Ahmed-is-bad, Jan 29 -
The earthquake, which has damaged several monuments in this historic city, has not touched the Sabarmati Ashram from where Mahatma Gandhi launched his campaign against untouchability. ''The ashram is in perfectly fine condition,'' said the secretary of the Gandhi Smriti Samanat, Mr Amrut Modi. There were about 450 students in the ashram at the time of the quake. Since it was January 26, students, mostly children of scavengers from all across Gujarat, were offering prayers when the quake struck, he said. Mr Amrut Modi said, ''We all ran outside to the open space and the children, aged between eight and 13 years, were scared as the ground beneath them jolted.'' ''We made the children sing the most loved song of the Gandhiji Ishwar Allah tere naam, just to divert the attention of the children and this helped them overcome the fear,'' he said. The Gandhi smriti secretary said the children have been sent back to their native places as their parents would be concerned about them.

The ashram, which was founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1915, is the biggest tourist attraction in the city. It lies on the serene stretch of the Sabarmati river and was referred to as the Satyagraha Ashram during the life of the Mahatma. In 1930, it was from here that the Mahatma began his famous 'Dandi march' to protest against the salt tax imposed by the British. The ashram continues the work started by Gandhi and has a handicrafts centre, a handmade paper factory and a spinning wheel factory. The ashram and the Hridaykunj -- the cottage where Gandhiji resided -- was the centre of political activities till Gandhiji left it for the Dandi march in 1930. He then gave away the ashram to the Harijans and vowed never to return to it till the country attained independence. And, he never could. The Hridaykunj is now a small museum displaying his few possessions. It is preserved as a national monument. In addition, there is the Gandhi Memorial Centre, a library and a sound-and-light show that offers an interesting display of the Mahatma's life and teachings.

While Sabarmati Ashram, visited by many from across the world, is safe, the historic Bhadra Fort has been damaged by the quake. The outer wall of the fort has collapsed and major cracks have developed in the sides of the fort's tower. The circular wall of one of its sides has crumbled and fallen inside. The fort also houses the local office of the Archaeological Survey of India. ''Several historical monuments in the city have been damaged by the quake,'' said ASI's superintending archaeologist for Gujarat D. R. Gehlot. ''A team of experts is surveying the monuments in the city and would compile a report indicating the extent of damage,'' he said, adding that preliminary surveys indicate that most of the monuments have suffered damages which can be restored. ''No monument has been destroyed beyond restoration.

However, it would take some time for the restoration of all the monuments,'' he said. The Bhadra Fort was built by Mughal Governor Shah Alam in 1411 A.D. The palace with its huge arches, ornate balconies and jalis, used to span around 44 acres, is now limited to a few acres. He said the Jama Masjid at Pankornaka, the third floor of the mosque has tilted and some pillar joints have fallen apart. Stone screens have come off at many places in the mosque and one of the minarets has also been damaged. Some damage has also been caused to Sidi Sayeed's mosque, which houses the famous stone screen, an identity of the city and from which the logo design of the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, has been inspired. Sidi mosque build by a general of Abysinian origin in the 1570s by pulling down a section of the 15th century wall of Ahmed Shahi sultans, is known for its intricate perforated stone work. The mosque looks like a fabulous maze of traceries. However they are actually ventilated by 10 exquisite filigree stone screens called jaalis, the archaeologist said. He said that so intricate are the designs that the two best among them, the intertwining tree like forms flanking the mihrab and white minibar, have been duplicated on wood at the museums of New York and Kensington and one of the smaller lotus shaped ventilators was taken away by the British for display in their museum.