A Walk Through Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad

A Walk Through Sabarmati Ashram, Ahmedabad

I had been to Ahmedabad    last  week  and on 17^th February , Sunday , visited Sabarmati Ashram , a place I never  miss  to visit , when I am in Ahmedabad. It is another temple for me like the ISKCON temple in Ahmedabad. We see God in the form of deity inside the Sri Krishna temple. But inside the Ashram we can see and feel “ Truth is God”.  I have spent more than 3 hours in the Ashram. We may wonder what is there to see for three hours, as the planned tour is itself 90 minutes for a walk through. But the three hours of my time in the Ashram took me  again to the history , struggle of our freedom fighters , the experiments of Gandhiji , and the small rooms they lived , though I was born after independence and missed to have a darshan of Mahatma Gandhiji. A silent prayer by sitting  in front of the room where Gandhiji spent most of his time, gave me some kind of feeling that I was also present at that time. It is a feel only and nothing to exaggerate.

My 2megapix Blackberry mobile phone captured many snaps to share in this blog.

Let me give some information about the Ashram. Sabarmati Ashram (also known as Gandhi Ashram, Harijan Ashram, or Satyagraha Ashram) is located in the Sabarmati suburb of Ahmedabad adjoining to famous Ashram Road, at the bank of River Sabarmati, 4 miles from the town hall. This was one of the residences of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, who spent approximately 12 years of his life here.
This ashram is now a national monument established by the Government of India due to its significance for the Indian independence movement in the form of the Dandi March in 1930.

The ashram was originally established at the Kochàrab Bungalow of Jivanlal Desai on 25 May 1915. The Ashram was then shifted on 17 June 1917 to a piece of open land on the banks of the river Sabarmati. Reasons for this shift included: Gandhi wanted to do some experiments in living (e.g. farming, animal husbandry, cow breeding, khadi and related constructive activities for which he was in search of this kind of barren land).

The day of my visit being a Sunday, there were many visitors  circled around the Ashram including students , tourists of Indian and foreign nation . I could see in their eyes , their inquisitiveness in knowing more about Mahatma and the Ashram.  Many of them took photos in front of the displays  and other sculptures  to carry their memory in photos . I am no exception .

The river Sabarmati behind the Ashram flows to a reasonable level.

The parakeets and doves enjoy their freedom in the trees  under which many freedom fighters worked and relaxed. The sounds of the birds was enchanting to my ears and I enjoyed few minutes there near the parapet wall next to the river.

A reasonable sized library contains many manuscripts and copies of books on Gandhi and by Gandhi for the researchers. Archive preserves legacy of eternal Gandhi in 34,000 manuscripts, 150 felicitations, 6,000 photo negatives, 200 files of photostats etc. And Library has 35,000 books including 4,500 books from Mahadevbhai Desai's personal collection and books on Gandhian thought. It is a valuable resource for researchers.

The articles used by Mahatma , original letters to Gandhi and Gandhiji’s  correspondence and few presents given to him are  also displayed.

Gandhi in Ahmedabad - The Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya (Museum) was opened in 1963. This gallery exhibits major events of Gandhiji's life from 1915 to 1930 in Ahmedabad.

Magan Niwas - Magan Gandhi - A Soul of ashram also introduced different design of charkhas.

Upasana Mandir - Prayer Ground Where ashramite listened to bhajans-hymns and reading from Holy Gita, Quran & Bible. I walked on the sand in barefoot  and felt the same feeling of walking on barefoot in Vrindavan, where Lord Krishna played around. The holiness is same for me in both the places.

Hriday Kunj - Like heart in a body this centrally located abode supplied energy to the entire place.

Vinoba-Mira Kutir - One hut where Vinoba Bhave & Ms. Madeleine, British admiral's daughter stayed

My life is my message - Events which were turning points in Gandhiji's and which ultimately changed the history of India are depicted through oil painting and photographs.

The Three Monkeys sculpture represents – Hear no evil, Speak no evil and See no evil. Mahatma’s sculpture in a calm sitting posture attracts all   and many stood by the side for a photo click.

My wish is that this blog should  be a benefit for the  readers , who never visited  the Ashram   and kindle their mind to add this place in their wish list of the places to visit !

 

TRUTH IS GOD

Generation Gap - Pride and Prejudice !

Generation Gap - Pride and Prejudice !

