The Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad is undergoing a major redevelopment under the Gandhi Ashram Redevelopment Project, with an estimated cost of Rs 1,200 crore. The project covers a 55-acre area and aims to restore and reinterpret the historic site associated with Mahatma Gandhi. While most of the original ashram buildings have already been restored, authorities are now working on how Gandhi’s life, ideas and legacy will be presented to visitors through museums, activities and other experiences.

The redevelopment is reshaping parts of the visitor experience around the historic buildings. A granite-paved pathway, much of which has already been completed, is lined with Victorian-style lampposts and ornate wooden benches. The route is also surrounded by a range of trees and plants from different parts of the world, including baobabs from Madagascar, black neem from Thailand, Mayan spinach from Mexico and bird-of-paradise plants.

The pathway is planned to take visitors through different aspects of Gandhi’s life before ending at an arboretum called Mohan-to-Mahatma. The arboretum is designed around the different phases of Gandhi’s journey, with plants colour-coded to represent stages of his transformation from Mohandas Gandhi to the Mahatma. The project is therefore intended not only to preserve the physical structures of the ashram but also to create a more immersive way of presenting its history to visitors.

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Among the important restored structures is the house where Gandhi and his wife, Kasturba Gandhi, once lived. The building remains an important part of the historic ashram complex and continues to connect the redevelopment with the site’s original character. Every year on Gandhi Jayanti, the house and the wider ashram are associated with an all-faith prayer meeting that is open to the public, maintaining a longstanding tradition at the site.

The redevelopment comes with the challenge of balancing conservation with the creation of new visitor facilities and experiences. The original ashram was closely connected with Gandhi’s life and work, making the interpretation of its buildings particularly significant. The project is now focused on determining how the restored structures will be used as museums and spaces for activities and experiences without losing the historical significance of the 55-acre site.

The planned transformation is expected to give visitors a more structured journey through the history of Sabarmati Ashram and Gandhi’s life. With restored buildings, landscaped pathways and the proposed Mohan-to-Mahatma arboretum forming parts of the experience, the project seeks to combine heritage conservation with a contemporary approach to storytelling. The central question now is how the Rs 1,200-crore redevelopment will translate the ashram’s history and Gandhi’s legacy into experiences that remain meaningful to visitors.

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