our other houses la Villa Bahia - la Villa Nomade - les Camps Nomades la Flâneuse du Nil - le Steam Ship Sudan A hundred years ago, this Johannesburg house was home to Mohandas . The House is today a museum and guesthouse. A unique way to immerse yourself in the intimate world of a man and the history of a country. This house in the residential neighbourhood of Orchards in Johannesburg was home to Mohandas Gandhi from 1908 to 1909. It was within its walls that the future Mahatma developed his concept of passive resistance: Satyagraha in Sanskrit. A pacifist form of protest that he was take up again later in India, leading the country to its independence. Built in 1907 by German architect , a lifelong friend of Gandhi, the house is today starting a new life. The renovations carried out by an historian, a curator, an architect, two interior designers and their respective teams, have given the house back its original soul, recalling an important page in the life story of Gandhi and in the history of South Africa. The Satyagraha House is now a listed historic building in the city of Johannesburg and its combined status as museum and guesthouse introduces an entirely new concept. It has a total of 7 bedrooms, distributed between the original house, called the Kraal in reference to its architecture inspired by a traditional African farm, a cottage added a few years later, and a modern wing built in 2010. The museum at the very heart of the house illustrates Gandhi’s life in South Africa, and more specifically the life he shared here with his friend Kallenbach. An atmosphere of calm prevails within these walls (and in the garden too). History of the house Hermann Kallenbach, a German architect of Jewish origin, moved to Johannesburg in 1896, a time when the discovery of gold in the region was attracting talented young Europeans. He was soon in charge of a flourishing practice. A prosperous bon viveur, he met the young Gandhi in 1904 and a deep friendship developed between the two men. Already influenced by Gandhi’s desire to adopt a life of asceticism, in 1907 Kallenbach designed a European-style house that integrated elements of African architecture: two rondavels (traditional round huts), beautiful timber frameworks and a thatched roof. He called it the Kraal, a word deriving from Afrikaans and South African English meaning a cattle pen, as an allusion to the traditional African farm. Kallenbach and Gandhi moved into the house in 1908 and shared a daily life based on simplicity, physical exercise and meditation in the house and its garden. Back then the house was in a rural setting. It had a well, a cowshed and even a tennis court! Gandhi chose to live on the mezzanine floor, sheltered but open to the natural world and accessed via a ladder (which is no longer there). The two men shared the kitchen and lounge where they sometimes welcomed their satyagrahi friends such as the reverend Doke, who later wrote the first biography of Gandhi on the terrace that is now the dining room. In 1909, they left the Kraal for the tents of Mountain View, then Tolstoy’s farm. A succession of diferent owners made various changes to the house before it was bought by Voyageurs du Monde in 2009, who restored it and turned it into a museum dedicated to the two men, their history and to Satyagraha. It is now one of Johannesburg’s listed historic buildings. Spirit of the place Without making any claims to follow all the ascetic principles of Satyagraha, the house aims to respect a certain consonance with the spirit of the place. For instance, guests may book introductory courses in yoga and meditation. A subtle, entirely vegetarian cuisine is served for breakfast, lunch and dinner. All the produce used in the house is organic, coming partly from its own kitchen garden and partly from local fair-trade suppliers. Television, alcohol and cigarettes do not feature in the “system” of the Satyagraha (although there is a smoking area outside). One small concession to modernity is the provision of WiFi. The underfloor heating uses geothermal technology and there are also 3 fireplaces. The water for the garden and for non-drinking use is drawn from a protected spring that emerges on the property. Low-energy lighting is favoured throughout the house. The staf recruited from the local population naturally represents the diversity of the “rainbow nation”. Special attention has been paid to their wage and social status. The team behind the project, bringing in various local talented people, set to work with determination, sometimes on a voluntary basis. Among them were architect Rocco Bosman, curator Lauren Segal (also responsible for the tremendous exhibitions at the Apartheid Museum, Constitution Hill and the Workers’ Museum) and historian Eric Itzkin, an eminent South-African specialist on Gandhi. The bedrooms Check in: 2 pm Check out: 11 am

“Spending the night in a museum” - this is the idea behind the Satyagraha House. The bedrooms are filled with light and decorated in a sober style in keeping with the world of Gandhi. Particular attention has been paid to the decoration so as to recreate as faithfully as possible the atmosphere of the house as it was in Gandhi’s and Kallenbach’s time. A harmonious compromise between asceticism and comfort has been achieved with the use of furniture, objects, fabrics and bedding from India, from Gandhi’s native state of Gujarat.

