Sabarmati Ashram, the key place where Mahatma Gandhi took historic decisions

Mahatma Gandhi's room, where he used to meet
the visitors.  Only in this room many historic decisions
relating to freedom struggle were taken

PodUniversal Edition 141

After returning from South Africa, Mahatma Gandhi  set up a Satyagraha Ashram at Kocharab at Ahamedabad on 25th May 1915.  The Ashram was then shifted to the banks of river Sabarmati on 17th June 1917.  At that time, Mahatma 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."

As predicted by Mahatma, this place proved to be the most significant place during the freedom struggle.  Many national leaders like Pandit Nehru, Vinobha ji, Sardar Patel, Rajaji have visited this place and took historic decisions.  

Mahatma lived in this Ashram till 12th March 1930.  On that day, he started his famous Dandi Salt Satyagraha Yatra from this place with 78 freedom fighters protesting against the tax levied by British rule on Salt.  This Dandi March and the simultaneous march led by Shri Rajaji in the South were important events in ths history of Indian freedom struggle and galvanised the people.  More than 60,000 freedom fighters courted arrest and their properties were seized by the British Government.

Mahatma Gandhi decided to disband the Ashram on 22nd July 1933, as many of the freedom fighters were in Jails.  Thereafter, the local people, took the initiative of preserving the Ashram as monument.  On 10th May 1963, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru inaugurated the Gandhi Museum and it was made as a National monument.  Till date, this historic place is being preserved well, in the original condition, to provide inspiration for the future generation.

When Mahatma left this Ashram on 12th March 1930 for Dandi Yatra, he vowed to return to Ashram only after India's freedom.  Unfortunately, due to partition and communal riots, Mahatma could not even participate in the Independence day celebrations at Delhi.

Since he was assasinated in 1948, he could not visit the Sabarmati Ashram again during his life time.

Sabarmati Ashram is an important place, which provided inspiration to Mahatma Gandhi to plan and initiate the freedom movement.  Every Indian citizen should visit this place atleast once in his life time.

Please watch a brief video (6 minutes) on the Sabarmati Ashram.

This video may also be viewed from
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkpcJgiU08M