Sabarmati Ashram | Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad Gujarat India

About Sabarmati Ashram:

Sabarmati Ashram also known as Gandhi Ashram, Harijan Ashram, or Satyagraha Ashram) is located in the Ahmedabad suburb of Sabarmati adjoining to famous Ashram Road, at the bank of River Sabarmati, 4 miles from the town hall. This was one of the residences of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This ashram is now a national monument by the Government of India due to its significance in the Indian independence movement in the form of the Dandi March in 1930.

History of Sabarmati Ashram:

The ashram was originally established at the Kocharab Bungalow of Jivanlal Desai 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: Gandhi wanted to do some experiments in living (e.g. farming, animal husbandry, cow breeding, khadi and related constructive activities for which he was in search of this kind of barren land.) It was believed that this was ancient ashram site of Dadhichi Rishi who had donated his bones for a righteous war, but his actual ashram lies in Naimisharanya, near Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh; it is between a jail and a crematorium, and he believed that a satyagrahi has invariably to go to either place. Mahatma Gandhi said, "This is the right place for our activities to carry on the search for truth and develop fearlessness, for on one side are the iron bolts of the foreigners, and on the other the thunderbolts of Mother Nature."

While at the Ashram, Gandhi formed a tertiary school that mainly focused on manual labour, agriculture, and literacy to advance his efforts for nation's self-sufficiency. It was also from here on the 12 March 1930 that Gandhi marched towards Dandi, 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.

Present day of Ashram:

The ashram now has a museum, Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalay. In 1963 the museum building was erected (designed by architect Charles Correa), and memorial activities were then started here.One of the important activities undertaken is the establishment of a Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya. Initially started in 'Hriday Kunj,' Gandhi's own cottage in the Ashram, the Sangrahalaya has now shifted to its own well-designed and well-furnished building which was inaugurated by Jawaharlal Nehru, Prime Minister of India, on 10 May 1963.

Nandini: It is on the right hand side of 'Hridaya Kunj'. It is an old Ashram guest house, where guests from India and abroad are put up.

Vinoba Kutir: Named after Acharya Vinoba Bhave who stayed here, and also known as Mira Kutir after Miraben, Gandhiji's disciple, daughter of a British Admiral.

Upasana Mandir:It is an open -air prayer ground, situated between 'Hridaya Kunj' and 'Magan Kutir' (the hut where Maganlal Gandhi, the ashram manager, used to stay).Here, Gandhiji used to refer to individual questions after prayers and as the head of the family analysed and gave his solutions.

Gandhi Sangrhalaya:

"My life is my message" gallery, consisting of 8 life-size painting and more than 250 photo-enlargements of some of the vivid and historic events of Gandhi's life

Gandhi in Ahmedabad Gallery, tracking Gandhi's life in Ahmedabadfrom 1915-1930

Life-size oil painting gallery

Gandhi quotations, letters and other relics exhibition

Library consisting of nearly 35,000 books dealing with Gandhi's life, work, teachings, Indian freedom movement and allied subjects, and a Reading Room with more than 80 periodicals in English, Gujarati and Hindi

Archives consisting of nearly 34,117 letters to and from Gandhi both in original and in photocopies, about 8,781 pages of manuscripts of Gandhi's articles appearing in Harijan, Harijansevak, and Harijanbandhu and about 6,000 photographs of Gandhi and his associates

An important landmark of the Ashram is 'Hridaya Kunj' where some of the personal relics of Gandhi are on display

Ashram book store, a non-profit book store selling literature and memorabilia related to Gandhi and his life work and also supports local artisans.

Ashram Activities:

The Sabarmati ashram which receives about 7 lakh (700,000)visitors a year houses, photocopies of about 34,000 letters written by Gandhi and about 8000 photographs and 165 films and of course, Hriday Kunj, the house where Gandhi and Kasturba stayed from 1918 to 1930.

Collecting, processing, preserving and displaying archival materials (writings, photographs, paintings, voice-records, films, personal clothes etc

A charkha' used by Gandhi to weave khadi and the writing table he used for writing letters are also few of the priceless items kept here.

Microfilming, lamination and preservation of negatives

Arranging exhibitions on aspects of Gandhi’s life, literature and activities

Publication of the "Mahadevbhani Dairy," which chronicles the entire history of the Indian freedom struggle

The Ashram Trust funds activities that include education for the visitor, the community and routine maintenance of the museum and its surrounding grounds

Keeping contact with as well as helping and undertaking study and research in Gandhian thought and activities and publishing the results of such study and research and allied literature for the benefit of the people

Observance in a suitable manner of occasions connected with Gandhi’s life

Maintaining contact with the youth and student community and providing facilities to them for the study of Gandhian thought

A Walk in Gandhi Ashram:

With prior appointment from The Secreretary, Gandhi Ashram Preservation & Memorial Trust, Gandhi Smarak Sangralaya, Gandhi Ashram Ahmedabad 380 027 walking tour can be organised. This 90 minutes guided tour starts with slide show and ends at Library. This guided tour visits places as follows:

Magan Niwas - Magan Gandhi - A Soul of ashram also introduceddifferent design of charkhas.

Upasana Mandir - Prayer Ground Where ashramite listened tobhajans-hymns and reading from Holy Gita, Quran & Bible.

Hriday Kunj - Like heart in a body this centrally located abodesupplied energy to the entire place.

Vinoba-Mira Kutir - One hut where Vinoba Bhave & Ms. Madeleine, British admiral's daughter stayed.

Nandini - This was the guest house of Ashram.

Udyog Mandir - A Temple of industry symbolizing self reliance & dignity of labour.

Somnath Chattralaya - It is cluster of rooms occupied by ashramities who forsook family affairs and shared Ashram.

Teacher's Niwas - Bapu's associates stayed at teacher's chali

Gandhi in Ahmedabad - The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya (Museum) was opened in 1963. This gallery exhibits major events of Gandhiji's lifefrom 1915 to 1930 in Ahmedabad.

Painting Gallery - Eight life size paintings have been displayed.

My life is my message - Events which were turning points in Gandhiji's and which ultimately changed the history of India are depiscted through oil painting and photographs.

Library & Archives - Archive preserves legacy of eternal Gandhi in 34,000 manuscripts, 150 felicitations, 6,000 photo negatives, 200 files of photostats etc. And Library has 35,000 books including 4,500