After the assassination of the "Father of the Nation" Mahatma Gandhi in the year 1948, an appeal was issued to the public to raise funds to erect suitable memorial to Gandhi. Gandhi Memorial Trust was formed in New Delhi. The Trust has allocated Ten Millions Rupees for the purpose of setting up Gandhi Memorial Museum in selected seven places in India associated with the life of Gandhi.

     Gandhiji has visited Tamil Nadu 14 times and visited several places. Among all of them Madurai city got its distinct place. It was in Madurai in the year 1921, Gandhiji adopted for the first time the line cloth as his mode of dress, which made him known throughout the world as "The Half Naked Fakir". Gandhiji, during this visit to Madurai stayed in the residence of Sri Ramji Kalyanji, 175-A, West Masi Street, Madurai on 21.09.1921. At night he was mentally agitated and worried to think of the various farmers and poor people on his way dressed in scarce cloths that is only a small towel like dhothi around the waist and were shivering with cold, while he was wearing long turbans khurtha and dhoties. So overnight he took a decision to dress in a simple manner and from the next day (22-09-1921) morning he followed this throughout his life.

     Gandhiji also visited the Meenakshi Amman Temple in the year 1946 along with Harijans as a triumph for the cause of Harijan Temple entry. The Gandhi Memorial Museum at Madurai was the first of its kind to be completed and it was inaugurated by Shri Jawaharlal Nehru on 15th April, 1959.

     The building that houses of the Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai is the historic Tamukkam Palace of Rani Mangammal of Nayak dynasty built about 1670 A.D. 'Tamakkumu' or 'Tamagamu' is a telugu word meaning a 'summer house' or a building having a high roof supported by pillars without walls. The drawing room of the Tamukkam Bungalow which is constructed on the top of a square mound of earth about 5 metres high with a masonry dome of about 7 metres diameter. It is believed that the building probably constructed by the Nayak Queen Rani Mangammal, as evidenced by a letter written to her in 1700AD.

     Later, this building was under the occupation of the Nawab of Carnatic, the East India Company and a few others. Finally, the palace had remained for many years as the official residence of the District Collector of Madurai. It was in the year 1955 that the palace with about 13 acres of land was gifted by the Tamilnadu state Government, to the Gandhi Smarak Nidhi for the purpose of housing Gandhi Memorial Museum. Besides major renovation to the original building, a complete new wing was constructed for the library as also several other buildings and an open air theatre.


     In the Museum there is a Picture Gallery containing photos, paintings, sculptures, manuscripts, quotations, and some original articles used by Gandhiji (Relics and replicas). In the Front there is a Special Exhibition on "India Fights for Freedom" with 265 illustrations, depicting the history of the Freedom Movement. Then follows the exhibition of the choice specimens of Handicrafts donated by the States of Tamilnadu, Mysore, Andhra and Kerala. This leads to the Pictorial Gallery, depicting a visual biography of Gandhiji by means of photographs, quotations, paintings etc. and some of the selected photostat copies of many of Gandhiji's letters.

     Next to it is "The Hall of Relecs" where some of Gandhiji's personal belongings (originals and replicas) are preserved. Lastly, the Khadi and Village Industries Section in the ground floor of the buildings, where you come across the Exhibits of some of the Village Industries, which Gandhiji revived. A Sales Counter offers you select varieties of Khadi, Village Industries Products, Handicraft articles and Sarvodaya Literature. There is an annexe to this Unit, wherein the production activities of Khadi Spinning and Weaving are demonstrated.

     To the south of the building, is a big open-air theatre with a capacity of accommodate about 8,000 people. Cultural programmes, weekly film shows and public meetings on special occasions are held in this theatre. In front of main building, a little towards south, is the "Gandhi Kudir"- a replica of Gandhiji's hut in Sevagram. The northern wing of this building, houses the library, which contains books giving the cultural background of India, books on and by Gandhiji and allied literatures. There are about 18,000 volumes in the Library. Photostat copies of about 27,000 letters of Gandhiji and 62 reels of Micro-films are the very important and valuable part of the collections in the library.

Timings: 1000hrs to 1300 hrs and 1400 hrs to 1730 hrs. (Open all days)

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