Sevagram for the 21st century in Raipur is a project envisioned by the Chhattisgarh government that intends to be a place to remember and learn from the Gandhian Philosophies, to keep the freedom movement, and the nation’s history alive in the heart of young Indians.
The inspiration behind this project is the Sevagram in Wardha, Maharashtra, founded in 1936 as a residence for Gandhiji and his wife in Central India to lead the freedom movement. It was built with a vision to serve the nation through Rural Reconstruction. Gandhiji believed that village improvement is the only foundation on which can permanently ameliorate conditions in India.
The proposed Sevagram will have a Visitors Centre to spread Gandhian Ideologies, Arts and Craft village, Vridh Ashram and a school for the underprivileged. It intends to empower the locals by the economy generated by tourism, celebrating the artisans of Chhattisgarh, providing a second home for the elderly, and building a world-class system for knowledge for the best minds in the state with a motive to fight poverty. The Visitors Centre will be a place to learn, a place to re-live, a place to remember Gandhi, and commemorate him.
The Arts village will mirror the simplicity and traditions of the state and its people. Chhattisgarh is known for its distinct arts and craft. Bastar, Raigarh, and other districts of Chhattisgarh have various art forms using bell metal, wrought iron, terracotta, stone, fabric, and bamboo. The tribal families in the Bastar and Sukma districts celebrate many festivals and fairs, which require ample common space for the villagers to set up such fairs and interact. Sevagram will be a place where visitors will experience local arts and crafts, local cuisine through the community kitchen and host cultural events in an open-air theatre.
Vridh Ashram for old age is unique to Sevagram. It intends to become a second home for those elderly separated from their family and need care.
This ashram creates a holistic ecosystem that can offer its residents a quality of living and engagement with the other site activities. The idea of sustainable living having symbiosis between the elderly and site activities can make a very homelike experience. After all, Mahatma Gandhi believed that “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others”.
A schooling system inspired by the ancient Indian Gurukuls, well equipped to empower young Indians to take over the 21st century. The intent is to end poverty by providing education. As the saying goes – “The education of just one underprivileged child changes the future of many generations of the family as they are destined to move out of poverty”.
The government aims to make the project environmentally and financially self-sustainable by creating biodiversity parks and revenue streams by promoting arts and crafts and tourism. It will identify land in Nava Raipur in and the work plan will be presented before 2 October by NRDA. Building on the principles of sustainability, all the raw materials will be locally sourced.