Overview
- Features: Museum & memorial dedicated to Gandhi; place where he last lived and was assassinated
- Opening Times: 10am to 5pm (Tue-Sun)
- Best Time to Visit: Late October to early March
- Duration: 30 mins to 1 hr
- Travelled By: Metro (Race Course)
- Cost: Free
- Address: 5, Tees January Marg, New Delhi, Delhi, India
- Type: Museum, Memorial
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Summary
A big part of India’s culture today is rooted in its historical past. A trip to India is incomplete without learning about India’s history and who the country’s forefathers were. A visit to Gandhi Smriti in Delhi and Mani Bhavan in Mumbai will give you some insight into India’s history and enhance your experience. If you would like to visit Gandhi Smriti in Delhi, read this article to find out what happened at Gandhi Smriti and what you will see at this poignant venue.
What You Will See at Gandhi Smriti Delhi
India of My Dreams
I shall work for an India in which the poorest shall feel that it is their country, in whose making they have an effective voice, an India in which there shall be no high class and low class of people; an India in which all communities shall live in perfect harmony. There can be no room in such an India for the curse of untouchability, or the curse of intoxicating drinks and drugs. Women will enjoy the same rights as men. We shall be at peace with all the rest of the world. This is the India of my dreams.
– M. K. Gandhi
Gandhi Smriti is a museum and memorial dedicated to the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi. This poignant memorial marks Gandhi’s last place of residence and the spot where he was shot dead by a Hindu zealot on 30th January 1948. Formerly known as Birla House, the place where Gandhi spent his last days has now been converted into an impressive museum. Visitors can tour the building and grounds, viewing the preserved room where Gandhi lived and the place on the grounds where he was shot while holding his nightly public walk.
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Gandhi spent the last 144 days of his life as a guest in Birla House. The house, now converted into an impressive indoor museum, has photographs, paintings and dioramas depicting scenes from Gandhi’s life, including some whiz-bang interactive exhibits. In the room he occupied, his meagre possessions are on display, such as his walking stick, spectacles, spinning wheel and chappals (sandals).
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Gandhi Smriti is a beautiful and peaceful place to visit. The grounds have some lovely landscaped gardens which make for a serene setting. It’s a great place to get away from the noise and chaos of the city life outside. As you walk around the gardens outside Birla House, look out for a set of concrete footsteps that have been designed into the ground. These represent Gandhi’s final steps and lead to the spot where he died, which is marked by a small pavilion known as the Martyr’s Column.
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Outside the house stands a pillar that contains a swastika symbol. The prominence of the pillar means that it has been used as a visual example of the way the ethical meaning of the swastika symbol has changed in the West in the 20th-century. The same pillar also contains the Sanskrit symbol for the meditation sound, Om.
How to get to Gandhi Smriti?
Gandhi Smriti is located on Tees January Marg in New Delhi. The closest Metro station is Race Course from where it’s about a 400 metre walk northeast to the museum. Alternatively, you can take a taxi or a private car which will drop you right in front of the museum.
Tell us what you think. Will Gandhi Smriti be on your list of places to visit in Delhi? If you’ve been to Gandhi Smriti before, what were the highlights of your trip?
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