It was Republic Day. Laburnum Road's leafy canopies had laid out a warm welcome for visitors who had dropped by Mani Bhavan from across the globe. Like scenes at most tourist attractions, I was also accosted at the entry by hawkers who were selling poor imitations of artefacts from Gujarat and Rajasthan. Some fell to the lure of these colourful versions while others preferred to head straight inside. As I entered the space, signs of wear and tear to the structure didn't make for a pleasant recap of my previous visit, which was a good five years ago.

This paper had reported last weekend that the trust managing Mani Bhavan had written to the state government to restore it. The request for the Rs 10.5 crore grant has put the condition of the over 100-year-old landmark into perspective. Currently, it serves as a museum, library and research foundation on the life and times of Mahatma Gandhi. On the day I had dropped by, I would be lying if I said I wasn't underwhelmed with the overall experience.