August Kranti Maidan

August Kranti Maidan in Mumbai holds a very important place in the history of Indian independence struggle as it was from the spot from where Mahatma Gandhi ordered the British to leave India. The Mahatma’s command to the British on August 8, 1942, marked the launch of the Quit India movement. Earlier, known as Gowalia Tank Maidan, the ground was re-christened as August Kranti Maidan to mark the historic event. The name, August Kranti Maidan loosely translated stands for August Revolution Ground.

The maidan got its name from a tank which used to exist and was used for bathing cows. ‘Gou’ means cow and ‘wala’ refers to the owner of the cattle. The ground exists stands over the tank which was filled over. Unhappy with the Sir Stafford Cripps Mission sent by the British government, the All India Congress Committee (AICC) met on August 7, 1942 and decided to ask the British to leave India. Yusuf Meheraly, the then mayor of Bombay and prominent Congress leader, suggested the slogan ‘Quit India’, which was accepted by Mahatma Gandhi.