It was January 1946, and almost exact to the date Gandhi last came to Madras, nine years ago, a special train decorated with tricolours and mango leaves was stopped in Ambattur. For some reason, the station where he alighted was kept secret and the police posted decoy teams in other stations like Ennore to divert the crowds. 

The awful politics in the local Congress astonishingly wasn’t visible to the public in the station. Rajaji offered a helping hand for Mahatma to alight from the train whereas Kamaraj garlanded him. Gandhi was driven in a car (now owned by Mallaya) to T Nagar where he stayed in a bungalow adjacent to Hindi Prachar Sabha office. The huge crowd waiting for him was disappointed that Gandhi would not grant a darshan. A young khadi-clad supporter, who had travelled for 300 miles, got onto a raised concrete block and spoke eloquently. “We have come from afar to see Mahatma and remember we possess the same weapon as him — Sathyagraha.” 

Relenting, at last, Gandhi walked up to the stage. As Pyarelal sang the favourite prayer song of Gandhi raghupathiraghava, the crowd joined the chorus. Mahatma was standing before them using his hand like a music conductor to mark the periods.

Post singing, Mahatma pleaded, “I have travelled for long hours. Do you want me to remain here all night?” Hearing this the crowd dispersed. 

Gandhi visited the general hospital to see an old round table conference comrade who was dying — V.S. Srinivasa Sastri (who had corrected the English version of Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography). Gandhi fondly called him Sastri anna. 

The venue had several ornamental gates (each including the Kasturba gate was ceremonially opened with a cow and calf). Gandhi wanted to inspect all the gates and he walked onto the Thanikachalam Road. Realising that the other gates were quite far away to cover on foot, he boarded a corporation bus moving towards Mylapore and was dropped in the next gate. 

During the sabha convocation, Gandhi distributed certificates to successful candidates including a physically challenged man. He joked about most of the names. When Miss Baby of Nagercoil got her certificate, he remarked, “But you are a woman. Not a baby?” Throughout his sojourn in Madras, Gandhi harped on the need for a national language to achieve unity. He said, “It is your dharma to learn Hindustani for the sake of India’s Swaraj.” 

Opening the Constructive Workers’ Conference, Gandhi rebuked some in the audience who didn’t understand his Hindi. “That time is past when I used to address you in English. I have decided to reserve my English only for English men.” 

Around 40,000 people attended Gandhi’s daily prayers. After letters started appearing in the press that the venue was small and large donations of Rs 25 was charged for seats close to Gandhi, the venue was shifted to the open ground near Theagaraya Road and Mount Road. 

With freedom so close, Gandhi was not treated as an adversary by the British. He was called for dinner twice in the Governor’s bungalow with a car being sent to pick him up. The visiting British parliamentary delegation met him in Madras. 

From Madras, Gandhi boarded a train at the level crossing after Guindy where the train was stopped and went to Madurai and Palani (he was carried up the hill of 600 steps seated in a chair) where he opened the temples to Harijans. Gandhi would never make it to Madras again. Only his ashes came a couple of years later.