If someone asks to name a place that defines Mahatma Gandhi as a person, a politician, a statesman, a visionary, a philanthropist, a social reformer and a freedom fighter, it will be Sabarmati Ashram.

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Sabarmati Ashram is the mortal reflection of Gandhian philosophy. It was on May 25, 1915, that a young barrister named Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, came from South Africa after struggling against the Apartheid regime, established the Sabarmati Ashram.

1. Sabarmati Ashram, when established wasnt at the current location. Initially, it was originally established at the Kocharab Bungalow of Jivanlal Desai, a barrister and friend of Gandhi, on 25 May 1915. At that time the ashram was called the Satyagraha Ashram.

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2. But Gandhi wanted to carry out various activities such as farming and animal husbandry, which required bigger area. Therefore, on 17 June 1917, the ashram was relocated to an area of thirty-six acres on the banks of the river Sabarmati, and it came to be known as the Sabarmati Ashram.

3. In mythology, its believed to be one of the sites of Dadhichi Rishi who had donated his bone for the war against demons.

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4. Mahatma Gandhi had chosen this location for three reasons: Being a Gujarati, Ill serve my country best through the use of the Gujarati language. As Ahmedabad was the centre of the handloom in early days, the work of spinning wheel (charkha) could be done in a better way, I believed. Being the capital of Gujarat its wealthy persons will also make a larger contribution, I hoped," in his own words.

5. The first struggle Mahatma Gandhi led from the Sabarmati Ashram was for the textile workers strike. There was a complete deadlock between the mill owners and the inadequately paid workers. Mahatma joined them in Satyagraha and soon their demands were met.

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6. Sabarmati Ashram rose to fame when it became the landmark on unity between Indian people when on 12 March 1930, Mahatma started his 240-mile walk to the western coast to break the salt tax imposed by the British.

7. While leaving for Dandi March, Mahatma took a pledge that he would never return to Sabarmati Ashram until India achieves freedom.

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8. India did achieve freedom, but Mahatma never returned to Sabarmati as he was assassinated by Nathu Ram Godse on 30 January 1948 in New Delhi.

9. Today Sabarmati Ashram is a museum where various things which are the souvenirs of Mahatma Gandhi and the philosophy of freedom and equality he lived for have been preserved.

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Sabarmati Ashram Was Established Today, Here's Everything About Mahatma Gandhi's Ultimate Abode - Indiatimes.com