1. SOCIAL SCIENCE
PROJECT WORK
SABARMATI ASHRAM
Presented By
Utkarsh Verma
VIII ‘C’
07

3. SABARMATI ASHRAM

5. Sabarmati Ashram
Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad
Name
Proper
Sabarmati Ashram
name:
Location
Location: Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, India
23°03′36″N 72°34′51″E23.06°N 72.58083°ECoordinates:
Coordinates:
23°03′36″N 72°34′51″E23.06°N 72.58083°E
Architecture and culture
History
Date built: 17 June 1917

6. Sabarmati Ashram (Gujarati: 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 away from the city 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
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 , u.p, it is between a jail and a crematorium and he believed that
a satyagrahi has invariably to go to either place. Mahatama 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.
Mahatma Gandhi's Visitor Room at Hridaya Kunj

7. Present day
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.
Vinobha Kutir
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 Ahmedabad from 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

8. 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.
Oil Painting of Gandhi at Gandhi Museum
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

9. Maintaining contact with the youth and student community and providing facilities to
them for the study of Gandhian thought
A Walk in Gandhi Ashram
A Walk in Gandhi Ashram is Guided tour available daily from 08:30 AM to 01:00 PM making
prior appointment from Mr. Amrut Modi, Secretary, Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad or Mr.
Girish Gupta, Managing Trustee, National Heritage Volunteer, who initiated this guided tour in
Ashram. This guided tour starts with slide show which provides brief details for the location of
Ashram, its history, its activities and above all the mantra of Mahatma Gandhi of maintaining
Diary for daily activities, and wearing at least one pair of hand spunned khadi garment.
Gallery
Sabarmati Ashram in Bust of Mahatma Gandhi Back view of Mahatma Gandhi Sangrahlay -
1948 at Ashram Gandhi's house Inside Corridors
Gandhi Sangrahlay - Front View of Mahatma Warli Art at Sabarmati Warli Art at Sabarmati
Outside Gandhi's House Ashram Ashram
God is Truth, Circa
1927