Sodepur Khadi Pratishthan, Gandhi Ashram - Khardaha

Sodepur Khadi Pratisthan Good Place

Heritage place.

The Khadi Pratisthan in Sodpur was inaugurated by Mahatma Gandhi on 2nd January, 1927. Gandhiji used to say, "Sodepur is my second home" and he came here several times. Important historic meetings were held in this ashram. The Khadi Pratisthan was setup by Satish Chandra Dasgupta, inspired by the swadeshi and self reliance movement of Mahatma Gandhi. Many prominent leaders of Indian independence including Subhash Chandra Bose, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Ballav Bhai Patel, Sarojini Naidu, Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, Dr. Bidhan Chandra Ray, Dr. P.C. Ghosh and Abdul Gaffar Khan visited this Ashram. It is located in Sodpur Government Quarter Housing Complex near Sodpur Railway Station.

As Gandhi ji said sodepur is his next home so he visited here many time. A must visit historical place. But now a days this place is not well maintained. Along with Gandhi ji many renowned personalities were visited this place. Five minutes walking distance from Sideburns Railway Station.

Khadi Pratisthan was setup by Satish Chandra Dasgupta, a qualified chemist with Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical, Calcutta. He was an avid follower of Mahatma Gandhi. He decided to give up employment and setup an Ashram for spinning, weaving and for manufacturing Khadi and other cottage industry products. He set it up here due it's proximity to  Calcutta for ease of marketing the products. Sodepur Khadi Partisthan has a special place in the life of Mahatma Gandhi and Indian Freedom Struggle. Gandhiji called Sodepur Khadi Ashram his 2nd home and stayed here whenever he used to come to Calcutta. He had visited Sodepur Khadi Pratisthan several times in 1939, 1945, 1946 and 1947. Gandhiji stayed here during the crucial days before independence - from 9th Aug'1947 to 13th Aug'1947 before moving to the riot affected Beliaghta. Many top leadres of India had come at Khadi Ashram for discussions/ meetings: Subhas Chandra Bose, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Sardar Ballav Bhai and others. There are many letters and comunications which were witten by Mahtama Gandhi at Sodepur. Today this great heritage place linked to India's independence does not have many visitors. It need to be publicised along with much neglected Beleghata ashrama.

The Khadi Pratisthan at Sodepur was setup by Satish Chandra Dasgupta, popularly known as Gandhi of Bengal. The Sodepur Khadi Partisthan had a special place in the life of Mahatma Gandhi and Indian Freedom Struggle. Gandhiji used to call the Sodepur Khadi Ashram as his second home and stayed here when he used to come at Calcutta. The founder Satish Chandra Dasgupta was also an expert chemist who was superintendent of Bengal Chemicals and Pharmaceutical Works founded by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy. Later on, being influenced by the ideology of Gandhiji and inspired by Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy, he decided to give up employment and set up an Ashram for spinning, weaving, and materials of Khadi as well as other Cottage Industrial Commodities. This was the Khadi Pratisthan at Sodepur with a single storied tile-roofed structure. Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated Kalasala at Sodepur Khadi Pratisthan which was near Sodepur Railway Station on a plot of 15 Bigha, on 2nd January 1927 in presence of Pandit Motilal Nehru, Srinivas Iyengar - Congress president, Sir Prafulla Chandra Roy and others. Many top leaders of India had come at Khadi Ashram for discussions/meetings: Subhas Chandra Bose, Pandit Jawahar Lal Nehru, Sardar Ballav Bhai Patel, Sarat Chandra Bose, Shyamaprasad Mukherjee, G. D. Birla, Jamunalal Bajaj, Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan, Sarojini Naidu, Surhawardy, Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Bidhan Chandra Roy, P. C. Ghosh and others. Mahatma Gandhi had visited Sodepur Khadi Pratisthan several times in 1939, 1945, 1946, and 1947. Historic meeting was held at Sodepur Khadi Pratisthan. Subhas Chandra, Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru participated in Tripuri Congress Conference in 1939 April. Subhash Chandra took his decision to leave Congress at the meeting held at Khadi Pratisthan. This led to a new era in the history of India's independence struggle finally leading to the formation of the Indian National Army (INA) by Netaji. Gandhiji stayed at Sodepur Khadi Ashram during the crucial days before the independence from 9th August 1947 to 13th August 1947 before moving to the riot-affected Beliaghata in Kolkata. There are many letters and communications which were written by Mahatma Gandhi at Sodepur. The area of Ashram at present is 42 Kathas with 11 rooms in a U shape with a running varandah with sloping tiles in a spacious lawn with the half-bust Statue of Mahatma Gandhi, reminds of a great Heritage and History. The area of the building covers 6383 Sqft. At present, Sodepur Government Housing Estate has been set up on the remaining part of the land of the Ashram, and the Ashram building is now in the process of being converted to a museum. The West Bengal Heritage Commission has recommended for commencement of activities for a more efficient adaptive reuse of this heritage site as the main structure is seemed to be in good condition. [West Bengal Heritage Commission].