MUMBAI: The Ashapura Foundation under CSR of Ashapura Group, has set up the Vande Mataram Memorial dedicated to the journey of Indian Independence. It is wonderful innovation in CSR space in India. It has been built next to the Hiralaxmi Craft Park at Bhuj –Kutch over 12 acres of land in the state of Gujarat.
The primary structure of the museum admeasures about 100,000 sq. feet and has been modeled on the Indian Parliament Building. Its secondary structure of 50,000 sq. feet has been modeled on the Red Fort –it houses the Gandhi Ashram, Auditorium, Gallery, Library and a food court.
The Memorial has an interactive combination of sets, true scale models, life-size mannequins, paintings & 4 D audio visual special effects. The research and the attention to detail for the Memorial has been so extensive, that the stones used to construct the building of the Memorial have been sourced from the same quarry from where India’s Sansad Bhavan was built. This is a unique national monument, perhaps the only kind in the world.
This Memorial is a non- profit initiative of the Ashapura Foundation, which is a CSR activity of Ashapura Group of Industries.
The Memorial honours the legacies of our freedom fighters such as Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Mangal Pandey, Jawaharlal Nehru and our Bapu ji, all through a series of episodes that combine synchronized special effects, art and architecture to make it a truly immersive experience. Technology has come a long way in making history come alive, making it informative and experiential for adults of all ages and especially for children.
The Vande Mataram Memorial captures the significant events in our freedom struggle including the British landing in the court of Emperor Jehangir, the Durban episode in South Africa where Bapuji was unceremoniously offloaded onto the platform in South Africa, the Dandi March, the Quit India Movement the martyrdom of Shaheed Bhagat Singh and the transfer of power by the British to the Constituent Assembly of India, among the many events. The memorial immortalizes 17 crucial episodes of India’s freedom struggle.
In the coming days, the memorial complex and the adjoining craft park are likely to become popular tourist destinations for Indians as well as travelers from abroad.
