Wardha
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Wardha is in Vidarbha.
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History of Wardha District
Hindu Kingdom of Berar
Little or nothing is known of the early history of the District, but we have a mention of the river Wardha so for back as the 2nd century B.C. The early mention goes to Berar - the King of Vidharbha. The country of Vidarbha (Berar) was later divided into two (between Berar and his cousin Madhavansena), each ruling on one side of the riverv (Wardha).
Chalukya and Radhtrakuta Kings Wardha with the rest of Berar probably formed part of the Chalukya Rajput dynasty whose capital was situated in the modern Bijapur District and subsequently at Nasik and whose rule lasted from about 550 to 750 A.D.
Copper-plate grants belonging to this dynasty have been found at Multai in Betul and at Deoli in Wardha. The Deoli plate is dated A. D. 940 in the reign of the king Krishna III; it records the grant of a village named Talapurumshaka in the Nagapura-Nandivardhan District to a Kanarese Brahman.
The Bahmani Kingdom Wardha was subsequently included in the territories of the Bahmani kings of Gul barga near Solapur and Bidar, who established an independent principality in 1351, and were so called because the founder of their line, elected after the revolt from Muhammad Tughlak, was either a Brahman or a Brahman's servant. Mr. Sir A. Lyall says : 'We may venture to describe roughly the Bahmani province of Berar as stretching from the Satpura range southward to Godavari river, from Khandesh and Daulatabad eastward to the Wardha river.
The Imad Shahi Dynasty
There is and early mention of an invasion of Berar by the king of Gujarat in 1437 in which the Raja of Gondwana (across the Wardha) aided and abetted. This Raja must probably have belonged to the Chanda line. On the collapse of the Bahmani dynasty in 1518, Berar was ruled for a period by the Imad Shahi princes from their capital at Ellichpur, the founder of the dynasty being a Kanarese Hindu whom the governor of Berar had promoted to high office.
The Mughal Empire
The Ellichpur kingdom was crushed out of being by the king of Ahmadnagar in 1572 after a separate existence of ninety years, and in about 1594 Berar was ceded from Ahmadnagar to the Emperor Akbar.
The Maratha Invasion
The tract west of the Wardha included in Berar was finally ceded to Nagpur in 1822, the forts of Gawilgarh and Narnala and some other territory in Berar being retroceded by the Bhonslas to the Nizam at the same time.
The Bhonsla kingdom
In 1765 the allied armies of the Peshwa and the Nizam marched through Wardha plundering the adjoining country, and burnt Nagpur in retribution for the dishonesty displayed by Janoji-I in his conduct towards both of them.
Formation of the District
Wardha continued to form part of the Nagpur District until 1862 under the British, when it was made a separate charge chiefly on the ground that Nagpur as it then stood was too large for a single District, and that the interests of the vary valuable cotton industry in this part of the Wardha valley needed special supervision. The District headquarters were first located at Kaotha, near Pulgaon, but in 1866 they were removed to their present site, and the town of Wardha, named after the river, was built on the ground occupied by the hamlet of Palakwadi, the existing houses being levelled to admit of the new town being laid out on regular plan.
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The easiest way to get to Wardha is via Nagpur. Wardha is 75 Kms from Nagpur and would take about an hour and a half to reach.
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[edit] Sevagram
Sevagram is a small village near Wardha town (8 km). Mahatma Gandhi reached the village on the 30th April,1936 early in the morning at about 5 a.m. He remained here for about five to six days. He called the villagers and the purpose of his visit and sought their permission to settle down here. He had no intention to keep anybody with him except his wife Kasturba. However slowly pressure of work necessitated permission to more colleagues till Sevagram Ashram also became a full-fledged institution.
He was 67 years when he came to Sevagram. In those days the village was surrounded by forest on all sides. Snakes and scorpions were a common feature. There was only one footpath or cart track to Wardha. No post-office or telegraph office existed. There letters used to be brought from Wardha. There is another village in this region named Shegaon, made famous by the residence of Saint Gajanan Maharaj. Hence Gandhiji's letters used to get misdirected. Therefore, it was decided in 1940 to name this village as SEVAGRAM or the village of service
Ashram Huts Meera Ben (Miss Madelene Slade) was already settled in Sevagram before Gandhiji. At that time there was not even an approach road for the village. One make-shift road was soon constructed. A metalled road was constructed by the Government, when a Congress ministry was formed in the Central Provinces in 1937 under the scheme of provincial autonomy.
Gandhiji had put one condition for the construction of his hut (now known as Adi Niwas). Not more than Rs.500/ be spent on the hut and it be built with material available to serve food to inmates and then used to take his meals. He lived in one corner of the hut.
