Our Inspiration
History of Nisargopchar Ashram
It was pre-independence period, when Gandhi ji accompanied Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to Pune for his treatment at Dr. Dinshaw Mehta’s Nature cure center near Pune railway station. Gandhiji founded “Society of Servants of Gods” along with Dinshaw Mehta. While in Pune Gandhiji was deeply impressed by simple ways of Natural Cure. He thought cities like Pune have all medical facilities but villages do not have access to medical facility. He wrote an article in Harijan, “I made a mistake, I should have gone to the village to popularize simple ways of Nature Cure, therefore I want to shift.”
Search began for a proper place around Pune. Late Shri. Balkoba Bhave, Dr. Mehta, Dr. Sushila Nair, Dr. Manibhai Desai came to Uruli Kanchan. To their disappointment they found that social atmosphere was not conducive for establishing a Nature Cure Center, but Gandhiji insisted that he wanted the village like Uruli, because unless he is able to improve condition of rural India, he will not be able to work at Delhi for independent India.
Gandhiji came to Uruli Kanchan on 22nd March 1946 at 16.00hrs and stayed for up to 30th March 1946. He treated hundreds of patients with the help of Dr. Mehta, Balkobaji Bhave, Manibhai Desai , Dr. Sushila Nair and other disciples. On 30th March 1946, Mahatma Gandhi departed for Delhi for the final negotiations with British Government regarding Independent India. Gandhiji founded Nisargopchar Gramsudhar Trust on 1st April 1946, with the help of kind donations in the form of Land by local people like late Shri Mahadev Tatyaba Kanchan. The team under the dynamic leadership of Manibhaiji preached sound health and hygienic practices and also studied various problems in rural areas and identified suitable solutions to uplift the rural poor.
