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Sardar Patel National Memorial

Sardar Patel National Memorial

Sardar patel national memorial

 

 

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial is a museum and exhibition centre dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Moti Shahi Mahal, located in Shahibaug, Ahmedabad, Gujarat. Near City Hospital, Ahmedabad. Moti Shahi Mahal was constructed between 1618 and 1622 for the Shah jahan. The building was later used as a British cantonment to house the senior officials. In 1878 the greatest Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore stayed here when he was only seventeen years old and  this building served as an inspiration behind his story, The Hungry Stone. After the Indian independence, from 1960 to 1978, this place became the Raj Bhavan, official residence of the Governor of Gujarat. In the year 1978, the building was transformed into a national memorial dedicated to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Now the museum has been further enhanced with the latest technological interventions, for a more interactive experience. The Vallabhbhai Patel museum was set up in the year 1978 by Shri Babubhai Jasbhai Patel, the then Hon. Chief Minister. The museum was later enhanced in 2013 with the inclusion of interactive exhibits, under the guidance of Shri. Dinsha Patel and other members of the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Memorial Society. Shri R. S. Patel with his vision and leadership significantly contributed to transforming it into a museum of international standards. Dr. Manmohan Singh Hon. Former Prime Minister of India. H. E. Dr. Kamala Beniwal, Governor of Gujarat and Shri Narendra Modi, Hon. former Chief Minister of Gujarat and Hon. Prime Minister of India inaugurated the museum on 29th October, 2013. The museum showcase artefacts and the belongings of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and also includes two multimedia halls that shed light on various aspects of Sardar's life and work with interactive and experiential exhibits. The museum carries information in 3 languages - Hindi, Gujarati and English for the aid of the visitors. Best attraction of the museum is the 3D sound light.
 

Memorials and Exhibits
 

  1. Sardar Patel: The Vallabhbhai Patel memorial is located on the ground floor, covering the central hall and four adjacent rooms. The central hall is filled with portraits of Patel, his family, friends and colleagues in the Indian freedom struggle. They are in chronological order and with biographical descriptions of periods of his life, and quotes by his colleagues and admirers. Two of the four adjacent rooms house relics of Patel's life, his personal possessions as well as displayed accounts and political cartoons from newspapers of the time. One room is devoted to a particular phase of Patel's work - his comradeship with Mohandas Gandhi in the 1930s, his youth, education and legal career, and his work as India's home minister in integrating princely states into India. In a room to the right of the main entrance into the palace, is where Patel's personal effects are on display. These include his khadi kurta, jacket and dhoti, his shoes, slippers and European-style clothes from his younger days. Also on display is a flag of India as created by the Indian National Congress in 1930-31.
     
  2. Mahatma Gandhi: In a room connected through the Sardar Sarovar hall, the life and work of Mahatma Gandhi are on display. These include portraits, pictures, quotes, busts, statues and books. Gandhi's close partnership and personal friendship with Patel is an important and recurrent theme throughout the memorial.
     
  3. Tagore: Rabindranath Tagore, Bengali poet, writer and philosopher stayed in the palace in 1878, when he was seventeen years old. He wrote his only ghost story, The Hungry Stones and his first song here. On the first floor in the right wing of the palace, is the room where Rabindranath Tagore lived during his time at the palace, and it is dedicated to his memory. It is accessed by a staircase and a pathway into the right column. There are numerous portraits, pictures and information on display, and the main room consists of a large statue of Tagore, including paintings to preserve his memory and contributions.
     
  4. Sardar Sarovar Project: A major room and sub-hall on the ground floor is devoted to the Sardar Sarovar Project - a major dam and hydroelectric power plants project on the Narmada River valley, covering the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. The room contains pictures, graphics, books, statistics and other information on the project - from its inception, technical details, construction and present functioning.
     

Address

Shahibaug Palace, Shahibaug, Ahmedabad - 380004.

Ph.: (079) 22867027

Closed on Sunday and Public Holidays, No Entry Fee.