The ‘Taj’ of all hotels
We’ve all heard about Tom Cruise’s stay at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel in South Mumbai on his recent trip to India. Among other things, the Hollywood superstar was served gulab jamuns and Zafrani seekh kebabs. The iconic hotel has seen
other, more important guests as well. US President Barack Obama stayed here when he visited Mumbai (in the aptly-named Presidential suite). And even the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi himself, was a visitor to the hotel. His visits however, were a far cry from the much-hyped stays of the newer celebrity guests.
Says eminent historian Sharada Dwivedi, “Not many people know about this, but Gandhiji attended meetings at the Taj Mahal hotel on two different occasions. First, when the alliance between the Muslim League and the Congress was forged. The second, when the ‘Young Europeans’ group invited him to speak to them. He came in a simple dhoti and chappals, spurned the elevator and walked up to the first floor room where the meeting was being held.” We suppose that’s what made Bapu a true Mahatma!
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