INDIA: Chariot of Freedom

A flag of orange, white and dark green—with a spinning wheel rampant on the white—is the banner of the Indian National Congress, the party name of Mahatma Gandhi's followers. Last year the 3,000,000 enrolled, dues-paying members of the party resolved that they must have a physical nucleus, a permanent Congress City of their own at some place completely away from British-dominated cities. Last week this great constructive dream of a multitude of squabbling politicians came to a physical culmination.

The site chosen was in virgin territory, some 200 miles north of Bombay and eleven miles from the nearest railway. It was on the vast estates of fierce-mustached, smoldering-eyed, trembling-lipped Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel, one of mild Saint Gandhi's wealthiest followers. As might be expected, this great mogul, scion of a rich Bombay family of landed proprietors, is no radical. He insists that "In accordance with ancient Indian tradition we must see that the landlord ever remains the father and guardian of his tenants!" But although he is violently opposed to the Socialistic tenets of many of his fellow party members, he was glad enough to give the land.

Ten thousand Indians soon began work on the 3,000-acre Congress City site, many of them volunteers toiling for love of Saint Gandhi & Mother India. Last November the timetable of the builders was badly upset when the Tapti River unseasonably rose in flood, and failed for six long weeks to subside. During this time it was impossible to ferry across the angry waters the pipe and corrugated iron sheeting needed for the Congress City. The Congressman in charge of the work, Mr. Nanda Lai Bose, a dry goods merchant by profession, went upriver in search of a shallow ford, discovered a bamboo forest, and drastically decided to build most of the City of bamboo. Three thousand villagers were set to chopping the long reeds. Huge rafts of bamboo swept down the flood, were lassoed from the banks as they came opposite the site, and Congress City was soon rising in record time amid the great mogul's cotton and corn fields. Milk is an important ingredient in nonviolent, teetotal Saint Gandhi's politics, and 500 head of cattle were soon creating difficulties among the bamboo stalks, for it is almost impossible for a sincerely pious Hindu to be firm with the cow, a sacred animal. Finally bamboo cages were built in which the cows were gently confined. Meanwhile whips were cracking over bullocks as these nonsacred males helped drag bamboo and build Congress City.