Bapu Kuti and Ba kuti Some sixteen from Adi Nivas hut, Gandhiji's disciple Miss Meera Ben had constructed a hut for herself and she used to teach spinning and carding to villagers in that hut. When the number of residents in the Adi Nivas increased, Gandhiji and Kasturba shifted to live in Meeraben's hut. Meeraben constructed one more hut on the eastern side for herself. However, later on she left this hut also for Gandhiji's office and shifted to a nearby village. These huts are known today as 'BAPU KUTI' and 'BAPU'S OFFICE'.
Kasturba had to live in Bapu Kuti in the midst of so many men. Looking to her difficulty, a new hut was constructed for her. Kasturba lived in this new hut with a few inmates and sometimes with occasional women guests. This hut is known as 'BA KUTI'.
When we look at this hut, we notice the true living art of Gandhiji's liking. The roof of this hut is covered with bamboos, mats and country mud-tiles. The walls are neatly plastered with white earth. Meeraben had decorated the walls with folk art symbols like Oum, palm tree, peacock and the Charkha symbolising God, nature, living beings and human activity.
The windows and doors are also made of bamboos and decorated with local designs. The village craftsmen prepare the palm tree mats, which are spread on the floor. The bamboo almirah hanging by the wall is a specialty. There is one shelf made of bamboo for keeping articles.
He used to sit on simple palm leaf mats. His office was also nearby. Next to him, his secretary Mahadev Desai or Pyarelal or someone else who would assist him used to sit. The visitors also had to sit on the ground. In Gandhiji's office hut a telephone installed at behest of the then Viceroy of is also displayed.
Gandhiji's correspondence went on increasing. Naturally, one Secretariat committee was formed to help him. Mahadev Desai was it's chief. Others were Pyarelalji and Rajkumari Amrit Kaur. More people used to help whenever needed. Replies to all the letters were invariably sent, sometimes in detail and sometimes in very brief, according to the importance and of the time.
Three Monkeys Gandhiji used simple and clean but beautiful stones as his paperweights. But the monkeys of china clay were the best. These monkeys are like toys. They are sitting side by side. One has put its hands over its eyes; the second one over its mouth the third over its ears. Gandhiji used to keep these monkeys with him as if they were telling not to here untruth and to speak untruth.
Prayer Ground Morning and evening prayers are a part of life here. The place for community prayer should not be expensive. Such a should be freely accessible to all. Gandhiji created one such place here. It is the open space under the sky surrounded by bamboo lining. To keep the place dry and free of mud during the rainy season, it is paved with stones and spread over thick sand. Even today evening prayers are held here daily. After the prayer Gandhiji used to speak his thoughts on the Ashram problems or on some burning problem facing the country, or answer questions.
Parchure Kuti On the eastern side of Bapu Kuti and his office hut, lies Parchure Kuti. Parchure was asocial worker & Sanskrit Pandit, but was somehow afflicted with leprosy disease. In those days people used to shun leprosy patients. Therefore, Parchure was thinking of committing suicide. He came to Gandhiji. Gandhiji himself started nursing and cleaning his wounds. It is in this hut where Gandhiji served the leprosy affected Parchure.
Under Gandhiji's instructions Shri Manoharji Diwan devoted his whole life to this cause. He started an institution to serve leprosy patients near Sevagram viz. Dattapur village. Parchure then shifted to Dattapur and lived their till his death.
Mahadev Kuti Mahadevbhai Desai was Secretary & very close to Gandhiji. He lived with family near Bapu Kuti in a hut called 'Mahadev Kuti'. Mahadevbhai had good command on English and Gujrati languages. He had a pious character. He died on 15th August,1942 while in prison with Gandhiji at the Agakhan Palace in Pune. His absence was deeply felt by Gandhiji.
Kishore Kuti On the northeastern side of Bapu Kuti one hut was prepared for Kishorebhai Mashruwala. He was scholar and studied Gandhian thought. He acted as a Secretary to Gandhiji for sometime. He was suffering from asthma. Therefore, the hut built for him is more comfortable and free from wetness during rainy season. This hut is called 'Kishore Kuti'.
Frontier Gandhi Gandhiji invited Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan popularly known as the Frontier Gandhi, to come and live with him for sometime. Gaffar Khan lived in the Adi Nivas. The Frontier Gandhi lead a simple life of an Ashramite. He used to serve the sick also besides attending to other duties. Though looking to his habits Gandhiji had permitted him to eat meat yet, he never ate any meat and followed the Ashram discipline. He lived like a villager and called himself 'A Servant of God'.
