LOOKING BACK
DARWEN WELCOME: Coun W Knowles (the mayor), Charles Haworth (of Greenfield Mill who lived at No 3 with his family; behind Gandhi), the Mahatma (front), Mahadev Desai, Miss Slade and Pyarelal Nayar, in front of the municipal offices MAHATMA Gandhi travelled light. When he made his famous visit to Darwen and the Ribble Valley one weekend in late September 1931 he had just the simple white dhoti and chaddar wraps he always wore. No doubt his small entourage carried a change of outfit. But he left a couple of things behind which would today arouse a lot of interest – two autographs. Mohandas K Gandhi, known by the honorific “Mahatma” meaning “Great Soul,” is still revered by millions of Hindus, 72 years after he was assassinated in New Delhi.