Satyagraha has 7 bedrooms (including the cottage with 2 bedrooms):

The main house has three bedrooms, two with direct access to the museum.

The Kallenbach cottage, an annex to the main house built a few years later, has two bedrooms.

The cubic brick and glass modern wing built in 2010, was designed by Rocco Bosman to stand out clearly from the original house with its lines and sober style (as requested by the South Africa historic monuments organisation), the aim being to create a harmonious complement to the house. It has three bedrooms. The main house The two bedrooms which have direct access to the museum and which are therefore in the historic house, are named after members of Gandhi’s family. His son Manilal and his wife Kasturba.

The bedroom (Gandhi’s wife) Area: 30m2 With direct access to the museum 2 beds 90x200 (the two beds can be put together to make a double bed) Seating area with 2 armchairs, low table and fireplace 1 desk 1 cupboard 1 bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet Additional bed available (90x200 cm).

The bedroom (Gandhi’s son) Area: 15m2 Direct access to the museum 1 double bed 160X200 1 desk 1 cupboard 1 bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet The Doke bedroom (Reverend Doke, friend of Gandhi) Area: 15m2 Access from the garden, view over the garden 1 double bed 160X200 1 desk 1 cupboard 1 bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet TheLe KallenbachCottage Kallenbach Cottage LeThe cottage,cottage, built construit in the dans 1920s, les matches années the 20, traditional reprend l’architecturearchitecture of typique the house de la and maison is therefore donc typique typical de of l’architectureKallenbach’s architecture. de Kallenbach. Like Ses the murs house, blancs above sont its surmontéswhite walls comme a thatched la maison roof is supported d’un toit byde a chaume timber soutenuframework. par une charpente de bois rond. Situé sur le côté de la maison, il dispose de deux petites Located at the side of the house, it has two small chambres séparées qui donne sur un petit salon avec separate bedrooms which open onto a small lounge with une cheminée ; idéale pour une famille ou deux couples a fireplace, ideal for a family or two couples. As in the d’amis. Comme dans la maison, une échelle donne sur house, a ladder leads to a mezzanine floor under the roof. une mezzanine sous le toit. The two cottage bedrooms have disabled access. Area of the bedroom: 40m2 Les deux chambres du cottage sont accessibles aux personnes à mobilité réduite. 2 bedrooms: Superficie de la chambre : 40m - one with 2 beds 90x200 (the two beds can be put together to make a double bed) 2 chambres : - one with a double bed 160X200 - une avec 2 lits de 90x200 dans chacune des chambres 1 desk (possibilité de rapprocher les deux lits pour faire un 1 cupboard grand lit) 1 bathroom with shower - une avec un lit double 160X200 1 washbasin and toilet 1 bureau 1 private lounge common to the two bedrooms with a sofa 1 armoire and fireplace 1 salle de bain avec 1 douche, 1 vasque simple et toilettes 1 salon privé commun aux deux chambres avec 1 canapé et 1 cheminée The modern wing The new brick buildings have 3 well-ventilated bedrooms. Arranged in a row, they overlook the garden. Light-filled thanks to the large windows hung with white Indian fabric, they ofer a unique view of the house and garden. The waxed concrete floor, white walls and simple furniture harmonise with the spare world of Gandhi and Kallenbach.

