President Murmu pays floral tribute to Gandhi at Sabarmati Ashram

AHMEDABAD: President Droupadi Murmu on Monday started her maiden visit to Gujarat by visiting the Mahatma Gandhi Ashram at Sabarmati here and described the experience as ''indescribable inspiration''. In the guest book, the President wrote in Hindi that she felt ''indescribable reverence and inspiration'' and ''deep peace'' by visiting the Ashram, which had served as the centre of the freedom struggle for a long time.

This is Murmu's first visit to Gujarat after becoming the President in July this year. The President paid floral tributes to the statue of Mahatma Gandhi on the Ashram premises. Gujarat Governor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel were also present.

The President also viewed the archival exhibition depicting the life of the Father of the Nation and the freedom struggle. She also observed the model of the Sabarmati Ashram Redevelopment Project.

The President visited Mahatma Gandhi's residence, 'Hridaykunj' on the Ashram premises. She paid obeisance to his picture and offered a garland made up of spun Khadi thread. She also spun a charkha at the Ashram. ''Indescribable reverence and inspiration is infused in me by visiting this holy 'tapasthali' of Mahatma Gandhi, the saint of Sabarmati. I feel a deep peace in this complex that has been the centre of the freedom struggle for a long time. ''In this complex, the precious heritage of the extraordinary life history of revered Bapu has been preserved in a commendable manner. For this I express my appreciation to all the people involved in the maintenance of Sabarmati Ashram,'' she wrote in Hindi.