Gaya (Bihar): October 2 is the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation who played a leading role in the independence of the country. After the death of Mahatma Gandhi, his ashes were brought to Mokshadham in Gaya. A Gandhi Stupa for all religions was constructed to preserve the ashes. The foundation stone of the stupa was laid June 20, 1948, by the then Governor MS Aney. The stupa was dedicated to the country by first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru December 28, 1951.
Mahatma Gandhi visited Gaya four times during the freedom struggle. After his death, Gandhians brought his ashes. In 1948, the then Bihar government built a stupa on his ashes. The ashes of Mahatma Gandhi are still preserved inside the Gandhi Stupa at Gandhi Maidan in Gaya city. There are huge statues of Gandhi all over the country. Bone urns are also kept in many places, but the Gandhi Stupa is only in Mokshadham Gaya.
"Gaya is famous all over the world as Moksha Dham,” Gandhian and social activist Vijay Kumar Mithu said. “After the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi, his urn was brought to Gaya. A stupa was built to preserve the ashes. Today we know this stupa as Gandhi Stupa. The stupa has been built keeping in mind all religions. '
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Mithu said the foundation stone of the Gandhi Stupa was laid by then Governor Aney and then District Magistrate Jagdish Chandra Mathur had taken special interest in its construction.
“Today people visit this place to get inspired by the Gandhian principles,” he added
"Mahatma Gandhi visited Gaya four times to weave the war of independence into a single thread,” said Amarjit Kumar, a Gaya resident. “After each of his visits, the freedom struggle intensified in Gaya. His ashes preserved in the Gandhi Stupa still remind us of how the British were defeated by non-violent means.”
The construction of Gandhi Stupa was supervised by renowned craftsman Upendra Maharathi. This stupa is a unique example of Hindu and Buddhist architecture. Mahatma Gandhi visited Gaya during the freedonm struggle in 1921, 1925, 1927 and 1934. During one such visit, he also addressed a gathering at Gandhi Maidan. Then Gandhi Maidan used to be called Girja Maidan.
