Patna: The Bhitiharwa Ashram in West Champaran district, from where Mahatma Gandhi launched his programme for the development of villages, is completing 100 years on November 20. And, the state government is all set to celebrate the centenary with an exhibition on Gandhi. Chief minister Nitish Kumar will visit the ashram to inaugurate it and take stock of the recent renovation of the place.
Bihar is already celebrating the centenary of Champaran Satyagraha, which Gandhi waged against the Tinkathiya system under which the British forced farmers to cultivate indigo on three of every 20 cottah - instead of food grains they needed for survival.
The ashram, around 240 km northwest from Patna, has been converted into a museum, housing objects associated with Bapu and his wife Kasturba. The state government takes care of it while the Centre has built a shed over the restored structure.
"We have procured rare photographs and objects of Gandhi and Kasturba and will showcase it at the exhibition," said museum curator Shiv Kumar Mishra.
Gandhi Sangrahalay secretary Razi Ahmad said the ashram was the second school established by Bapu in the country (the first was at Barharwa Lakhansen in East Champaran). Bapu stayed there just twice, for a day each, but Kasturba resided there for several months. "Gandhi experienced abject poverty of our country at Bhitiharwa, when he met a woman and her daughter-in-law who had just one sari, which they shared while venturing out. This made him launch the constructive programme for rural India, which also emphasised on health, hygiene and education," Ahmad said.
Ahmad added that Gandhi laid the foundation of his famous "volunteerism" at Bhitiharwa by inviting doctors, teachers and professors to come and serve the people here for free.
"People from various parts of the country came to Champaran on his call," Ahmad said. "Rajendra Prasad, Maulana Mazharul Haque, Brijkishore Prasad, Dr Avantika Bai Gokhale, Sumant Sadashiv and others came to teach at the school and also spread awareness about health and hygiene among the people," Ahmad said.
Volunteerism spread like wildfire across the country, and formed one of the mainstay of the freedom movement's constructive programmes. It led to the development of several modern schools, colleges, vocational training centres among other things.
The place has been given a fresh coat of paint, bright lights have been installed, the road leading to it has been repaired and the plan is to deck it with flowers on Monday.
