"It is in this room Mahatma Gandhi received verbal confirmation of Independence," Swami Krishna Shah Vidyarthi Maharaj, Mahant at Valmiki temple, basks in the glory of the place Gandhi made a home from 1946 to 1947. Situated at Panchukian Road, it remains a place of worship, contended with obscurity compared to other significant landmarks Delhi boasts of as venues where Gandhi left his impressions.
The temple is known to be 150 years old, run by Valmiki community since its inception. Like the house in Daryaganj, it has not let clock affect its historic significance. The small room where Gandhi stayed from April 1, 1946, to June 1, 1947, played many roles in those 214 days. It turned into a school, with Bapu as a teacher, besides being the political top shots' rendezvous point. "The community was running a school when he shifted here. Fearing he will get disturbed by children, we decided to shut it down," recounts the mahant. "Bapu chided us for even thinking so. He then started teaching the kids who were very fond of him," he says, pointing to a blackboard in a corner. Gandhi taught English every day and once a week held classes on cleanliness and personal hygiene. His lessons in swachhta, a matter close to Gandhi's heart, also extended to the residents staying near the temple. "He didn't preach but led by example. Once a week, he used to clean the community toilet in the locality which was used by one and all," the mahant says.
Gandhi also taught spinning to women who visited him in the temple which has been named Bapu Niwas in his memory. The room has preserved the table and pen stand used by him at that time.
Valmiki temple, however, has not been immune to the ways of changing world. The marble dais where Gandhi used to conduct his evening prayer meeting, is now of granite. "The evening prayer was very popular. From Raj Kumari Amrit Kaur to frontier Gandhi and Lady Edwina Mountbatten were regulars," Maharaj shares.
