Kaba Gandhi No Delo

History

Mahatma Gandhi's father Karamchand Gandhi was popularly known as Kaba Gandhi and thus his home was known as Kaba Gandhi No Delo in Gujarati language, meaning 'Kaba Gandhi's residence'. Kaba Gandhi was a native of Porbandar and moved to Rajkot in 1874 when he was appointed Diwan (prime minister) of the Rajkot State. The family moved Rajkot two years later. The Rajkot State gave him 400 square yards (330 m²) of land in early 1880 where he constructed the house and the family moved in new house in 1881 from a rented house. Mahatma Gandhi was 12 years old when they moved here. He married Kasturba and had the birth of their elder sons, Harilal and Manilal, during his stay in the house from 1881 to 1887. Kaba Gandhi died in 1885. It was a primary family home until 1915, including during those years when Gandhi stayed in London and in South Africa. Later on, on return from South Africa in 1915, he established Kochrab Ashram in Ahmedabad.

The Gandhi family sold the house in 1920. After independence of India, the Government of Saurashtra State bought it in 1948 from the owner then. It was handed over to the Gandhi Smriti Trust in 1969 on the birth centenary of Gandhi. Putliba Udyogmandir Trust, an NGO, conducted educational and sewing classes for few years from here before moving elsewhere. It houses a permanent exhibition now, called Gandhi Smriti.