By: Venezza Pujara
“A museum is a window which allows us, to seek a peek in our history.” – Venezza Pujara.
Brief About the Museum:
The museum has preserved memories of the No- Tax movement of 1918, carried out by Sardaar Vallabhbhai Patel in favour of poor farmers of the town during the British rule. Under the movement the protests were carried out against the government which demanded huge amount of taxes from the farmers who could barley afford to feed his the family. The local government has also preserved other sites concerned with Sardaar Vallabhbhai Patel’s life & the No-Tex Movement. Which includes The Swaraj Ashram, Garden, And Khaadi Workshop.
Ways to Reach the Museum:
Most common route to reach the place consist of two diffrent modes of transport. The Railway and the Bus. As the town is connected to nearby cities by state transport buses. One firstly need to reach Surat, Gujarat. by train followed by bus journey of minimum 2 hours in a state transport bus. The bus depot is mere 1.6 Km away from the museum. One can either walk it’s way to the museum or the auto rickshaws (local public transport) are available. The museum is located in the middle of the city thus finding accommodation and dining is easier for visitors.
Visiting Hours: 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Admission fees : Rs. 1 per visitors & Rs. 50 for foreign Visitors.
Photography & Videography inside the museum is chargeable.
About the Museum :
The museum is located in the city of Bardoli. Which is famous for it’s historical farmer’s moment called “Bardoli Satyagrah”. The museum has preserved several photographs and the recreation of the incidents in the form of wax statues. Entier museum consists of 20 rooms. As we enter every room opens a new chapter about Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s life. Each room has detailed portrayal of his rebellious personality & his leadership qualities, his ideologies and his beliefs through his quotes, by having wax statues and the entier story behind the scene written & framed. While exploring the museum it feels like the photos have come alive & incidents are actually taking place in front of you.
About the Swaraj Aashram :
©AvinashBrahmbhatt
The Swaraj Ashram is home to many school girls, here they are taught things that are more then mere bookish knowledge, girls wake up at 5 in the and their day ends by 10 at night from cleaning their classrooms, preparing food for themselves & studying apart from that they also decorated the campus by self-made handicrafts, every single things is done by the girls staying in ashram. Here they inculcate values and beliefs of Sardar in the children from very young age which shapes their personality in such a way that they possess qualities of a disciplined individual.
The Sardar Nivas & Garden :
©NidhiDave
The Sardar Nivas is located in the ashram premise itself. The hinchko (Swing as it is called in Gujarati) and the other interior is carefully preserved by the authorities in charge. garden is another beautifully maintained part of the ashram. It is articulated by seasonal flowers and other plants making it a source of fresh air and addition to the beauty of the ashram premise.
Bardoli turns out to be a site preserving our glorious history in indeed the beautiful way.
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