Monument – Sardar Smarak, Ahmedabad
Built by – Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan
Built in – 1622 – Moti Shahi Mahal
1980 – Saradar Smarak

The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Memorial in Ahmedabad was established in 1980 at the Moti Shahi Mahal. It comprises a museum, a gallery of portraits and historical pictures, and a library containing important documents and books associated with Sardar Patel and his life. Amongst the exhibits are many of Patel’s personal effects and relics from various periods of his personal and political life.

This building was called the Moti Shah Mahal and has now been renamed as the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Museum. The building dated back to the 16th century and was built during the era of the Mughal ruler Shah Jahan. Later it served as a British Cantonment for the senior officials of the Army. The 18th century saw the building being used by Rabindranath Tagore, the famous Bengali poet, as his home when he was seventeen years old. It was here that he got inspired to pen his famous story, The Hungry Stones.

After India gained independence and between the years 1960 and 1978, this building was turned into the official residence of the Governor of Gujarat and was known as the Raj Bhavan. The year 1978 saw the building being converted into a national memorial paying homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.

Photo Courtesy –  www.trawell.in