A junk mail landed in my mail box  last week , in Tamil script . It is an usual practice  for me to delete it without a full reading as the subject may   not be mostly of interesting   and junk by nature .  But the mail referred above  seems to be much interesting and show case the  GAP between the present and our time.  All that said is true and acceptable  to the elders like me and debatable by the present generation.

As the script is in it’s original form, I do not want to give any translation and copying the same for my blog readers .  In the end I will add more from another person’s blog, which also can be widely acceptable to explain what is the GAP between generations , what is good for us is not good for others and so on.

I felt this topic is an apt one to share  with  the present generation , if at all they spend time to read , understand , think  about the pros and cons and change themselves for a better living and enjoy life . I take the pride of being old and love to  show a right path to the youngsters. All the mistakes we did when we were young  got corrected by experience and  now easy to teach them the take away from us.

Quote : 'அந்த' நாட்கள் மீண்டும் வந்திடாதோ? இந்த கால குழந்தைகள் அல்லது இந்த ஜெனரேஷன் மக்கள  நம்மைபற்றி என்ன நினைத்தாலும் கேலி செய்தாலும் நாம் மிக மிக அதிர்ஷ்டகாரர்களே

·         தனி படுக்கையில்  அல்ல அம்மா அப்பாக்கூட படுத்து உறங்கியவர்கள் நாம் தான் ·         எந்த வித உணவுப் பொருட்களும் நமக்கு அலர்ஜியாக இருந்ததில்லை. ·         கிச்சன் அலமாரிகளில் சைல்டு புருஃப் லாக் போட்டு இருந்ததில்லை. ·         புத்தகங்களை சுமக்கும் பொதிமாடுகளாக இருந்ததில்லை. ·         சைக்கிள் ஒட்டும் போது ஹெல்மேட் மாட்டி ஒட்டி விளையாண்டது இல்லை. ·         பள்ளியில் இருந்து வீட்டிற்கு வந்தது முதல் இருட்டும் வரை ஒரே விளையாட்டுதான் ரூமிற்குள் அடைந்து உலகத்தை பார்ப்பதில்லை. ·         நாங்கள் விளையாடியது நிஜ நண்பர்களிடம் தான் நெட்  நண்பர்களிடம் இல்லை. ·         தாகம் எடுத்தால் தெரு குழாய்க்களில் தண்ணிர் குடிப்போம் ஆனால் பாட்டில் வாட்டர் தேடியதில்லை. ·         ஒரே ஜூஸை வாங்கி நாலு நண்பர்களும் மாறி மாறி குடித்தாலும் நோய்கள் எங்களை வந்தடைந்ததில்லை. ·         அதிக அளவு இனிப்பு பண்டங்களையும் தட்டு நிறைய சாதம் சாப்பிட்டுவந்த போதிலும் ஒவர் குண்டாக இருந்ததில்லை. ·         காலில் ஏதும் அணியாமல் இருந்து நாள் முழுவதும் சுற்றி வந்தாலும் காலுக்கு ஏதும் நேர்ந்ததில்லை. ·         சிறு விளக்கு வெளிச்சத்தில் படித்து வந்தாலும் கண்ணாடி அணிந்ததில்லை. ·         உடல் வலிமை பெற ஊட்டசத்து பானங்கள் அருந்தியதில்லை .மிஞ்சிய சாதத்தில் ஊற்றி வைத்த நீரைச் சாப்பிட்டே உடல் வலிமை பெற்றவர்கள். ·         எங்களுக்கு வேண்டிய வீளையாட்டு பொருட்களை நாங்களே உருவாக்கி விளையாடி மகிழ்வோம் ·         எங்கள் பெற்றோர்கள் பண வசதி மிக்க லட்சாதிபதிகள் அல்ல ஆனாலும் அவர்கள் பணம் பணம் என்று அதன் பின்னால் ஒடுபவர்கள் அல்லர். அவர்கள் தேடுவதும் கொடுப்பதும் அன்பை மட்டுமே பொருட்களை அல்ல ·         அவர்கள் தொடர்பு கொள்ளும் அருகாமையில்தான் நாங்கள் இருந்து வந்தோம்  அவர்கள் எங்களை தொடர்பு கொள்ள ஏலேய்ய்ய் என்ற ஒரு வார்த்தை போதுமானதாக இருந்தது அதனால் தொடர்பு கொள்ள செல்போனை தேட அவசியமில்லை. ·         உடல் நலம் சரியில்லை என்றால் டாக்டர் வீடு தேடி வருவார் டாக்டரை தேடி ஒடியதில்லை
. ·         எங்களது உணர்வுகளை போலியான உதட்டசைப்பினால்  செல்போன் மூலம் பறிமாறவில்லை உள்ளத்தில் இருந்து வரும் உண்மைகளை எழுத்தில் கொட்டி கடிதமாக எழுதி தெரிவித்து வந்தோம். அதனால் சொன்ன சொல்லில் இருந்து என்றும் மாறியதில்லை. ·         எங்களிடம் செல்போன் டிவிடி, ப்ளை ஸ்டேஷன்,  எக்ஸ்பாக்ஸ், வீடியோ கேம் பெர்சனல் கம்பியூட்டர், நெட், சாட் போன்றவகள் இல்லை ஆனால் நிறைய நிஜமான நண்பர்கள் இருந்தனர்

