Gandhi Bhavan Bangalore – A Memorial to the Father of Nation

Having heard so much about this place from my friends I was curious to visit it as early as possible. I have always been inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and tried to follow his principles in my life. So it was a must-visit place for me. I and my cousin completed the morning task and started our journey to Gandhi Bhavan Bangalore. Knowing well from locals that this gallery opens at 10.30 am and remains open till 3.00 pm, we reached the place by 11.00 am approx. From the name itself it was not hard to know to whom this Bhavan is related to. Gandhi Bhavan is dedicated to our Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. Located in Kumara Krupa Road, it was built for the prospect of spreading awareness on the Principles and Doctrines of Mahatma Gandhi.

Gandhi Bhavan Bangalore | Image Resource : hoparoundindia.com

Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the then president of India, started it as Gandhi-Smarak-Nidhi, a memorial in honour of Mahatma Gandhi and a venue for public meetings based on Gandhian values. This is a complex building which houses several establishments such as Gandhi National Literature Museum, Gandhi Picture Museum, Gandhi Palace Foundation, Khadi Village Industry Institution and Harijan Sewak Sangha. It also houses a library and publishing department, where works related to Mahatma Gandhi are printed and kept for sale.

Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Gandhi Bhavan Bangalore | Image Resource : karnatakavarthe.org

Gandhi Smarak Nidhi, the main attraction of Gandhi Bhavan Bangalore, is a very exclusive picture gallery exhibiting the complete life of Mahatma Gandhi. With curious and watchful eyes I kept on looking on the photographs from his early life till the day he survived. The photostat copies of his letters caught my eyes as those letters were written to various great personalities of that time like Tolstoy, Jawaharlal Nehru and Roosevelt. His wooden shoes were on display too. Drinking bowls made of clay used by him made me think of his simple living. I was most captivated to read his famous quotes on display by the placards hanging on the walls.

Pictures of Mahatma Gandhi displayed inside Gandhi Bhavan | Image Resource : indian-heritage-and-culture.blogspot.com

Completing our visit to Gandhi Bhavan, we went for lunch in a nearby restaurant. After that we spent our whole day shopping for our family and ourselves and later by watching a movie. I went to bed thinking about the next day, which was a visit to the beautiful Hebbel Lake.