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The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) will lead a INR 45 crore project to conserve and restore key Gandhian heritage sites in Wardha, Maharashtra, including Gandhi Smriti Bhavan, Kasturba Kitchen, and Wardha Haat. This initiative, in collaboration with MGIRI, aims to preserve architectural, historical, and cultural significance, promoting rural development and public engagement. The project, set for 18-month completion, will transform sites into multimedia museums and artisan marketplaces, making Wardha a hub for Gandhian thought and sustainable heritage tourism.
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is set to begin a project to conserve and restore prominent heritage sites. This initiative will start soon in Wardha, Maharashtra, aiming to preserve cultural, historical, and architectural significance related to Mahatma Gandhi through a comprehensive conservation and restoration effort involving various Gandhian sites. Advertisement
This project is a comprehensive conservation and restoration initiative that will cost INR 45 crore. The Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization (MGIRI), Wardha, is providing the funding, while IGNCA will lead the conservation and restoration efforts. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between MGIRI and IGNCA was signed on July 2.
Officials state the project will be completed within an 18-month timeline. Experts for the project will be selected through a competitive bidding process, and a detailed project report will be prepared soon. The initiative will cover Gandhi Smriti Bhavan, Kasturba Kitchen, and Wardha Haat, all located within the Sevagram Ashram campus.
Gandhi Smriti Bhavan, situated within the Sevagram Ashram, served as Mahatma Gandhi's operational headquarters from 1936 to 1948 during the freedom movement. It remains a site symbolizing Gandhian philosophy.
This building and its library will be transformed into an immersive, multimedia museum with prayer spaces, including structural repairs, digitization of collections, and interactive exhibitions showcasing Gandhi's ideologies, along with a meditation area. Kasturba Kitchen, where meals were prepared for the ashram community and visitors, will see its original infrastructure restored. Wardha Haat, a marketplace inaugurated by Gandhi in 1936 and associated with the All-India Village Industries Association (AIVIA) he founded in 1934, will be restored as an artisan complex.
This involves reconstructing damaged sections, improving visitor infrastructure, and creating dedicated workspaces for rural craftsmen. The overall objective is to preserve the architectural, historical, and cultural significance of these sites while promoting rural development and public engagement.
The project aims to bridge the gap between Gandhi's tangible legacy and contemporary efforts in sustainable rural development, educating and inspiring future generations. Public facilities, cafes, souvenir shops, and guided tours are also planned. Sevagram, near Nagpur, was Gandhi's headquarters from 1934 to 1940.
The Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Rural Industrialization (MGIRI) functions under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises. It was developed by KVIC (Khadi and Village Industries Commission) and IIT Delhi between 2001 and 2008. Seth Jamnalal Bajaj donated 300 acres for the ashram. After Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat, these are more Gandhian heritage sites in Maharashtra's Wardha district to get a makeover, contributing to India's cultural preservation efforts.
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