From Wednesday onwards to upcoming week, Mahatma Mandir, the grand venue for 13th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD) and 7th edition of Vibrant Gujarat, would be on radar of entire world.
The magnificent Convention centre named after Mahatma Gandhi has already impressed visiting delegates of PBD. Mahatma Mandir, constructed in record time is the brainchild of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who will be opening both the important events. It was Modi’s idea to develop permanent Convention Centre in the Gujarat’s capital to house global standard events when he was the Chief Minister of Gujarat. To pay tribute to the ‘son of the soil’, sand brought in urns by representatives of all 18,066 villages of Gujarat and emptied in the foundation of the Mahatma Mandir. Besides, ‘Time Capsule’ was buried under Mahatma Mandir containing history of the State.
Design of the Mahatma Mandir Convention cum Exhibition Centre has been inspired from the life and philosophy of Mahatma Gandhi – the Father of the Nation. Though it is still being developed in an area of around 34 acres in the Gujarat’s capital Gandhinagar, already two editions (5th and 6th) of Vibrant Gujarat were organised at Mahatma Mandir. Phase 1 of Mahatma Mandir was constructed in nine months starting from May 2010 to January 2011 at cost of Rs135 crore. It includes a convention centre, three big exhibition halls and small halls having conferencing facility. Phase 2 includes construction of salt mound memorial, a garden, a suspension bridge, wind mills and development of parking space at cost of Rs80 crore.
The Convention Centre and Exhibition Hall are designed to meet with the requirements for organising Global Meets, Conventions, Seminars, Conferences and exhibitions of both national and International levels with the state-of-the-art facilities. Gradually Mahatma Mandir is emerging as one of the most happening venues in Gujarat. The convention centre where the inaugural and valedictory functions of Vibrant Gujarat 2015 will be held, has column free air conditioned halls with capacity to accommodate over 15000 people at a time. Exhibition halls are built over 10,000 sq ft area.
A memorial dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi will be the part of the venue. A suspension bridge will be built in memory of the Dandi March. A concrete dome structure representing salt mound will house museum, library and research centre coupled with grand spinning wheel (Charakho), which will also be installed in near future. Mahatma Mandir will also have a sculpture garden with stone murals depicting the life of Mahatma Gandhi. The broadest avenue in Gujarat is also being planned which will connect Mahatma Mandir and Gujarat legislative Assembly through 162 meter wide and 3 km long road.