KRISHNA APPAN AND GANDHI

KRISHNA  APPAN AND GANDHI

During a casual talk with my cousin, this fact came to light, that my father’s younger brother  Krishan was a close friend of M.K.Gandhi.

At that time, Gandhi was among a number of Congress leaders, who were popular among intellectuals only. He was eager to establish units of the Indian National Congress, throughout India and collect donations. My uncle had gone to Gujarath, after quarreling with the family karanavar, because he went to school.  There he worked in a factory. His tongue was his greatest asset; any one, who talked to him, will never forget him and became his friend. It was during salt ‘sathyagraha’, that Gandhi became his friend. He came to our house at Thalore also.  Wherever he went, my uncle accompanied him. Both were given food first, as VIPs. Panampilly Govinda Menon, who became the Chif Minister of Cochin, used to carry the bundle of threads, necessary for spinning on charka, the spinning wheel. Gandhi used to make threads every day.

Later, my uncle married from Panampilly family. After the Vaikam sathyagraha, in which both Gandhi and my uncle participated, my uncle was expelled from home.