Area of the bedrooms: 25m2

The Henri Polak bedroom (friend and political colleague of Gandhi in South Africa) 2 beds 90x200 (the two beds can be put together to make a double bed) 1 desk 1 chest of drawers 1 seat 1 bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet Additional bed available (90x200 cm)

The bedroom (Gandhi’s South African secretary) 2 beds 90x200 (the two beds can be put together to make a double bed) 1 desk 1 chest of drawers 1 seat 1 bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet Additional bed available (90x200 cm) The Thambi Naidoo bedroom (friend and political collaborator of Gandhi from 1906 to 1913) 2 beds 90x200 (the two beds can be put together to make a double bed) 1 desk 1 chest of drawers 1 seat 1 bathroom with shower, washbasin and toilet

Additional bed available (90x200 cm)

Bedroom facilities The bedrooms do not have safe deposit boxes. Valuables may be left in the safe at reception. Hairdryers are available at reception on request. Welcome Pack on arrival: fresh fruit juice. Sockets: 220V (the sockets are compatible with South African and French plugs, adaptors are therefore not necessary). Smoking is not permitted in the bedrooms. Free WiFi. Communal areas and services Communal areas As changes had been made to the house by successive owners, it has been restored to its original state. The convivial dining room opens into the garden. Above is a highly symbolic reading and meditation space on the mezzanine floor where Gandhi lived.

At the front of the house, on either side of the entrance, are two rondavels (round hut-like constructions) used as an exhibition space which continues into the lounge, comfortably arranged around a large fireplace.

A library is available dedicated to the great man’s life with spiritual works and books on a range of philosophical movements. An invitation to pursue meditation is the garden, filled with age-old trees (several Pride of India trees planted in honour of Gandhi during construction and native plants, natural stones and terracotta pots. There is also a kitchen garden. The museum Far from being a traditional museum, the Satyagraha House museum is first and foremost a living space. The exhibition runs through each communal room of the house as well as the reception area: the rondavels, lounge and dining room. It reflects the period when Gandhi lived in Johannesburg and in particular in this house with his friend Hermann Kallenbach, its architect.

This new kind of museum is open to outside visitors free of charge as well as to guests of the house. It has a fine collection of period photographs and of correspondence between Gandhi and Kallenbach or their circle, giving us an authentic picture of their daily life at the Kraal.

It also contains drawings, speeches, pamphlets and notebooks. As well as press articles, books and objects related to the two men.

Finally, quotations from the Mahatma have been reproduced on large cotton hangings and the most striking quotations appear on concrete plaques in the garden, in the form of Gandhi’s own handwriting. In addition, all the objects and furniture that decorate the house have been sourced in India, inspired by the various places Gandhi lived and especially his native region of Gujarat, but also in South Africa. Surrounded by reading tables and charkhas (spinning wheels), the visitor is plunged into Gandhi’s world as it was when he lived here. This painstaking collaboration between the team of curator Lauren Segal and interior designers Christine Puech and Amit Zadok, subtly blurs the boundary between a living space and a museum and allows us to feel the presence of Gandhi though each room or object, a genuine spiritual experience.

Residents enjoy free access to the museum at any time, and are ofered a free guided tour of the museum with a member of staf (in French, English, Zulu or Sotho).

The museum is open free of charge to outside visitors from 11 am to 5 pm in summer (European winter) and from 10 am to 4 pm in winter (European summer). Meals Always in consonance with Gandhi’s philosophy all meals and dishes served at the Satyagraha House are vegetarian. They are home-made from either organic or fair-trade ingredients. The availability of these ingredients is seasonal. There is no restaurant at Satyagraha, we ofer simple, yet refined and high-quality catering. Meals are served in whichever part of the house the guests choose. As the house operates according to the table d’hôte principle, we ask our guests to order their dishes at least 1 hour before the meal.

Breakfast The menu of the day ofers a range of freshly made cakes, juices, eggs and dairy products, our specialities and our fresh fruit. Tea and cofee at any time Outside museum opening hours, tea and cofee are available to residents and served wherever they like by the staf. The tea and cofee served are organic and fair trade. We have opted for African cofees (notably Kenyan and Ethiopian), and the teas are Indian and Nepalese but also the famous South African Rooibos.

