KOCHRAB ASHRAM

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Context

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the redeveloped Kochrab Ashram in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, marking the 94th anniversary of the Dandi March.
• The inauguration also included the revelation of the master plan for the Rs 1,200 crore Gandhi Ashram Memorial and Precinct Development Project.

Details

Kochrab Ashram

• Founded on 25 May 1915 by Mohandas Gandhi near Ahmedabad in Gujarat.
  • Kochrab Ashram holds significant historical importance as the first ashram established by Mahatma Gandhi upon his return to India from South Africa in 1915.
• Given to Gandhi by his friend, the barrister Jivanlal Desai.
• A major centre for students of Gandhian ideas to practice satyagraha, self-sufficiency, Swadeshi, and upliftment of the poor, women, and untouchables. It served as a communal living space promoting self-improvement, self-sufficiency, and community service during Gandhi's two-year stay.
  • Gandhi admitted a Dalit family as ashram members, leading to controversy and financial crisis.
  • Industrialist Ambalal Sarabhai's donation of Rs 13,000 saved the ashram from closure during financial difficulties.

Sabarmati Ashram

• Located in the Sabarmati suburb of Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on the banks of the River Sabarmati.
• One of the residences of Mahatma Gandhi, where he lived with his wife Kasturba Gandhi and followers.
• Bhagavad Gita was recited daily as part of the ashram schedule.
• From here, Gandhi led the Dandi March (Salt Satyagraha) on 12 March 1930.
• Recognized as a national monument for its significant influence on the Indian independence movement.

Sevagram Ashram

• Located in Sevagram, Maharashtra, India, about 8 km from Wardha.
• Originally Segaon, it was renamed Sevagram, meaning 'village of service', by Gandhi.
• Established in April 1936 as Gandhi's residence and ashram.
• Seth Jamnalal Bajaj of Wardha made about 300 acres of land available to the ashram.
• Gandhi decided to make it his headquarters till India achieved independence.
• Near the ashram, there is a museum preserving artifacts of India's freedom struggle.

Tolstoy Farm

• Established by Mohandas Gandhi during his South African movement in 1910.
• Served as the headquarters for the campaign of satyagraha against discrimination against Indians in Transvaal, where it was located.
• Named after Russian writer and philosopher Leo Tolstoy, whose book "The Kingdom of God Is Within You" greatly influenced Gandhi's philosophy of nonviolence.
• Gandhi's second ashram in South Africa, the first being Phoenix Farm in Natal in 1904.

The Salt March

• The Salt March, also known as the Salt Satyagraha, Dandi March, and the Dandi Satyagraha, was a pivotal event in colonial India's struggle for independence, led by Mahatma Gandhi.
• It took place from March 12, 1930, to April 5, 1930, as an act of nonviolent civil disobedience against the British salt monopoly and as a symbolic inauguration of the Civil Disobedience Movement.
• The march spanned 387 kilometers, from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi, in present-day Gujarat.
• Gandhi initiated the march with 78 trusted volunteers, with growing numbers of Indians joining along the way.

Objectives

• Tax Resistance and Nonviolent Protest: Aimed at challenging the British salt laws through nonviolent resistance and tax refusal.
• Inspiration for the Independence Movement: Served as a strong inauguration for the Civil Disobedience Movement, inspiring millions to follow Gandhi's example.

Events During the March

• Breaking the Salt Laws: Gandhi broke the British salt laws at Dandi on April 6, 1930, sparking large-scale civil disobedience across India.
• Continuation of the March: Gandhi proceeded southward along the coast, making salt and addressing gatherings along the way.
• Planned Satyagraha at Dharasana Salt Works: Congress Party planned a satyagraha at Dharasana Salt Works, but Gandhi's arrest halted the action.
• Worldwide Coverage: The Dandi March and Dharasana Satyagraha gained global attention through extensive newspaper and newsreel coverage.

Aftermath and Legacy

• Long-Term Impact: Despite over 60,000 Indian arrests, major concessions from the British were not immediate.
• Principles of Satyagraha: Based on Gandhi's principles of nonviolent protest, promoting "truth-force" and civil disobedience.
• Influence on Civil Rights Movements: The Salt March inspired civil rights activists like Martin Luther King Jr. and James Bevel during the American Civil Rights Movement.
• Significance in Indian Independence Movement: The march was the most significant challenge to British authority since the Non-cooperation Movement of 1920–22 and fueled the nationwide Civil Disobedience Movement until 1934.