In an effort to connect youth with Gandhian philosophy, Navjivan Trust – one of the premier institutions founded by Mahatma Gandhi in Ahmedabad is all set to add new features at its premise situated on Ashram Road.
Navjivan Trust, a publishing house established in 1929 by the Father of the Nation —Mahatma Gandhi with a view to explain the essence of Satyagraha to the people of India through two weeklies newspapers —Navjivan and Young India is now all set to offer an art gallery ‘Satya’, a state-of-the art cafeteria ‘Karma’ and a Centre for Sustainable Development on its premise.
“Visitors at the unique cafeteria and art gallery will have free-of-cost access of Gandhi literature and publications of more than 800 titles published by Navjivan Trust. Besides books of other noted writers across the globe will be kept here for visitors,” says Vivek Desai, Managing Trustee of Navjivan Trust.
The idea is to connect more and more people, especially youngsters with Gandhi and his thoughts, says Desai adding that there will be no fix charges at art gallery and cafeteria as the guests are suppose to pay their bills voluntarily after having tea and snacks as per their wish. According to him, the menu should be simple and hygienic, which Gandhiji himself recommended, even goat milk (Mahatma used to consume) will also be available here.
“On every Saturday and Sunday, the Café will offer ‘Gandhi Thali’. The art gallery will showcase photographs, writings and artwork of Mahatma Gandhi. Adjacent to the gallery an old printing press has been displayed, in which Navjivan and Young India used to print before freedom. Moreover, typewriters used by Mahadevbhai Desai, Gandhiji’s personal secretary and Satyagraha activist,” he added.
“We want lots of youngsters to visit the place and go through Gandhi literature and discuss Gandhi philosophy in current perspective over a cup of coffee or tea,” said Kapil Raval, one of the trustees of Navjivan trust
Apart from these two structural additions, the Gandhian publishing house will also start a mission “Navajivan Centre for Sustainable Development” (NCSD) as one of its functional bodies. The centre will play a key role in connecting Gandhian Philosophy to various developments taking place in the country.
The objective of NCSD is to work in direction of realisation of India which was dreamed by Gandhiji decades back using various projects, both independently and in association with the Government, said Samir Shukla, mission director, who is also an architect instrumental in designing art gallery and Café. “Through NCSD we aim to establish organisation as a professional consulting and implementation agency which will utilise technical knowledge in Gandhian way,” says Shukla.
The core of NCSD’s objectives is to strengthen rural India by facilitation of basic needs and making state-of-the-art developments possible at grass-root level, he said adding that the centre is conceptualised in a way that it can work in association with Government shoulder to shoulder for various projects. The birth of NCSD will make sure that any worth idea does not limit itself to a mere thought and gets realised. Gujarat Chief Minister Anandiben Patel will inaugurate the gallery, Café and NCSD on Thursday.