Gandhi's House

Hero of the pacifist movement and Indian freedom fighter, Mahatma Gandhi stayed at this ornately designed terraced town house on his visits to Mumbai over the period 1917 to 1934.

The grand Gujarati-style mansion is now a museum, known as the Mani Bhavan. The museum’s displays highlight Gandhi’s life through dioramas, documents, photos, letters and memorabilia.

It was in this house that Gandhi fasted and developed his philosophy of nonviolent protest, launching the campaign of civil disobedience that ultimately led to the removal of the British.

There’s a library of Gandhi-related works to browse, films to watch and priceless sights like Gandhi’s spinning wheel, a symbol that’s now a fixture on India’s national flag.

Most poignantly, you can see the minimalist room where Gandhi slept, with its floor mattress, low tables and simply tiled floor.

(Image courtesy of NobelPrize.org)

Practical Info

Gandhi’s House is a few streets back (north) from Chowpatty Beach in Mumbai’s southern district.

Entry is free, but donations are appreciated.