Planet Gujarat

Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad: Gandhi Ashram

Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad, formerly known as a Satyagraha Ashram reserves special importance in the national movement for freedom. It was the center for most of the movement initiated by Mahatma Gandhi. The significance of this Ahmedabad Museum is not only because of its role in freedom fight but also it is a representation of Gandhiji’s political principles and philosophies of his life.

Ahmedabad city has played an important role in the country’s freedom struggle and Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad was the epicenter of every activity. It signifies as the nerve of the entire movement as Ashram being established by Mahatma Gandhi and his home for almost 12 years with wife Kasturba Gandhi. Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad is also known to be Harijan Ashram and Satyagraha Ashram. Today this Sabarmati Ashram gives a tantalizing view of the river Sabarmati and Sabarmati River Front. With the visit to the Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad, one can feel that time has stood still here. It still reflects and simplicity the Gandhiji known for and the tireless efforts made by him for the independence of the country. The Ashram is spanned across more than 35 acres of land at the beautiful bank of river Sabarmati and divided amongst the different houses of Hriday Kunj, Upasana Mandi, Magan Nivas, Vinoba Mira Kutir, Nandini and Udyog Mandir. Gandhiji lived in Sabarmati Ashram from 1917 to 1930. Dandi March; known as Salt Satyagraha which was a civil disobedience movement led by Gandhiji was started from the Sabarmati Ashram.

The ashram was originally built at the Kochrab Bungalow owned by barrister Jivanlal Desai on May 25th, 1915. However, it was shifted to open space at the bank of the river Sabarmati on June 17th, 1917. There are few reasons attached to this shift of ashram including Gandhiji’s interest in farming, cow breeding, and animal husbandry and Khadi production and for all these, he was in search of the barren land. This ashram is also known for its place as a starting venue of Dandi March by Mahatma Gandhi and 78 other companions in protest of the British Salt Law, which was implemented on Indian salt producers to promote British Salt in India. This march a great success and awakening effort to fill the British jails with 60,000 freedom fighters. This movement results in seizing the ashram property by the British Government. On March 12, 1930, Gandhiji vowed that he would not return to this Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad until India got independence.

Sabarmati Ashram Image Galley

Some of the important places inside the ashram are mentioned below.

Hriday Kunj: This was Mahatma’s home in the Sabarmati Ashram and named by Kakasaheb Kalelkar. This centrally located place was the source of energy for the entire place. Gandhiji lived here from 1918 to 1930 and during these years at Satyagraha Ashram, he became famous as Mahatma Gandhi. He met many national and international personalities at the ashram only. Gandhiji lest Sabarmati Ashram in the year 1930 with a vow of “not to return to ashram till India became independent”. There are four rooms in Hriday Kunj, Gandhiji’s, Kasturba’s, for guests and kitchen. Visitors can see some of the original things used by Gandhiji as well as replicas of the original artifacts at Hriday Kunj.

Upasana Mandi (Prarthana Bhumi): Morning prayer has significant importance in Mahatma Gandhi’s life. it was a source of power that helped him to take many important personal and national decisions. Performing morning prayer before starting any work and at the end of the day with other ashram people was part of his routine activities. They listened to bhajans, hymns, and sometimes read holy books like Gita, Quran, and Bible.

Magan Nivas: Formerly a house of Maganlal Gandhi, Mahatma Gandhi’s nephew and his true follower since the days in South Africa. Gandhiji often called him a “soul of the ashram” by praising his management abilities. Maganlal Gandhi introduced many innovative designs of Charkha – the khadi spinning wheel. This charkha became the true symbol of the freedom revolution and part of the flag of the Indian National Congress.

Vinoba Mira Kutir: Gandhiji was very pleased with Vinoba Bhave’s commitment and truth as a Satyagrahi. Vinoba Bhave stayed at the Sabarmati Ashram from 1918 to 1921. This place was also a home of Madeleine Slade, daughter of British Admiral and devotee to Mahatma’s ideology. She stayed into ashram from 1925 to 1933 and helped in the daily activities of the Ashram. The name Mira was given to her by Gandhiji.

Nandini: Nandini was the house for guests at the Sabarmati Ashram. Many national, as well as international personalities, stayed in Nandini. Some of them are Reginald Reynolds, “Deenbandhu” Andrews, Kallenbach and Henry Poland.

Udyog Mandir: This house inside Gandhi Ashram has very strong significance with the popularity of Khadi during the days of freedom fight. It was established in the year of 1918 during the historic strike of mill workers of Ahmedabad. It is symbolized as a “temple of industry” with self-reliance and dignity of labor. The message of “Swaraj through Khadi” was also spread from this house.

GANDHI MEMORIAL MUSEUM AT SABARMATI ASHRAM

Gandhi Memorial is a place to learn about life and the messages of Mahatma Gandhi. It has 8 life-size portray and other paintings depicting the historic events of his life. The memorial was designed by Charles Correa and inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru. There are three galleries in the Ashram museum named Gandhi in Ahmedabad Gallery, Painting Gallery and My Life is My Message Gallery. Altogether gives a detailed view of the life of Mahatma Gandhi. Out of these three, My Life is My Message Gallery is biggest and it has seven sections and more than 250 photographs covering the entire life of Gandhiji starting from his birth in Porbandar, years spent in England, South Africa, freedom movement to his death.

Currently, the Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad is turned into a museum, Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalay with many original and artifacts from the old days. The design of the museum building is done by the architect Charles Correa. Initially, the museum activity was started at the Hriday Kunj, Gandhiji’s own home during his days in the Ashram but later on, the collection is shifted to well design building in the campus. It was inaugurated by then Prime Minister of India, Sri Jawaharlal Nehru on 10th May 1930.

ATTRACTIONS INSIDE SABARMATI ASHRAM

Gallery; “My Life Is My Message” with 8 life-size paintings and more than 250 real size photo enlargements of some of the historic moment of Mahatma’s life.
Gallery; “Gandhi In Ahmedabad”, showcasing Gandhiji’s life in the city of Ahmedabad from 1915 to 1930.
Gallery of life-size oil painting showcases Gandhiji and freedom movements.
A library consisting of more than 35,000 books on different topics of Gandhiji’s life, national freedom movement and other allied subjects. There is also a reading room with more than 80 periodicals in languages of English, Gujarat and Hindi.
More than 34,000 letters from Gandhiji, 8,781 pages of manuscripts of Gandhi’s articles published in Harijan, Harijansevak and Harijanbandhu and almost 6,000 photographs of Gandhiji and his associates.
Ashram book store, selling literature and memorabilia related to Gandhiji and his life.

LIBRARY ARCHIVES

An illustrated library at Sabarmati Ashram features several letters written by him to other persons and received by him as well. There are both original and photocopy of the same is in the display. Also, it has an original collection of around 1400 photographs with negatives of Mahatma Gandhi. World over has made films about Gandhiji and most of them around 200 are available at Gandhi Ashram Ahmedabad. And not to forget around 5,000 books written on Gandhiji in different languages of the world are on display at the library archives. There are 100+ video cassettes and 600+ audio cassettes in the library to offer an opportunity to learn about the life of a great man.

Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad serves as a great source of information and has a lot of significance of the people of India for freedom fight struggle.