Ahmedabad: On the first floor of Pranjivan Vidyarthi Bhavan at Gujarat Vidyapith is a room with a plaque outside. It reads, ‘In June 1936, when Gandhiji had developed high blood pressure, at the instance of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he came to take rest in Ahmedabad and stayed for one month in this hall observing complete silence.’ The room today is christened ‘Mauna Khand’ or Silence Room.While Mahatma battled elevated blood pressure in 1936, the dates do not match with the chronology of Mahatma, according to records available on Gandhi Heritage Portal. However, what the officials highlight is the mutual respect of the two stalwarts of India’s freedom movement. Officials said that Sardar made sure that Mahatma got complete rest from his busy schedule and regained health.An adjoining hall is dedicated to Sardar Patel’s life and times in pictures. It is notable that Sardar was the vice-chancellor at the university established by Mahatma Gandhi from 1935 to 1948.
