National Salt Satyagraha Memorial

“Next to air and water, salt is perhaps the greatest necessity of life.” -Mahatma Gandhi.
The 'National Salt Satyagraha Memorial', Dandi, Gujarat, India is conceived as an experiential journey recreating the spirit and the energy of the 1930 Dandi March led by Mahatma Gandhi and 80 of his fellow Satyagrahis, taking the visitors to the Monument step-by-step in order to visualise and understand the history of the historic Salt March and the methodology of Satyagraha, which finally led to India’s Independence from the British colonial rule. This project, endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, Government of India is advised by a High Level Dandi Memorial Committee (HLDMC) with IIT Bombay as a Design Coordination Agency.

This unique memorial was inaugurated by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, on 30th Jan 2019, and kept open for the public.

NSSM is built at a 15-acre plot in Dandi, Gujarat, with Salt crystal inviting visitors to pay respect to Mahatma Gandhi and the Marchers.

National Salt Satyagraha Memorial at Dandi is a marvel, to give tribute to the Marchers of Dandi March at the site where Gandhiji and his fellow marchers picked up salt from the sea beach to break the Salt Law imposed by the British India. The National Salt Satyagraha Memorial (NSSM)is conceived as an experiential journey recreating the spirit and the energy of the historic Dandi March.

The National Salt Satyagraha Memorial project is a unique blend of technology, innovation, art, architecture and design.

It is a Net Zero Energy project reflecting the ethos of self- sufficiency, the guiding tenet of Gandhi’s teachings was the basis for the design of the Monument. This Alluring memorial also embraces A statue of Mahatma Gandhi inside a pyramid of light, followed by a cluster of life-size bronze casted sculptures of the 80 fellow Marchers commemorating the marchers that walked along with Mahatma Gandhi through the 24 days of the march.

A Light Pyramid is formed every evening, rising up in the sky and lighting the salt crystal at the top. Visually and experientially a unique phenomena, that expresses the energy of the Salt Satyagraha, where a small symbolic gesture lit up a new world of freedom. The Welcome Centre at the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial, Dandi houses a Library, a Book Shop, an Auditorium and an Activity Space.

The Salt Making facility at the National Salt Satyagraha Memorial Complex at Dandi enables visitors to make a pinch of salt using the electric salt-making pans developed especially for the Memorial by IIT Bombay, that can be taken away as a memory of the visit. The activity celebrates the strategic brilliance of the Mahatma, who used the powerful metaphor of salt to lead the nation towards independence.

NSSM also subsumes an artificial lake to symbolise the sea shore aspect of salt Satyagraha,24 narrative pedestal murals that represent the spirit and determination of the 80 marchers who accompanied Gandhi and 40 solar trees producing all the energy required. Prarthna Mandir and Saifee villa is also new tourist attraction due to NSSM at Dandi.