Lunch and dinner A menu of vegetarian dishes to suit everyone (including children). Specially adapted desserts (ice creams, fruit salads, cakes). The aim of these meals is to give you a glimpse of the techniques and tastes that have strongly influenced South African cuisine. Dinner is prepared in the house and comprises a starter, a main dish and a dessert. Meditation or yoga By reservation only. There is a charge for this service In the house we ofer introductory yoga or meditation classes. These services are provided by an English- speaking South African couple trained in India. It helps if you have a good understanding of English but there is no need for great fluency in order to participate.

Yoga : The class, which is private, can be taken in the morning or evening (but outside the museum’s opening hours). The introductory course takes place in a room in the house or in a part of the garden that will be separated of for the occasion. It lasts approximately one hour. We would be grateful if guests already experienced and skilled in a school of Yoga would let us know in advance.

Meditation: Novices who would like to discover this state of mind between sleep and consciousness will be accompanied on this journey for around 45 minutes. The ideal place for this is in Gandhi’s bedroom (the mezzanine) and early in the morning (from 7 am). It is an activity best practised in the morning, when the mind is more open to this gentle experience, and it is also a perfect way to start the day. Laundry There is a charge for this service. Clothing handed in before midday will be ready in the early evening. Clothing handed in in the evening (before 7 pm) will be ready the middle of the following day. For delicate garments, we use the services of an outside dry cleaners. If any of your clothes are fragile, please make this clear at reception.

Entertainment A library is available to our guests. Calm and serenity at all times; this is the spirit of the house which is designed to be a space conducive to meditation, so we have no television.

Internet connection WiFi connection is available free of charge. If you so require, one of our computers at reception is available free of charge.

Children Children are welcome at Satyagraha. The Kallenbach cottage is perfect for families, and there is a 50% reduction for children, or free accommodation in the other bedrooms when one child is sharing an adult’s bedroom. It is also possible to accommodate two adults and one child in the “Kasturba Gandhi” bedroom. The extra bed for the child is free of charge.

Other information Languages spoken: English, French, Sotho, Zulu. Payments are made in Rands, cash or bank cards: Master Card and Visa Card Sustainable development We felt that the renovation of this house where Gandhi lived should be a model of sustainable development and social responsibility. Adhering strictly to the original plans, the latest environmental advances have been integrated into the house. In terms of social responsibility, all employees have been recruited locally and benefit from health cover for which the employer pays 85%, French lessons and higher wages than those normal in the sector. Energy Most of the light bulbs are low energy. The heating system is partly geothermal (underfloor heating in the new buildings, radiators in the older ones). Woodstoves are provided in 3 key locations in the house in the original fireplaces, improving the heat output while reducing the wood consumed. Air conditioning There is no air conditioning at Satyagraha. However, the bedrooms in the modern wing and the Cottage have fans for the summer months. Water Water use is economised in the bedrooms (with low but sufcient flow) through the use of new generation water and air mixers. Water from the spring found on the property is collected in a tank and used for watering the kitchen garden (avoiding the need to draw on drinking water supplies). The staf are well versed in the management of water saving measures. Laundry During your stay, the linen is not changed every day (except in the case of necessity). Only towels left on the floor are changed. The others are hung or folded in the bathroom. Our guests are informed of these arrangements when they arrive. We only operate our washing machines when they are full. The detergent used contains no chemical products. Cosmetics Made specially for the guesthouse, our cosmetic products are made from local organic herbs. Presented in a small natural and recyclable package in accordance with ecological principles. Organic and fair-trade products No fertilizers, chemical products or pesticides are used in the kitchen garden. All the fresh produce served in the house is organically grown and served when in season as it is all grown in South Africa. Where possible the staf are provided with organic cleaning products. Only the bathrooms are cleaned with bleach-based antibacterial products.

Photo credits: M. Zublena - Mark Eden