Vidurashwatha

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  ?Vidurashwatha (ವಿದುರಾಶ್ವತ್ಠ)
Karnataka • India
Coordinates: 13°37′N 77°31′E / 13.61, 77.52
Time zone IST (UTC+5:30)
District(s) Kolar
Codes
• Pincode
• 561208

Coordinates: 13°37′N 77°31′E / 13.61, 77.52 Vidurashwatha (Kannada:ವಿದುರಾಶ್ವತ್ಠ) is a small village located in the Gauribidanur taluk of Kolar district in the state of Karnataka, India. Situated near the Karnataka - Andhra Pradesh border and about 6km from Gauribidanur, it had a major role to play in the freedom movement of India.

[edit] Etymology

The name Vidurashwatha is derived from that of a big Ashwatha(Ficus religiosa) tree located in this village. According to a legend of the times of Mahabharata, this tree was planted by Vidura, one of the courtesans in the kingdom of Dhritarashtra; and hence the name Vidurashwatha[1]. Unfortunately, in the year 2001, this ancient tree fell to the ground[2].

[edit] Significance

Vidurashwatha is known as the Jallianwala Bagh of the South[1]. On April 25, 1938, as a part of the freedom struggle of India, a group of villagers had congregated in a ground to organise a Satyagraha. Similar to what happened at Jallianwala Bagh, police fired indiscriminately at the group resulting in the death of 10 people. A memorial has been erected in this location bearing the names of those who lost their lives in this incident.


[edit] Notes

  1. ^ a b A brief description of Vidurashwatha is provided by Priyanjana Dutta. South India's forgotten Jallianwala. Online Website of IbnLive.com. IbnLive.com. Retrieved on 2007-04-15.
  2. ^ Vidurashwatha: End of Flora-era The fall of Vidurashwatha's big tree. Online webpage of Thatskannada. Greynium Information Technologies Pvt. Ltd.. Retrieved on 2007-04-15.


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