Village of service set up by Gandhiji celebrates anniversary

A Deep Utsav and Arogya Deep Utsav were among the events held to mark Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary celebrations here on Wednesday.

Social groups, schools and colleges also joined the Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University to light up all major squares and roads with clay lamps.

Schools and colleges and other political groups and parties participated in the anniversary celebrations in the main event where the focus was on health and cleanliness.

Congress Sewa Dal organized Sewagram Padyatra from Bapu Kuti to Hutatma Memorial from 11.30 am. Around 5,000 workers of Sewa Dal and Congress took part in the march.

Sevagram Ashram Pratishthan organised a lecture by Dr Subodh Kerkar, director of Gandhi Museum, Goa, on Gandhi and health. He said Gandhiji was particular about health and fitness.

"Gandhiji used to not even eat a single gram of food more than decided. This was his dedication and awareness of health," he said.

"If you are a Satyagrahi (believer in truth) you must be healthy physically and mentally. Gandhiji used to walk around 15-18km per day," he said.

"We need to understand the life of Gandhiji with multiple dimensions, and health was another dimension which we forget," Kerkar said.

The Akhand Sut Yadnya (spinning of charkha) was held at the Bapu Kuti at Sevagram Ashram. As part of a Sadbhavana cycle yatra, 42 youth completed a 900 km journey from Raigad to Wardha.

The Khadi and Village Industries Commission organised an exhibition to promote KVIC products.

When Gandhiji started his padayatra (foot march) in 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram to Dandi for the Salt Satyagraha, he had decided not to return to Sabarmati till independence for India was attained.

He decided to make a village in Central India his headquarters. He came to Wardha in 1934, at the invitation of Jamnalal Bajaj and in April 1936 established his residence in the village Shegaon, a small village 8 km from Wardha and 75 km from Nagpur, which he renamed as Sevagram, which means 'village of service'.