Field Trip to Museum - PYP 4

The students of IB PYP 4 visited the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Museum, as a part of their inquiry on “Peace and Conflict” under the theme "Sharing The Planet".

The museum stands as a tribute to the life and principles of Mahatma Gandhi, a global symbol of peace, non-violence and social justice. The museum was a simple roof-tiled house of the Shri G D Naidu family at Podanur, where Gandhiji stayed on February 6th and 7th during the year 1934. Upon their arrival, students were greeted with a peaceful and harmonious melody “ Raghupati Raghav Raja Ram” echoing through the entrance hall. The iconic devotional song, closely associated with Gandhi’s philosophy of non-violence made students pay deep respect to the place.

The visit led to an opportunity for students to explore the replica of artefacts used by Gandhiji with a wide range of photographs and paintings that showcase the historical connection between Gandhiji and Coimbatore city. The students were impressed to see the room where he stayed had a small bed with two cushions and his favourite “Three Monkey Statue” a powerful reminder of Gandhi’s timeless message of moral wisdom and ethical conduct. Later they entered a Gallery hall which provided a comprehensive insight into his life, right from his birth to his central role in India’s independence movement. Major movements which astonished and invaded students’ minds  were the Dandi March, the Triple Boycott movement, Fasting for Unity etc. Overall the field trip was a transformative experience deepening the younger minds' understanding of peace and conflict in a global context.