Spiritual Journeys

Bardoli

Bardoli made a major contribution for India’s struggle for Independence. In 1925 Bardoli was selected for a Satyagrah. The British government levied arbitrary increases to taxes paid by the farmers. Vallabhbhai Patel argued in court that the Government might have the right to collect taxes, but did not have the right to increase the tax rate arbitrarily, making the proposed tax increase or levy illegal. Led by Vallabhbhai Patel, the farmers of Bardoli continued to refuse to pay taxes, and this anti-tax campaign gained national interest with widespread admiration for the non-payment plan. Eventually the Government reduced the new tax rate resulting in a great victory for the farmers of Bardoli, and Vallabhbhai Patel. Subsequently, Gandhiji referred to him as Sardar (Leader) Patel, and this title was thus conferred. We will visit Gandhi Sardarshri, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s country resort where many of India’s leaders such as Gandhiji, Pandit Nehru, Subhash Chandra Bose, Rajendra Babu, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, Frontier Gandhi Khan Abdul Gaffarkhan, Rajgopalachari, Sarojini Naidu, Jamnalal Bajaj would come and stay.