On a bright Sunday morning, I decided to visit Mani Bhavan, Mumbai. Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi resided in a quiet tucked away neighborhood in Grant Road, whenever he was in Bombay (now Mumbai). Many of his historic movements between 1917 – 1934 like Non-corporation, Satyagraha, Swadeshi and the Khadi movement were started from here. The residence gets its name as it originally belonged to a ‘Mani’ family and later to Revashankar Jagjeevan Jhaveri, a friend and host of Gandhi in Bombay during the pre-independence rule. Mani Bhavan has been a place of gathering for some of the most important Indian leaders from the freedom struggle like Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Subash Chandra Bose and Khan Abdul Gaffar Khan.
Visit Mani Bhavan Mumbai – What to expect inside?
Most of the architecture of Mani Bhavan has still been retained. The moment you step inside, you are transported back in time to get a glimpse into the life of India’s most important man. Pictures (mostly black and white) of Gandhi, Baa (his wife) and his friends and colleagues adorn walls of this quaint residence.
Each level of the two storeyed house is beautifully designed to enlighten visitors on the life of Gandhi. The ground level has the reception and some photographs of young Gandhi. There is a library with a plethora of books on law (Gandhi was a lawyer by profession), his biographies and the journey of Indian independence. Often visitors spend some quiet time in the library surrounding themselves with books on his life and way of living. At the entrance, there is a Karl Marx stone presented to Mani Bhavan by former U.S. President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama on their visit in 2010.
The first level of Mani Bhavan displays photographs of Gandhi with prominent leaders, his followers, friends and other established individuals from varied walks of life. The standout picture is of Gandhi with the handsome but rather unrecognizable Charlie Chaplin without his trademark moustache, hat and stick.
The second level has dioramas (miniature clay models) depicting important moments from Gandhi’s life during the pre-independence and post independence era, including his assassination.
The entire museum experience can be captured with your lens as photography is allowed. If you’d like to shop, a small section on the first floor is dedicated to exhibiting Khadi cloth (which Gandhi always advocated). The shop is very reasonably priced.
In spite of its prime location in South Mumbai, it was a little surprising to see Mani Bhavan hardly being visited by locals, but many international tourists add this to their list of places to visit in Mumbai.
Overall, it was time well spent, for me. Mani Bhavan provides a nice insight into the life of a man who fought for Indian Independence, and remarkably chose to do it non-violently.
How to reach Mani Bhavan
- Address: #19 Laburnum road, Gamdevi, near August Kranti Maidan, Grant road, Mumbai
- Entry to Mani Bhavan is free
Mani Bhavan timings for visitors
- Mani Bhavan is open on all days from 9:30 to 6 pm
Mumbai Travel Planning Guide
Where to stay in Mumbai: If you’re visiting Mumbai as a traveler, stay closer to all the best places to see in Mumbai, to beat the notorious city traffic. South Mumbai would be an ideal location to stay.
The Gordon House Hotel in Colaba, South Mumbai is consistently rated high by guests in their reviews.
Alternatively, Hotel Marine Plaza is in the prime Marine Drive location of South Mumbai offering great views of the Arabian sea and close to all the prominent places to visit.
Getting out of Mumbai: Like any busy metropolitan, you’ll quickly run out of things to see in Mumbai. Most travelers often combine their Mumbai visit with a quick stop to Goa (560km) for a more relaxed holiday vibe along the beaches. Compare Mumbai-Goa cheap flights.
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Liked this post? Also read…
9 Best Quotes by Mahatma Gandhi in “The Story of my Experiments with Truth”
British Colonizers that changed India’s history
Visiting the Indira Gandhi Memorial Museum, New Delhi
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