Bhubaneswar, Oct 2: Mahatma Gandhi may never have set foot in this village, but his name and ideals have lived on here for generations.
Located on the road from Jaiput Chhak on the Cuttack-Paradip Road towards Ganailo and Jagatsinghpur town, the village under Chhapada panchayat was originally known as Dandasahi. Today, it is popularly known as Gandhijipada or Gandhijipur.
The name changed in the 1970s-80s, when elderly residents and teachers, inspired by Gandhi’s principles and ideals, decided to honour him by giving the village his name.
But changing the name was only the beginning.
In 1986, villagers constructed a ‘Gandhi Smruti’ memorial pillar at the entrance to the village. It was inaugurated on August 15 that year, giving the village a permanent symbol of its admiration for Bapu. The nearby Ganailo Chhak is also referred to as Gandhi Chhak by many elderly residents.
Even today, several senior villagers bow before Gandhi’s statue whenever they leave the village. Every October 2, Gandhi Jayanti is observed at the memorial.
The village also lies on the route to the Goreknath Temple and Jhankadbasini Maa Sarala Temple, bringing regular tourist traffic. Some visitors stop after noticing the Gandhi memorial and ask locals about the story behind the village’s name.
The tradition is rooted in the wider history of the region. Present-day Jagatsinghpur and Kendrapara played a significant role in the freedom movement, while the historic Alaka Ashram in Jagatsinghpur continues to recall the sacrifices of freedom fighters.
Bapuji Nagar still awaits Bapu
While Gandhijipur has a memorial dedicated to Bapu, Bapuji Nagar in Bhubaneswar has a different story.
Established in 1956, the locality has carried Gandhi’s name for nearly seven decades but still does not have a Gandhi statue or memorial.
According to Bapuji Nagar Citizens' Committee cultural secretary and retired lecturer Pyari Mohan Senapati, the locality emerged during the cooperative movement, when residential areas including Ashok Nagar, Saheed Nagar and Bapuji Nagar were developed and plots systematically allotted.
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A foundation stone associated with the establishment of Bhubaneswar was also laid by then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru near the Durga Temple in Bapuji Nagar. The stone was later shifted to the Odisha Legislative Assembly premises.
A proposal to install a large Gandhi statue in Bapuji Nagar was made at the time, but it never materialised.
The citizens' committee has now renewed its demand for a Gandhi statue near the Durga Temple and a Bapuji Library.
As Gandhi Jayanti is observed on October 2, these two Odisha localities offer contrasting stories of remembrance — one that built its identity around Bapu, and another that continues to wait for a tribute worthy of his name.
