Sabarmati Ashram

Sabarmati Ashram

Subject – History

Context – Sabarmati Ashram to get a ₹1,200 cr. revamp

Concept –

• The Gujarat government has embarked upon an ambitious project to redevelop Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashram and expand it from its present five acres to approximately 55 acres.
• The redevelopment will involve restoring all heritage buildings that were built during the Mahatma’s time in 1917, relocating families that live there and bringing to life Gandhiji’s philosophy and message for those visiting the Ashram.
• The State government has emphatically held that the redevelopment project, also known as the Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project, will be done in a manner that is respectful of the original ashram’s ethos as it will retain the values that Gandhiji preached — austerity, simplicity, and authenticity.
• The revamp project has been conceptualised by leading architect Bimal Patel, who is also involved in the revamping of the Central Vista project in the national capital.
• As per the details, the original Ashram was approximately 120 acres when it was first established in 1917. During Mahatma’s lifetime in the Ashram from 1917 to 1930, there were 63 buildings built within the Ashram’s area. Today, only 43 of the original buildings remain.

About the Ashram –

• Sabarmati Ashram (also known as Gandhi Ashram) is located in the Sabarmati suburb of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, adjoining the Ashram Road, on the banks of the River Sabarmati, 4 miles (6.4 km) from the town hall.
• This was one of the many residences of Mahatma Gandhi who lived at Sabarmati (Gujarat) and Sevagram (Wardha, Maharashtra) when he was not travelling across India or in prison.
• He lived in Sabarmati or Wardha for a total of twelve years with his wife Kasturba Gandhi and followers, including Vinoba Bhave.
• The Bhagavad Gita was recited here daily as part of the Ashram schedule.
• It was from here that Gandhi led the Dandi march also known as the Salt Satyagraha on 12 March 1930. In recognition of the significant influence that this march had on the Indian independence movement, the Indian government has established the ashram as a national monument.

History –

• On his return from South Africa, Gandhi’s first Ashram in India was established in the Kochrab area of Ahmedabad on 25 May 1915.
• The Ashram was then shifted on 17 June 1917 to a piece of open land on the banks of the river Sabarmati. Reasons for this shift included:
  • he wanted to do some experiments in living eg farming, animal husbandry, cow breeding, Khadi and related constructive activities, for which he was in search of this kind of barren land;
  • mythologically, it was the ashram site of Dadhichi Rishi who had donated his bones for a righteous war;
  • it is between a jail and a crematorium as he believed that a satyagrahi has to invariably go to either place.
• The Sabarmati Ashram (also known as Harijan Ashram) was home to Mohandas Gandhi from 1917 until 1930 and served as one of the main centres of the Indian freedom struggle.
• Originally called the Satyagraha Ashram, reflecting the movement toward passive resistance launched by the Mahatma, the Ashram became home to the ideology that set India free.
• Sabarmati Ashram named for the river on which it sits, was created with a dual mission. To serve as an institution that would carry on a search for truth and a platform to bring together a group of workers committed to non-violence who would help secure freedom for India.
• By conceiving such a vision Gandhi and his followers hoped to foster a new social construct of truth and non-violence that would help to revolutionize the existing pattern of like.
• While at the Ashram, Gandhi formed a school that focused on manual labour, agriculture, and literacy to advance his efforts for self-sufficiency.
• It was also from here on the 12 March 1930 that Gandhi launched the famous Dandi march 241 miles from the Ashram (with 78 companions) in protest of the British Salt Law, which taxed Indian salt in an effort to promote sales of British salt in India.
• This mass awakening filled the British jails with 60 000 freedom fighters. Later the government seized their property, Gandhi, in sympathy with them, responded by asking the Government to forfeit the Ashram.
• Then Government, however, did not oblige. He had by now already decided on 22 July 1933 to disband the Ashram, which later became asserted place after the detention of many freedom fighters, and then some local citizens decided to preserve it.
• On 12 March 1930 he vowed that he would not return to the Ashram until India won independence. Although this was won on 15 August 1947, when India was declared a free nation, Gandhi was assassinated in January 1948 and never returned.
• Over the years, the Ashram became home to the ideology that set India free. It aided countless other nations and people in their own battles against oppressive forces.

Present architecture of the Ashram –

• The ashram now has a museum, the Gandhi SmarakSangrahalaya.
• Nandini: This is an old ashram guest house where visitors from India and abroad are accommodated. It is situated on the right hand side of HridayaKunj.
• VinobaKutir: This cottage is named after Acharya Vinoba Bhave who stayed here. Today It is also known as Mira Kutir after Gandhiji’s disciple Mirabehn who later lived there, following Gandhi’s principles. She was the daughter of a British Rear-Admiral.
• Upasana Mandir: This is an open-air prayer ground, where after Prayers Gandhiji would refer to individual’s questions and as head of family would try to analyse and solve these queries. It is situated between HridayaKunj and MaganNivas.
• Magan Niwas: This hut used to be the home of the ashram manager, Maganlal Gandhi. Maganlal was the cousin of Gandhi who he called the soul of the ashram.