Johannesberg couple put house where Gandhi stayed on sale; say they have global and two Indian queries too
Johannesberg couple put house where Gandhi stayed on sale; say they have global and two Indian queries too
THE bids are flying thick and fast but Jarrod and Nancy Ball, a Johannesburg-based couple who have put their house The Kraal on the market, are still looking for their Mr or Ms Right. The owners of The Kraal, a historical landmark in the South African country, this is the house where Mahatma Gandhi lived in South Africa during his stay as a lawyer there, admit that there has been an explosion of global and local interest after a paper interviewed them.
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Jarrod and Nancy Ball, who want to sell their house The Kraal, where Mahatma Gandhi stayed while in South Africa |
In an exclusive interview from Johannesburg, owner Jarred Ball says, "There has been so much global interest in the house since then, including two industrialists from Mumbai who have shown interest in buying the house."
As the price of the house rockets because of the hype, Jarrod refuses to give a figure, "question of supply and demand,"u00a0 he also refutes the charge that they are trying to profit from the Mahatma's legacy, adding, "While we obviously want to be paid the value of the house, we are not trying to profiteer from the Mahatma's legacy, by tapping into the wealthy "trophy hunters" who want the house for the wrong reasons."
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The dining room at the house |
Jarrod who lives in Cape Town, running his waste management company, while his wife Nancy is in Johannesburg, handling the house sale says that they want the eventual buyer to, "preserve the sphere of peace and tranquility that exists, of what was our home for 30 years," and "perpetuate Gandhiji's principles, philosophy and legacy while ensuring the endorsement of Gandhiji's descendants and if possible involving them in some way."
Talking about descendants, Jarrod refused to confirm or deny that Gandhi's great-great granddaughter, Kirti Menon has also bid for the house. "Won't say as I need to protect people's privacy," was Jarrod's answer to that, though he did say that the Indian consulate in South Africa was aware about the current situation.
Jarrod denied that the house had already been sold.
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The entrance to the home nestled amidst greenery |
Other places Gandhi stayed in
Kaba Gandhi No Delo, Rajkot: The place where Mahatma Gandhi stayed in the early years of his life. This ancestral home is now a memorial museum.
Kingsley Hall, London: A place where Gandhiji stayed for 12 weeks in 1931 during his visit to London. Theu00a0 building now houses the Gandhi Foundation.
Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad: Located along the banks of Sabarmati river, this was one of Gandhiji's residence. It's from here that he started the Dandi March in 1930.
Mani Bhavan, Mumbai: A quaint Gujarati-style house where the Mahatma lived from 1917 to 1934. The three-storey home, which belonged to his friend Revashankar Jhaveri, is now a museum.
Birla House, New Delhi: Where the Mahatma spent the last 144 days of his life. It was here that he was assassinated on January 30, 1948. It originally belonged to the Birlas. In 1971, it was renamed Gandhi Smriti.
