It has been a long time since Ahmedabad procured the legacy city tag however the incongruity is that almost 100-year-old Gandhian establishments in the city are as yet anticipating the legacy status. The well known Gujarat Vidyapith was set up by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920. He set up two ashrams and organizations identified with wellbeing, instruction and social help however the specialists don’t track down these deserving of being concurred the legacy tag.
While on one hand the government has taken up an ambitious Rs 1,200 crore project for the development of Gandhi Ashram, these institutions that were set up during the pre-independence era and form an integral part of our history, face government apathy.
Gandhiji launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920 and gave a call for boycott of English education. And on October 18, 1920 he set up Gujarat Vidyapith for educating students the Indian way. The institute is known as the best Gandhian institute in the country, imparting quality all-round education. It is in the 101th year of formation and yet the institute has not been presented as a true heritage.
On September 7, 1928 the foundation stone for School for Deaf and Dumb on Ashram Road was laid, and on October 30, 1936 the first secondary school for girls was started. At the school’s opening, the Mahatma said, “Education is not just bookish knowledge but one that brings out real feminism”.
Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s contribution to India’s freedom struggle is equally important. He played a significant role in uniting small kingdoms and paved the way for a united India. The first meeting of these two sons of Gujarat was held in Gujarat Club. The club was set up in 1888 but is still awaiting a ‘heritage’ tag.
Of all these, Kochrab Ashram and Sabarmati Ashram figure on the state’s heritage list while so many others still await that kind of recognition.
Mahatma Gandhi went to jail nine times during his Satyagraha in South Africa, and 10 times during India’s freedom struggle. He was in Sabarmati jail from March 10, 1922 to March 20, 1922 and again jailed in 1933.
The old Circuit House in Shahibaug area is witness to the incident when the Mahatma was arrested on March 18, 1922. It was here that proceedings for a sedition case against him were conducted. British judge R S Broomfield gave a six-year jail sentence to Gandhijivc.
The old Circuit House which was so significant during the freedom struggle has still not been given heritage status. Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography ‘My Experiments with Truth’ was printed episode-wise in Navjivan newspaper then and published as a book on November 29, 1925 by Navjivan Press. The press is witness to the work of ‘Gandhi the journalist’ but has not got the recognition it deserves.
The Dandi Bridge and Dandi Chowk from where Gandhiji started the historical Dandi Yatra have not been included in the heritage list. The century-old VS Hospital and Chinoy maternity home were set up by the efforts of Sardar Patel and the blessings of Gandhiji. The historical convention of Congress party was also held in VS Hospital but the authorities do not find it worthy enough for inclusion as heritage. Chairman of AMC’s recreational and cultural committee, Rajeshkumar Dave, said, Gandhian institutions should definitely be included in heritage list. “We will definitely think in this direction,” he said.
Ahmedabad Heritage City director Ashish Trambadia said, “It is the central and state governments which finalise the heritage list. AMC has no authority to make decisions.”
Trustee of Gujarat Vidyapith and Gandhian Uttam Parmar said that the government should give heritage status to Gandhian institutions but should not encroach on their functioning.
Institutions set up in Ahmedabad by Mahatma
1. Gujarat Vidyapith, Ashram Road
- Navjivan Press building, Ashram Road
- Pratham Balmandir, Gandhi Ashram
- Deaf and dumb school, Ashram Road
- Gujarat Club, Lal Darwaja
- Old Circuit House, Shahibuag
- Kochrab Ashram, Paldi
- First girls’ school of Ahmedabad municipality, Danapith
- V S Hospital, Ashram Road
- Dandi Bridge, Gandhi Ashram
- Dandi Chowk, Juna Vadaj Circle
- Sabarmati Central Jail