Kanpur: The Khadi Cap which was once worn by Chandrasekhar Azad has been kept at the city's famous Ashoka Library on Maston Road here. This cap was brought into use by him during his escape on August 9, 1925. It was kept in a glass box.
A bulb continues to provide heat so that moisture could not harm the cap. It is dry cleaned every fourth month. It does not wash with soap. It is only dry cleaned.
This cap, which is almost 100 years old, has not been worn for 97 years.
After the Kakori incident, Azad was coming to Kanpur by train. Everywhere there was a web of British police. Still, cautiously he got down at Unnao's Ganga Ghat station. He crossed the river Ganga by swimming.
Passing through the narrow streets of Kanpur, he reached the house of fellow Narayan Prasad Arora in Patkapur.
He spent the night at his house and was about to leave for Allahabad (now Prayagraj) in the morning. Before they left, Narayan went out to see the presence of the police on the way. There were police at every crossing. He asked him to stop.
He simply gave his hat to Narayan Prasad Arora and took his hat. Wearing the hat, he went fearlessly.
Pradeep in the care of the library told that Arvind Arora, grandson of Narayan Prasad Arora, presented this cap to the library in 2013.
The cap was unveiled by the then Congress treasurer Motilal Vora on 17 February 2013. The cap was secured by making a special glass box.
