What was the Ashram routine that the salt marchers followed?
Answers
March 12. The Great March, which can be likened to Lord Buddha’s Mahabhinishkraman, commenced from the ashram premises on the banks of the river Sabarmati, Ahmedabad, at 6.30 a.m. on March 12, 1930. Gandhiji, staff in hand, frail, but full of energy even at the age of 61, led the 78 satyagrahis. These represented a cross-section of the people from all over the country: Andhra, Bengal, Bihar, Bombay, Gujarat, Karnatak, Kerala, Cutch, Maharashtra, Punjab, Rajputana, Sind, Tamiland, U.P.,Utkal and even Nepal. Besides Hindus, there were among them two Muslims, one Christian and two Harijans. A huge crowd followed the satyagrahis, the roads for miles and miles having been watered and decorated with arches, flags and torans.
Reactions across India. Writing under the caption ‘Departure’ in the NAVAJIVAN of March 16,1930, Gandhiji stated “Thousands of Ahmedabad citizens, both men and women, kept vigil on the night of the 11th. Thousands flocked to the ashram… We walked on between to as far as the Chandola lake. I can never forget the scene.”
Later, speaking about the Dandi March, Gandhiji said: “My feeling is like that of the pilgrim to Amarnath or Badri-Kedar. For me this is nothing less than a holy pilgrimage.”Shri Motilal Nehru drawing a historical parallel said: “Like the historic march of Ramachandra to Lanka the march of Gandhi will be memorable”, while Shri P. C. Ray compared it with “the exodus of the Israelites under Moses.”
The sight of the satyagrahis moved Jawaharlal Nehru to heights of eloquence, prompting him to exclaim: “Today the pilgrim marches onward on his long trek. Staff in hand he goes along the dusty roads of Gujarat, clear-eyed and firm of step, with his faithful band trudging along behind him. Many a journey he has undertaken in the past, many a weary road traversed. But longer than any that have gone before is this last journey of his, and many are the obstacles in his way. But the fire of a great resolve is in him and surpassing love of his miserable countrymen. And love of truth that scorches and love of freedom that inspires. And none that passes him can escape the spell, and men of common clay feel the spark of life. It is a long journey, for the goal is the independence of India and the ending of the exploitation of her millions.”
After the first day’s march which ended at Aslali,13 miles from Ahmedabad, Gandhiji said to the assembled people: “The soldiers of the first batch had burnt their boats the moment the March began.” He also vowed not to return to the ashram until the Salt Act was repealed, and “swaraj” won.