How Mahatma Gandhi moved to Sevagram and transformed it...

Published in The Hitavada CityLine on 'Sunday Sundae' page on Sept 22, 2013

80 years ago, here came the Mahatma...

In 1930, the Mahatma had addressed a huge gathering of people along the banks of Sabarmati river that he would not return to Sabarmati Ashram till India got ‘Swaraj’. In 1931, the second Round Table (Golmej) Conference with the British Government failed to yield positive results as far as Mahatma Gandhi’s dream of ‘Swaraj’ was concerned. During this period, the Mahatma was invited to Wardha (Maharashtra) and Bardoli (Gujarat). To awaken the masses and revamp rural economy, Mahatma Gandhi chose to move to Wardha. And, on September 23, 1933, he first came to Wardha. ‘The Hitavada’ revisits the story behind the Father of the Nation’s arrival at Wardha 80 years ago.

By Kartik Lokhande
“I have returned empty-handed but my hands are clean,” said Mahatma Gandhi while addressing a mammoth gathering at Mumbai on his return from the second Round Table Conference held in London, in 1931. He was referring to making no compromises during the talks with the British Government, and also conveying that the struggle for India’s independence would continue.
At the same time, he was thinking of searching a new ‘Karmabhoomi’ as he had told people a year ago that he would not return to Sabarmati Ashram till India had won ‘Swaraj’. There were countless many across the country who wanted to invite ‘Bapu’ to their areas. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a close aide, invited him to ‘Swaraj Ashram’ in Bardoli in Gujarat. A businessman and a resident of Wardha, Jamnalal Bajaj also requested Mahatma Gandhi to make Wardha his ‘Karmabhoomi’. The decision was to be taken. The Mahatma decided in favour of Wardha and accepted invitation of Jamnalal Bajaj, whom he treated treated as his fifth son.
According to records maintained by Jaywant Mathkar, President of Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan; and Dr Shriram Jadhav, Secretary; while turning down Sardar Patel’s invitation, Mahatma Gandhi wrote that Sardar could have made available 10 orchards in Gujarat for one little orchard in Wardha. However, Jamnalal Bajaj could not do the same. “Hence, even at the cost of a little displeasure on part of Sarda, I have decided to stay in Wardha,” Mahatma had written then.
Once the decision was made, everything was put in place. On September 23, 1933, Mahatma Gandhi arrived at Wardha by Bombay-Howrah Mail. Initially, he stayed at the residence of Jamnalal Bajaj for two months. Bajaj was imprisoned for a short while by the British Government. When Bajaj returned, he offered an orange orchard at a corner of the town to Mahatma Gandhi. Bapu happily accepted the proposal and shifted to the orchard, a place hosting Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Rural Industrialisation (MGIRI) in present day.
From here, the Mahatma embarked on a new mission -- of awakening masses through social and economic progress starting from village level. He spoke of his objective of encouraging research on technology needed by Indian masses. Then started a series of initiatives in rural innovation, rural industrialisation, and experiments in making rural masses self-reliant through constructive projects.
A host of new organisations came up viz. Akhil Bharatiya Charkha Sangh (currently, Kasturba Health Society is on this piece of land), Akhil Bharatiya Gramodyog Sangh (that hosts MGIRI today), Akhil Bharatiya Krishi Go-Seva Sangh (the office of which is in present-day Gopuri area), Hindustani Talimi Sangh (which is known as Nayi Talim Samiti today). “These institutions became laboratories of various social experiments aimed at making India self-reliant in technology and economy. These were born to implement ‘Ekadash Vrat’ (11 vows) of Mahatma Gandhi,” states Wardha Sarvoday Sanstha Sangh Pariwar publication.
Later on, Gandhi shifted to Sevagram. Soon, Wardha and Sevagram became centres of Indian freedom struggle. Several important decisions were made here first and implemented in the country later. The Who’s Who of Indian as well as international political scene visited Wardha, to see Mahatma Gandhi’s model of rural development and also to discuss with him the course of Indian freedom struggle. Even a British Representative Lord Lothian visited Wardha and travelled to Sevagram by bullock-cart. Madam Chiang Kai-Shek from China, Lui Fisher visited the Sevagram Ashram to understand real problems of India. This is part of history now, a history of which beginning was marked by Mahatma Gandhi’s arrival at Wardha 80 years ago...

Sevagram Ashram to celebrate anniversay of Mahatma’s arrival

Wardha Sarvoday Sanstha Sangh Pariwar has decided to celebrate the anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi’s arrival at Wardha in a novel way.
According to Jaywant Mathkar, President of Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan, the driver and guard of Mumbai-Howrah Mail would be felicitated with a Khadi cloth and Mahatma Gandhi’s idol on the arrival of the train at Wardha Railway Station on September 23 (Monday). Besides, a special ceremony has been organised at Wardha Railway Station to mark 80 years of Mahatma Gandhi’s arrival at Wardha.
At 9.30 am, a ‘Prabhat Pheri’ will be taken out on the same day. At 10.30 am, a programme to pay tributes to Mahatma Gandhi has been organised at MGIRI. Noted social worker Dr Abhay Bang; Dr Yogendra Yadav, Editor of Hindi periodical ‘Khoj Gandhi Ki’; Dr Shriram Jadhav, Secretary of Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan; Dr Sugan Baranth, President of Nayi Talim Samiti, will grace the programme. Mathkar has urged people to attend the programme in large number.