes of the Mahatma were taken around after his funeral.