>> May 2 - 27, 2005 - Exhibition Building Peace Without Violence - Gandhi, King, Ikeda at Münster

>> September 28 - October 7, 2005 - Photo exhibition Rare Moments With Bapu - From The Dustbin Of Mahatma Gandhi's Personal Photographer 

Kanu Gandhi (1917 - 1986) was brought up and lived with his granduncle, the Mahatma, in his various ashrams. Kanu was a member of Gandhi's personal staff and they worked closely together until his assassination on 30th January 1948. 

Since 1936, when Kanu was presented with a camera, he took photographs of the Mahatma, who became his most favourite subject. Gandhi allowed Kanu to photograph him in any situation on the condition that no flash would be used and he would not pose. Kanu Gandhi was the only one allowed to take his granduncle's photograph at any time. He was thus able to capture Mahatma Gandhi in all his moods and moments.

In 1985 I visited Kanu Gandhi and his wife Abha* at their home at Rajkot, Gujarat. Kanu's photographs of the Mahatma left a deep impression on me because they present Gandhi in an intimate way never seen before and document Gandhi's later life most remarkably. After his death in 1986 I helped Abha to organise the large photographic collection, unique in terms of content, quality and quantity. Literally in a kind of dustbin we found fourty negatives that were discarded by Kanu Gandhi for being blur, damaged or double exposed, or for reasons known only to the photographer. 

With this exhibition a selection of these images are presented to the public for the first time.

* Abha Gandhi was known as one of the two living walking sticks Gandhi used to lean on during the last years of his life, and in whose arms Gandhi died.

- Peter Rühe

>> Sunday, October 2, 17:00 hrs.

• Welcome by Mr. Sudhanshu Pandey, Cultural Department of the Indian Embassy

• Bhajans by Pundit Dinanath Mishra and his group

• Welcome speech by Charge d'Affaires, HE Mr. Amit Dasgupta

• Welcome speech by Mr. Peter Rühe, GandhiServe Foundation - Read the German text

• Introduction by Prof. Dr. Jürgen Lütt: Making Of The Mahatma - Gandhi's Life In South Africa - Read the German text

• Lecture by Mr. Yogesh Goda: My Grandfather's Life With Mahatma Gandhi In South Africa - Read the lecture

• Video homage to Prabhudasbhai Gandhi

• Bhajans by Pundit Dinanath Mishra and his group

• Reception.

The exhibition Satyagraha - In Pursuit Of Truth is presented in the hall.

>> Tuesday, October 4, 18:00 hrs.

Film documents on Gandhi

• Documentary film The World's Most Photographed - Mahatma Gandhi 

• Video interview with Gandhi's grand nephew and close co-worker Prabhudas Gandhi by Peter Rühe at Rajkot/Gujarat, 1988

• Discussion with Prabhudas Gandhi's grandson, Mr. Yogesh Goda.

The programmes are held in cooperation with the Cultural Department of the Indian Embassy.

Venue: Embassy of the Republic of India, Tiergartenstrasse 17, 10785 Berlin-Tiergarten, Germany.