GANDHI-ASHES 2

Bhoola, then 21, of Musgrave Road, one of Durban's
pioneer Indian traders, recalled how in 1948 he had gone to
India to marry Mani, 81, and attend Gandhi's funeral.
"My close friend Sorabjee Rustomjee accompanied me to
India. Shortly after Gandhi's funeral, India's Prime Minister
Jawaharlal Nehru handed us his (Gandhi's) ashes in an urn,"
Bhoola said.
Normally, ashes are immersed in rivers or the sea
within days, but Gandhi's ashes were divided and put in
several urns and sent around India and across the globe so his
followers could hold memorials.
Bhoola said they left India by boat on June 8, 1948,
and travelled to Mombasa where a memorial service was held for
the father of Indian nation.
"We then travelled to several African states including
Nairobi where some of Gandhi's ashes were submerged in various
rivers and lakes.
"After more than 28 days we returned to Durban and the
urn was placed at Sarvodaya, at Phoenix (Gandhi) Settlement in
Inanda (north of Durban)."
Gandhi had started the settlement during his tenure
here at the turn of the 19th century, undertaking various
human rights projects across South Africa before returning to
India. (More) PTI