·         வேண்டும் பொழுது  நினைத்த நண்பர்கள் வீட்டிற்கு சென்று உணவுண்டு உரையாடி மகிழந்து வந்தோம். அவர்கள் வீட்டிற்கு போவதற்கு போனில் அனுமதி பெற தேவையில்லை.   ·         எங்கள் காலங்களில் திறமை மிக்க தலைவர்கள் இருந்தனர். அவர்கள் சமுகத்திற்காக தங்கள் செல்வங்களை செலவிட்டனர் இந்த காலம் போல சமுக செல்வங்களை கொள்ளை அடித்தவர்கள் அல்லர். ·         உறவுகள் அருகில் இருந்தது உள்ளம் நன்றாக இருந்ததால் உடல் நலம் காக்க இன்சூரன்ஸ் எடுத்தத்தில்லை ·         நாங்கள் எடுத்த புகைபடங்கள் கருப்பு வெள்ளையாக இருந்தாலும் அதில் உள்ளவர்களிடம் வண்ணமயமான நல்ல  எண்ணங்கள் இருப்பதை உணரலாம். ஆனால் இப்போது எடுக்கப்படும் படங்கள் கலராக இருக்கலாம் ஆனால் அதில் உள்ளவ்ர்களின் எண்ணங்கள் கருப்பாகவே இருக்கின்றன.

I got  the below  link when I was searching on the topic  in internet   and found fit to add in this blog in the original text  with the courtesy of the blog owner – Barleen.

http://barleen.blogspot.in/2011/05/generation-gap.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+BarleenWrites+(barleen+writes)

 I copied the content for the benefit of reading  in the same blog – courtesy : Barleen’s blog

And I stand here to discuss this ever debatable talk….

One of the important problems of all times is the generation gap. Adult’s mentality is different from teenager’s. They are the children of two epochs with different views on various subjects. Because of this parents and children sometimes argue with each other.
Some people believe that teenagers today are generally rude, lazy and ill-behaved. Other people, however, think that teenagers are not so bad.

The disparity in views, outlooks, lifestyle, values and perception of parents or the older generation on the other, results in the generation gap. The youngster lot wants to stay out for late night parties and believe in the philosophy of leading a merry life. They want to keep in tune with the overhanging world of fashion and believe in dressing up in the latest outfits. Some of these trendy cloths outrage the modesty of parents. The taste in music as well as lifestyle also differs vastly from the older to younger generation. The old age tradition values of respect for elders and love and attention for youngsters are being eroded and slogans like free expressions are being put forth by the younger generation. From a myth, generation gap is becoming reality.

Some people don’t want to understand modern views, ideals and system of values. They say that teenagers are cruel, brutal, heartless and rude. Yes, today new generation “plays” with smoking, drugs and alcohol, but this doesn’t mean that all teens are really bad!

On the other hand, today many elderly people look at the world with new eyes. Moreover, they try to understand teenagers’ problems and solve them.
In most cases “new generation” doesn’t understand their parents and becomes depressed because of this. To protest against it, teens can shock people around them. That’s why it is considered that teens today are lazy and ill-behaved. Elderly people usually compare their childhood and youth with present, they are always talking about “the good old days”.

People are said to become wiser with age. Sometimes it is true and sometimes it is not. I think that you can meet a wise man among the old as often as among the young. It is wrong that when wisdom always comes in old age. Sometimes when we talk to adults, they listen only to their own point of view. That’s why some teens don’t like to talk to adults....as I said in beginning it is a talk of past that continues till now. what changes each day is its face ….from grudges to understanding at present….and hope the relations improve for better but comparisons would only worsen it…

I believe the content  of this blog  is a ‘ thought for the day ‘ for youngsters !

