Sardar Patel's home in Ahmedabad is now a parking lot!

AHMEDABAD: Parking woes have encroached upon history too! Sardar Patel's Smarak Bhavan at Lal Darwaza, the Iron Man 's home while he was in Ahmedabad, has now doubled up as a parking lot during the daytime in the highly congested Bhadra area in the heart of the walled city.


Bharat Padhiar, a plastic utensil wholesaler from Himmatnagar, has been parking his car within the memorial compound for the last two weeks.

"There was a teenager who used to collect Rs 5 for helping us park our vehicles here, but for the last four days I don't see him. I am not aware if the memorial has been officially leased out for parking purposes."

Amit Parmar, a lawyer at Bhadra courts, adds, "For quite some time the gates of the memorial were closed. It was only recently that the compound has been opened and I have been parking my vehicles here."

Historians say this is a sorry state of affairs as few realise the significance of this house from where Sardar launched his political life and joined hands with Mahatma Gandhi for the freedom struggle.

Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel , who went on to become India's first home minister and deputy Prime Minister, came to Ahmedabad from Nadiad in 1913. As a young practising lawyer, Sardar lived in two homes in the city near Ranjit soap factory and Khamasa area before he rented this house in 1917. This house, where he lived for the longest time, has now been converted into a memorial.

In fact, Sardar was first introduced to Mahatma Gandhi at the Gujarat Club located just across the road. After committing himself to India's freedom struggle in 1917, Sardar's residence became a hub for planning freedom strategies and public meetings of Bapu.

‘Sardar’s house needs to be accorded status it deserves’

Bapu would often drop by Sardar’s residence when he used to come for lectures at the nearby Premabhai Hall. Sardar in 1917 had just been elected as a municipal councillor from Dariapur ward and eventually became the municipality president in 1924 till 1928.

Life became hectic for him when he took active role in Bapu’s activities.

Sardar was active during the famous mill worker’s strike, Bardoli, Kheda satyagrahas.

Sardar even had a small office on Gandhi road for a short time where he and his close friends took part in Bhajia club.

“The Ahmedabad Municipal Corporation (AMC) should take this property back from the trustees.

This house was Sardar's launch pad into India's freedom struggle and carries tales of national legend. This needs to be preserved and accorded the status it deserves," said city-based historian Rizwan Kadri, who is also author of book titled "Sardar Patel- Ek Sinh Purush" (Sardar Patel- A Lion Man).