subject: Gandhi Smriti – the Living Memory of the Mahatma [print this page] Gandhi Smriti the Living Memory of the Mahatma
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, the greatest visionary and leader the land of India saw in the 20th century met his end by an extremist's gunfire on January 30th 1948. But the legacy of Mahatama Gandhi; as he was known among his ardent followers as well as enemies, was destined to be the lasting light of the spirit of India in the coming years. Embodying the memory of this great patriot and humane leader is the Gandhi Smriti; the mansion and museum of the Mahatma in New Delhi.
Located on Tees January Road in New Delhi, the grand mansion of Ghandi Smriti was in its beginnings the city mansion of a powerful family of business tycoons; the Birlas. It is in this very house that Mahatma Gandhi spent his last days under the care of the Birla family, before he met his end by an assassin. Originally known as Birla Bhavan, the building was taken by the government of India and made into the museum that you see in 1973. The name Ghandi Smriti which was given to the museum stands to mean Ghandi Remembrance' as it housed a trove of memories and memoires from the life of this great leader. The museum received an interesting facelift in 1995, when the Eternal Ghandi Multimedia Museum was established in 1995, which is the main museum feature you will see today.
What strikes most about the place its tranquillity and sense of stillness; an almost tangible atmosphere which is right at home at a museum dedicated to a man of peace, which you will feel yourself becoming one with during your visit. Once at the museum, visitors can explore the mansion grounds and explore the exhibits, which contain many of the Mahatma's personal belongings. The place of his daily congregation and his personal room is also well preserved, and visitors can even trace his final steps to the place where he was gunned down, marked by the Martyr's Column right out on the museum grounds. You will also find the Eternal Ghandi Multimedia Museum exhibits quite intriguing, as it uses state of the art multimedia along with physical interactivity to let you explore the tale of this great man in vivid detail.
It's easy to get to Ghandi Smriti easily from any New Delhi hotel you stay at, since it is located quite close to the city centre. Good five star hotels New Delhi is known for, such as The Leela Palace Kempinski New Delhi can be your choice of accommodation while you explore the city and the visit its places of interest.