Tukdoji Maharaj In the early days, Saint Tukadoji Maharaj lived in the Ashram for one month. He also lived in the Adi Nivas with Bapu. After returning to his own Ashram he started constructive activities in tune with Gandhiji's teachings. He used to pray daily in the mornings and evenings. When in Sevagram he used to sing spiritual hymns after the prayers. Many villagers used to come to listen.
Eleven vows as a basis of the Ashram Life v Truth (Satya) v Non-violence (Ahimsa) v Chastity (Brahmacharya) v Non-possession v Non-Stealing v Bread-Labour v Control of Palate v Fearlessness v Equality of Religions v Swadeshi (use of home produced goods) v Removal of untouchability Principles of Sarvodaya (Welfare for all)
ü The good of the individual is contained in the good of all. ü All have the same right of serving their livelihood from their work. ü A life of labour of the soil and the handicraftism is the life worth living. The Mad Rush
The people who are in the mad rush today, increasing their wants senselessly suppose that they are enhancing their importance and real knowledge. A day will come when they will exclaim, “What have we been doing?”
One after another, many civilizations have risen, flourished, declined and disappeared and in spite of their big boast of human progress, I am inclined to ask; To what end all this? What’s the purpose? Darwin’s contemporary Wallace has said that despite the various discoveries and inventions during the past fifty years, the moral height of man hasn’t increased even an inch. Tolstoy has said the same thing. Jesus, Buddha, Prophet Mohammed all have said the same things.
Bapu's daily routine at Sevagram Ashram Morning 4.00 Get up from bed 4.20 Morning community prayers, Writing work or rest. 7.00 Breakfast, Morning walk, Help in kitchen, latrine & Utensils cleaning, Vegetables cutting, grinding, etc. 8.30 Visitors, writing or reading work. 9.30 Oil massage in the sunlight and tub-bath. 11.00 In Lunch, not to take more than five items. Noon 1.00 Correspondence, visitors. 4.30 Spinning. Evening 5.00 Evening meals 6.00 Evening prayers (Prayers speech) 6.30 Evening walk for some time 9.00 Go to bed (after finishing ) (He used to complete his pending work on Mondays by keeping silence.)
Total stay of Bapu in Wardha, Seagram - 2,588 days
Present routine of at Ashram
Schedule Activities
4.30 a.m. Wake up from bed
4.45 a.m. Morning Prayer
5.15 to 6.30 Study
6.30 to 7.30 Cleaning, kitchen duty
7.30 to 8.00 Breakfast
8.00 to 10.30 a.m. Agriculture or Kitchen work etc.
11.00 to 12.00 Lunch and cleaning of food grains
12.00 to 2.00 p.m. Rest
2.00 to 2.30 p.m. Community Spinning in Bapu Kuti
3.00 to 5.00 p.m. Study and other work
5.00 to 5.30 p.m. Evening Meals
6.00 to 6.30 p.m. Evening Prayer at Prayer Ground
6.30 to 9.00 p.m. Free time - self study
9.00 p.m. Go to bed
Gandhi Exhibition and Yatri Niwas On the Western side of the Ashram on the other side of the main road, the Gandhi Photo Exhibition depicts Gandhiji’s life through pictures. Next to the Exhibition is Yatri Nivas for the benefit of visitors.
Other Constructive Institutions around Sevagram Ø Gandhi Seva Sangh Sevagram Ø Sarva Seva Sangh, Mahadev bhai bhavan, Sevagram Ø Nai Talim Samiti, Ashram, Sevagram Ø Brahma Vidya Mandir, Paunar, Wardha Ø Maharogi Seva Samiti, Dattapur, Wardha Ø Gram Seva Mandal, Gopuri, Wardha Ø Magan Sangrahalaya, Wardha Ø All India Krishi Goseva Sangh, Gopuri, Wardha Ø Acharyakul, Gopuri, Wardha Ø Khadi Mission, Gopuri, Wardha Ø Shiksha Mandal, Wardha Ø Mahila Ashram, Wardha Ø Gandhi Gyan Mandir, Wardha Ø Shri Laxminarayan Devsthan, Wardha Ø Goras Bhandar Maganwadi, Wardha Ø Rashtra Bhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha Ø Leprosy Foundation, Wardha Ø Central Village Industries Research Institute, Maganwadi (managed by KVIC) Wardha Ø Charmalaya, Gopuri Wardha Ø Pulses, Handpounding and processing Institute at Mahila Ashram, Wardha
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