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PLACES
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SEVAGRAM
Sevagram is an important village in Wardha tahsil about five miles from Wardha on the Wardha-Nagpur railway. It had a population of 1,424 in 1961. Its original name was Shegaon but Gandhiji, making it the headquarters of his social service work, changed its name to Sevagram, Seva meaning service and Gram meaning village. Many decisions of grave national importance were taken here and deliberations were held during the struggle for national independence when it was visited almost by all the leading leaders of the independence struggle. It was here that the meeting of the Congress Working Committee was held in 1941. Thus Sevagram is known not only to Indians but also to the people all over the world. Because of Gandhiji's seat and his cottage, which is preserved intact to date, that Sevagram has become a place of pilgrimage and reverence to the patriots.
From here Mahatma Gandhi worked ceaselessly for the uplift of the untouchables, the downtrodden, the indigent and the diseased. Various social welfare institutions were started and today the village is known more for the good work it is doing in the social and educational fields than for anything else. While entering the village one comes across the Charakha Sangh which while propagating the use of Khadi imparts education in spinning of thread on Charakha and weaving cloth out of it. Gandhiji's slogan in this regard was that if every Indian learnt to spin thread and weave cloth there will be no necessity of importing textiles.
Kasturba hospital which made its humble beginnings in the form of a small dispensary in 1937 is another institution rendering medical aid to the needy. Since then it has grown rapidly and today nearly 75 villages from the surrounding country take advantage of the medical facilities it affords. It was established by Dr. Sushila Nayar in a small cottage. It is now housed in the Birla Bhavan. Recently a Medical College has been started here.
In order to make youth self-reliant and to develop their physical and cultural attainments, the Hindustani Talim Sangh was founded in 1928 under the guidance and inspiration of Mahatma Gandhi. Among the notables who helped its growth Acharya Aryanayakam and Ashadevi Aryanayakam stand out prominently. The Sangh has five main sections viz., Pre-basic training; Basic Training School; Post-basic training for students coming from Rashtriya Samsthas outside Wardha; Nai Talim Bhavan where teachers and workers are given education in physical training exercises and the Sahitya Vibhag where equipment required for basic training is made and publicity work carried out. Here the resident students are required to cultivate corn and vegetables and weave cloth. Since its establishment the institute has trained hundreds of youths in various arts and crafts thus helping them to stand on their own feet. Sevagram has post and telegraph facilities.
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