All about Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad
When a simple man decided to fight against the British Raj with his politeness and courage, the whole world was stunned. Affectionately known as Mahatma, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi led India’s independence movement in the 1930s and 40s. He proved that if a man decides to do so, he can even bring an entire empire to its knees with just intelligence and ethics.
What set Mahatma Gandhi apart from all the other freedom fighters was his stirring speeches in a soft tone and non-violent protests. It was due to his simplicity yet strong will that thousands of Indians followed him from Ahmadabad to the Arabian Sea, in the famous Salt March, also known as the Dandi March of April-May 1930. Mahatma Gandhi led the salt satyagraha from his base at Sabarmati Ashram.
About Gandhi Ashram
This was Mahatma Gandhi’s first Ashram in India, established on May 25, 1915, in the Kochrab area of Ahmedabad, on his return from South Africa. On June 17, 1917, the ashram was shifted to a piece of open land on the banks of the river Sabarmati, since Mahatma Gandhi wanted to do some experiments in animal husbandry, farming and cow breeding. Gandhi stayed at Sabarmati Ashram, which was also known as Harijan Ashram, from 1917 to 1930, along with his wife Kasturba Gandhi. From this ashram, he led various Indian freedom initiatives.
The ashram is visited by 3,500- 5,000 visitors everyday, most of whom reach there on New Delhi to Ahmedabad flights. The ashram’s visitor’s list also contains some high profile names like the Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, with his wife, Sophie Gregoire, and their three children, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and wife Akie, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu and wife Sara.
Activities at Gandhi Ashram
Tourists visit the ashram mainly to see its museum, the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya, which has a “My Life is My Message” gallery that consists of 8 life-size oil paintings and more than 250 photo-enlargements, quotations, letters and other relics that illustrate some of the most vivid and historic events of Mahatma Gandhi’s life.
The exhibition highlights Gandhiji’s life in the ashram from 1915 to 1930. You’ll also find nearly 35,000 books that cover Gandhi’s life, works, teachings and the Indian freedom movement. The major attraction of the museum is the charkhas used by Gandhiji to spin khadi, as well as his writing table.
One thing that is definite is that a lot of people who have booked round-trip Ahmedabad to New Delhi flights will definitely have Sabarmati Ashram on their travel list to experience the life of a man who fought for the freedom we are enjoying today.
