Digital interactive exhibition on Gandhi in Aus museum

A unique digital interactive exhibition on Mahatma Gandhi's years as a migrant in South Africa and his teachings of non-violent 'Satyagrah' has been inaugurated here in Australia.

The exhibition titled 'Mahatma Gandhi: An Immigrant' which is expected to spark new interest among the Indian diaspora as well as Australians, has digitalised the key events of Gandhi's life from his years in South Africa to his role in India's freedom struggle on several screens apart from displaying few historical and cultural artifacts.

The exhibition has been curated from over 1,000 photographs, plus rarely seen archival footage, inspiring voice recordings of speeches and other objects on loan from the Mahatma Gandhi Digital Museum in Hyderabad.

A selection of traditional Indian clay figures dating from 1860s and 1880s which were displayed at the Indian court at the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition at the Royal Exhibition Building are also a part of this exhibition highlighting India-Australia ties.

While launching the exhibition, Rohini Kappadath, General Manager, Immigration Museum said, "This exhibition aims to ignite the spirit of Gandhi across Melbourne's rich and vibrant communities. We couldn't be more honoured to welcome you to experience it here at the Immigration Museum, a safe and welcoming space for all communities".

Kappadath stressed that the exhibition was a part of ongoing efforts of the Victorian government to further strengthen cultural ties with India under its recently launched strategy which has identifies people-to-people links as key to lifting boosting trade and investment between the two nations.

Birad Rajaram Yajnik, Curator, Mahatma Gandhi Digital Museum, said "This is the story of a man who practiced peace, truth and non-violence, in a digital format and the idea is to give an experience of Gandhi".

He said that main highlights of the exhibition which has come for the first time to Australia after travelling to the UK, the US and India, are the selfie booth where visitors can take a picture with Gandhi's wallpaper in the background, a replica of printing machine and bioscope, and interactive walls where visitors can learn and educate themselves about Gandhi's life.

According to Kappadath, Ela Gandhi, renowned peace activist and granddaughter of the Mahatma, is also expected to visit Melbourne to view the exhibition which will be another big highlight.

The exhibition will run till July 15.