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Tourists searching for peace and simplicity can for the first time check in to Mahatma Gandhi's most famous ashram in India. But don't expect modern comforts. And chastity is required.
For Rs. 1,000 ($16) a night, tourists can sample the lifestyle of India's famously ascetic independence leader by staying at the first ashram he established, set up in 1915 in the western state of Gujarat.
Guests at the ashram, which opened to holidaymakers earlier this month, can try their hand at spinning, visit local communities, pray and meditate, all while wearing khadi -- hand-woven cloth -- during their stay.
Adherence to
Gandhiji’s 11 vows
But they must adhere to Gandhi's 11 vows that he promoted including non-violence, no possessions, use of local goods, working for daily food, self restraint, including chastity, and control of diet.
And they are also encouraged to follow Gandhiji's austere daily routine, such as waking at 5 a.m. and undertaking domestic chores.
"The objective of this programme is to allow people to experience a sustainable lifestyle, to enjoy the simplicity of Gandhiji, experience the virtue of Mahatma," said Nischalavalamb Barot, a travel agent who helped develop the programme called "Live Gandhi for a While".
"This might change perceptions of tourists towards life, society and our natural resources. This might also help tourists find peace and satisfaction within," Barot told AFP.
Gandhiji went to stay at the bungalow, now called Kochrab Ashram and then owned by a lawyer friend, after he returned to India from South Africa in 1915.
From this base, in a village on the outskirts of the city of Ahmedabad, he rejected material wealth and developed some of the ideas for which he became famous.
The ashram is managed by a nearby university called Gujarat Vidyapith, which Gandhi himself founded in 1920 to "liberate the Indian youths from the shackles of British colonial rule".
The "Live with Gandhi" programme was launched on October 2 to coincide with the 144th anniversary of the birth of Gandhi.
Tourists have not yet made bookings, but Barot stressed there were lots of inquiries. Despite the many commemorations for Gandhiji, Barot, who developed the programme with the university, said he hoped the ashram offered something different.
Tourists searching for peace and simplicity can for the first time check in to Mahatma Gandhi's most famous ashram in India. But don't expect modern comforts. And chastity is required.
For Rs. 1,000 ($16) a night, tourists can sample the lifestyle of India's famously ascetic independence leader by staying at the first ashram he established, set up in 1915 in the western state of Gujarat.
Guests at the ashram, which opened to holidaymakers earlier this month, can try their hand at spinning, visit local communities, pray and meditate, all while wearing khadi -- hand-woven cloth -- during their stay.
Adherence to
Gandhiji’s 11 vows
But they must adhere to Gandhi's 11 vows that he promoted including non-violence, no possessions, use of local goods, working for daily food, self restraint, including chastity, and control of diet.
And they are also encouraged to follow Gandhiji's austere daily routine, such as waking at 5 a.m. and undertaking domestic chores.
"The objective of this programme is to allow people to experience a sustainable lifestyle, to enjoy the simplicity of Gandhiji, experience the virtue of Mahatma," said Nischalavalamb Barot, a travel agent who helped develop the programme called "Live Gandhi for a While".
"This might change perceptions of tourists towards life, society and our natural resources. This might also help tourists find peace and satisfaction within," Barot told AFP.
Gandhiji went to stay at the bungalow, now called Kochrab Ashram and then owned by a lawyer friend, after he returned to India from South Africa in 1915.
From this base, in a village on the outskirts of the city of Ahmedabad, he rejected material wealth and developed some of the ideas for which he became famous.
The ashram is managed by a nearby university called Gujarat Vidyapith, which Gandhi himself founded in 1920 to "liberate the Indian youths from the shackles of British colonial rule".
The "Live with Gandhi" programme was launched on October 2 to coincide with the 144th anniversary of the birth of Gandhi.
Tourists have not yet made bookings, but Barot stressed there were lots of inquiries. Despite the many commemorations for Gandhiji, Barot, who developed the programme with the university, said he hoped the ashram offered something different.
