Mani Bhavan, Mumbai
Walking through the Mani Bhavan Museum, the words of Mahatma Gandhi, the Father of the Nation, start resounding in your head. This place has a proud story to tell, the visitors visiting this place, as it served as Gandhiji’s Bombay headquarters for about seventeen long years from 1917 to 1934. This two-storey building belonged to Shri Revashankar Jagjeeevan Jhaveri, a friend and host of Gandhiji during that period.The most eventful and memorable acts have been initiated from the Mani Bhavan such as the Satyagraha against Rowlatt Act which propagated the cause for Swadeshi, khadi and Hindu-Muslin unity, Civil Disobedience, and Khilafat movements. The museum emanates inspiring vibes that send waves of patriotism and nationalism through your skin and bones. In 1955 this building was dedicated as a memorial to Gandhiji and to great events of which the foundation had been laid at that time.
Check Out the Books Written by Gandhi
Housed on the Laburnum Road in Mumbai, India, inside the Mani Bhavan, the library consists of almost 40,000 books and periodicals. It contains books written on and by Mahatma Gandhi based on the Gandhian thought, the independence movement and other related subjects. Many out of print books can be found in the library. This library is open on all weekdays except on the second and fourth Saturdays of the month, from 9:30 AM to 6:00 PM. It remains closed during public holidays.Mani Bhavan is the center point of the political activities of Mahatma Gandhi during that period. The building is also the standing witness of the four-day fast conducted by Mahatma Gandhi to restore peace in Mumbai back in 1921. The association of Gandhiji with the ‘charkha’ or the spinning wheel was also started in the Mani Bhavan.
Learn about Gandhi’s Political Journey
The auditorium on the first floor is where the films on Gandhiji are shown and the recordings of his speeches are played on request. This auditorium holds seminars, meetings, discussions and various competitions for school and college students. Here is a statue of Mahatma Gandhi where people offer their tributes.You will see a staircase, leading to the first floor, dotted with pictures of Gandhiji depicting his life. On the first floor, there is a big photo gallery where the photographs of his childhood to his assassination displayed with press clippings.
The room on the second floor used to be Gandhiji’s living room and working place. There is a glass partition in between and people can see through two of his spinning wheels, a book and a still preserved floor-bed. There is an exhibition adjoining the room of Mahatma Gandhi that depicts the life of Gandhi through its mini-figures in almost 28 tableaux that have been prepared by Mrs. Sushila Gokhale-Patel.
A picture gallery is also present that gives glimpses of Gandhi in Mani Bhavan. The photographs of the important events and photostats of some significant letters, articles, and documents written by Gandhiji has been put on display in Hindi and English. Few replicas of the models of Gandhi's birthplace, Sabarmati Ashram, Phoenix Ashram, Sevagram Kutir, and his prison cell are also on display.
A bronze plaque with an inscription has been kept in place of the tent in which Mahatma Gandhi had been arrested in January 1932. There is a research institute called the Institute of Research on Gandhian Thought and Rural Development, Mani Bhavan, recognized by the University of Mumbai for postgraduate students.
You can also go to the sales counter in the entrance hall where Gandhi postage stamps, photographs, statues, Gandhian literature, and other articles are sold.
Mahatma Gandhi was a dynamic personality and we all pay homage to him with respect and pride. His simplicity and steel-clad determination inspire many people all over the world. Mani Bhavan showcases the memoir of Mahatma Gandhi and takes us back to the political struggles and protests that led to the climax of the independence of India.
In the eyes of millions of Indians and around the world, Mahatma Gandhi was a great soul admired by the huge crowds who gathered to see him all along the route of his tours. His fame spread worldwide during his lifetime and continued even after his death. The name Mahatma Gandhi is widely recognized and universally accepted all around the globe. He wrote an autobiography named the “Story of My Experiments with Truth”, where he has given an honest, clear and unbiased description of his life and his experiences.
If you are in Mumbai and you’re interested in Indian history, you should not miss this place as it is a treasured gem along with other museums in India. Mumbai, the commercial hub of India, is also culturally rich and historically remarkable in its own way. The untold stories of this city have been preserved in different forms in the museums housed in this city.
Mani Bhavan Museum Timings & Entry Fee
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Mani Bhavan Entry Fee |
Free, but visitors are recommended to give some donations |
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Mani Bhavan Timing |
9:30 -18:00 Closed on 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month, as well as on public holidays |
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How Much Time to Spend |
1 ~ 2 hours |
How to get to Mani Bhavan
Mani Bhavan is located on No. 9, Laburnam Rd, Gamdevi, Girguam District.
1. If travelling by air, the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport is the nearest airport, 19.1 km (12mi) away through the Western express highway.
2. If planning to travel via train, Grant Road and Charni Road are the two nearest railway stations just 1.6 km (1mi) and 1.8 km (1.1mi) respectively from Mani Bhavan.
3. Mani Bhavan is just 3.1 km (1.9mi) from the Mumbai central bus stand. Passengers can get there by BEST 123 bus.
4. If you don’t prefer travelling by bus, you can hire an auto-rickshaw or online cab to reach here.