It was this day in 1930 when revolutionaries initiated the Dandi march to free ‘salt’ from the tax pressures of Britishers.

The ‘salt satyagraha’ started at the Sabarmati Ashram on Mar 12, 1930, led by Mahatma Gandhi with 78 supporters. This historic Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad is set for redevelopment at a cost of ₹1,200 cr.

Prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the ‘Mahatma Gandhi Sabarmati Ashram Redevelopment Project’ on the occasion of Dandi March today.

This ashram is a testimony to many historical events during the freedom movement. 

Sabarmati Ashram was established on June 17, 1917, when the land of Ashram was spread over 132 acres. At that time, it was worth ₹26,972, while the cost of a residential property was approx ₹2,95,121 in Ahmedabad.

Timeline of acquiring Ashram

According to experts, the first stamp was purchased on Dec 11, 1916, to buy the deed for the first piece of land for the Ashram.

The deed for the land for Sabarmati Ashram was done on May 31, 1917, and the final document to purchase the land for Sabarmati Ashram was processed on June 2, which was registered on June 13. 

Sabarmati Ashram was established on Sunday, June 17, 1917, when Mahatma Gandhi was working in Motihari and Patna, Bihar.

According to historian Dr Rizwan Kadri, the trustees of the Sabarmati Ashram were industrialist Jamnalal Bajaj, Revashankar Jagjeevan Jhaveri, Mahadev Haribhai Desai, Abdul Kadir Bawazeer, and Chhaganlal Gandhi.

The monthly expenditure of Sabarmati Ashram was on average ₹3,000, which was donated by the well-wishers.

According to an article published in ‘Navajivan’ on June 10, 1928, there were 55 men and women, 35 boys, and 43 students and teachers of Charkha Sangh in the Ashram.

Additionally, there were 5 weavers, 10 labourers, 30 labourers working in agriculture, 36 children, and 7 nurses, for a total of 277 people in the Ashram.

What were the resolutions of the working committee of the Ashram?

As per the Sabarmati Ashram’s official website, the ashram follows a few rules. 

For those who worked or lived in the Ashram permanently or temporarily, brahmacharya, or celibacy, is mandatory. 

Those who want to enter the ashram should live there for one year and follow the rules of the Ashram.

The food arrangements for those who are newly admitted to the Ashram - whether family members or individuals, will be done in the common kitchen only.

Routine of Sabarmati Ashram

Wake up bell at 4 a.m., 

4:15 to 4:45 a.m. morning prayer, 

5 a.m. to 6 a.m. toilet and bath, 

6.10 a.m. to 6.30 a.m. breakfast, 

6.30 a.m. to 7 a.m. women’s class, 

7 a.m. to 10.30 a.m. industry-education-cleaning, 

10.45 a.m. to 11.15 a.m. lunch, 

11.15 a.m. to 12 p.m. rest, 

12 p.m. to 4.30 p.m. industry, 

4.30 p.m. to 5.30 p.m. rest, 

5.30 p.m. to 6 p.m. dinner, 

6 p.m. to 7 p.m. exercise, 

7 p.m. to 7.30 p.m. prayer, 

7.30 p.m. to 9 p.m. self-study, 

9 p.m. bedtime.

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