Wardha: Away from the hullabaloo of urban lifestyle accentuated by technological advancements, Sevagram Ashram stands out as a beacon of timelessness shorn of any of modern-day luxuries, epitomising Mahatma Gandhi 's ways of simple living. The Ashram, built 88 years ago, continues to restore, nurture, maintain and preserve its original form. Its iconic structures — Adi Niwas, Bapu Kuti, Ba Kuti, and Bapu's office Kuti — remain untouched by electricity, as in Gandhi's era and reflect core Gandhian principles of self-reliance and sustainability.
Gandhi lived at Sevagram Ashram for over a decade while leading India's Independence movement, from these simple, mud-walled, kavelu-roof huts. Akash Lokhande, responsible for Ashram's upkeep, said: "It's not easy to keep these Kutis the way they were 88 years ago. Every alternate day, we maintain the ground, and every year we repair the walls.
" The Ashram's maintenance is a challenging task. Lokhande said traditional materials, such as ‘kavelu' (clay tile used for roofs), are slowly disappearing from the market. "We have enough ‘kavelu' stock to last 15 years, but subsequently, it will become nearly impossible to maintain the roofs in their original form.
Potters no longer make this type of tile, and it's a dying craft," Lokhande said. The Ashram was built on land provided by Gandhi's close associate Jamnalal Bajaj. Adi Niwas was the first to be constructed, followed by Ba Kuti, Bapu Kuti, and his office Kuti.
During Gandhi's t.
