On the eve of Republic Day celebration, a team from Central University of Tamil Nadu, Tiruvarur, visited the Salt Satyagraha Memorial at Vedaranyam on Tuesday, and took home salt crystals as souvenir.
The gesture comes as a precursor to establishing a museum on the campus featuring the significance of the town in India's freedom struggle.
After commissioning a 100-watt solar street lamp at the entrance of the memorial, Vice-Chancellor M. Krishnan extended an assurance to look after its maintenance permanently.
The documented content of the visit of freedom figthers Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and C. Rajagopalachari, who led the Salt Satyagraha March, will be provided to CUTN by Kasthurba Gandhi Kanya Gurukulam that maintains the memorial.
"We have documented evidence of the visit of Sardar Vallabhai Patel during 1929, indicating that the leader had visited Vedaranyam from Gandhi Ashram in Tiruchengodu. The lock-up in the Salt Department building where the magistrates from Mannaragudi Court came over to hold its sitting has also been documented," Managing Trustee of the Gurukulam Appakutti Vedaratnam, grandson of freedom fighter Sardar Vedaratnam Pillai, said.
Mr. Appakutti Vedaratnam handed over to Mr. Krishnan a book published in Belgium by its nationals after their padayatra from Tiruchi to Vedaranyam. The book with chapters in English and Flemish, including one titled 'In Search of Gandhi's Daughters' authored by Mr. Appakutti Vedaratnam was meant for CUTN's library.
The Vice-Chancellor, who led a group of 50 staff and students, was also shown the lock-up in the building of the Salt Department.
"The visit was a golden moment; we have a responsibiity to project the importance of Vedaranyam to the nation," Mr. Krishnan said.
CUTN will do its part to mobilise support for the Gurukulam for strengthening road connectivity to the memorial, he said.
According to Mr. Appakutti Vedaratnam, the district administration had taken cognisance of the road condition a few months ago.
The Salt Department building, a rectangular structure with verandah on three sides, and a Central Hall and Office, is poised to be renovated by the Central Public Works Department, he said.