Mahatma Gandhiji’s 65th death anniversary and Martyr’s Day

Mahatma Gandhiji’s 65^th death anniversary  and Martyr’s Day

Every year this day , 30^th January will be observed as Martyr’s Day throughout India , to pay respect for the freedom fighters who lost their lives and also to pay homage to Mahatma who left us on this day .

A two minutes silence will be observed at 11 AM  , throughout India .To mark  our respect  for the above cause , in my organization , a German company , I have  sincerely  requested the management for the observance of silence and  it happened  on this day and also for the last three years . My thanks to the management for doing so and an awareness is created  among us to think of the great soul who led the entire India in the front to get the freedom from the  British , along with other great leaders, who stood with him and  gave unconditional support except few.

My association with Gandhi Peace Foundation , run by Dr.S.Kulandhaisamy and other noble  persons, gives me a chance to be a part of them on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanthi and Martr’s day. I miss the opportunity to serve along with him due to my pre-occupation committed to my employer. I hope I will spend more time after 6 months.

GPF conducted   a three day event   this year starting with a workshop for school students on “ Exploring New Avenues for Peaceful Conflict Resolution of youth problems “ on 28^th Jan. 2013 ;  Students of Sai Vidyalaya staged a drama on “ Micro Actions for Peace ‘ at K.B.J.Gurukula Mat.hr.Sec.School,Madras. Sri Ramesh Sharma of GPF , New Delhi presided the function.

On 29^th Jan . 2013 , a Workshop on “ The Role of Youth in promoting Dignity of Manual Labour”  and “Gandhian Values for Preparatory Management “ .

Mahatma Gandhiji's mortal remains lies inside the Thulasi Madam in front of the building.

30^th January 2013 – Martyr’s Day  inaugurated by Dr.Sarojini Varadappan, President, Women Indian Association.

 All religions Prayer were presented by seven religions representatives and students of various schools and coordinated by Dr.Shenbagavalli, Joint Sec. GPF at 10.45 AM at Srinivasa Gndhi  Nilayam, Alwarpet , where GPF functions.

 

Hindu Prayer : Students  from K.B.J. Gurukulam Hr.Sec.School , Chennai .

Islam Prayer : Moulavi B.M.K.Rahman, Mosue at Dooming Kuppam, Chennai.

Christian Prayer : Students from Rosary Mat. Hr. Sec. School.

Sikh Prayer : Sri Pratipal Singh, Head Priest , Gurunanak Sat Sangh Sabha, Chennai.

Jain Prayer ; Students from S.J.N.S.Primary & nursery School, Chennai.

Buddhist Prayer : Sri E.Anban , Buddha’s Light International  Association, Salaiyur,Chennai.

Zorastrian Prayer : Sri Yezdi Ghadiali , Madras Parsi Zarthosti Anjuman , Chennai.

Prayer of Silence : for a minute

Shanthi Nilava Vendum : Dr.Kalakkadu R.Seethalakshmi.

Vote of thanks by Mrs.Padmaja Vasudev.

The entire program was well coordinated and presented by the NSS volunteers of Stella Maris College , Chennai.

The coordinators are :

Miss Ezhil Vadhani , Miss Annie Swetha , Miss Annusha , Miss Ajeesha and Miss Shantini.

I could interact with the young NSS volunteers during their presentation on the screen , a workshop on “ Empowering our Youth in conflict resolution methods “ .  They have compiled many questions on conflict and interacted with students of school and college on the different conflicts faced by thm in day to day , whether personal or social and  how we look into that for a solution . They explained to the children in the language they understand.

I  missed the first two days events and could not cover the  afternoon session  on 30^th January , but their agenda  as below went well it seems.

Worksho on “ Dignity of Labour ‘ coordinated by Miss Ashwati .

Miss Annie Swetha presented a report of “ Peace Education Project – 2012 “

Mrs.Nirmala , Director NSS , Stella Maris College facilitated their NSS volunteers and Mrs.Menaka Parthasarathy , Member GPF awarded the certificates .

Mr.Ramesh Sharma’s  bhajans in Hindi was amazing and we all joined in chorus  by clapping in sync.

My great salute to Dr.S.Kulandhaisami and Dr.Shenbagavalli  for their full time involvement in spreading the message of Mahatma to all  and to promote a culture of Peace that would benefit  the youth , the students , industrial workers and the public. My best wishes to the NSS volunteers for their service in spreading Gandhian values to students.

 I would have missed many eminent speakers names who have contributed much on the first two days workshop and  I may be excused.

Jai Hind.