Swaraj Ashram Cuttack

A great heritage building of Swaraj Ashram popularly dnown as SWARAJ BHAVAN and CONGRESS BHAVAN is situated at the heart of Sahabjada Bazar. The main two-storied building belonged to Chintamani Das, Zamindar of Asureswar. In 1920, the Odisha Congress Committee was formed and the leaders of the party desired to use this building as their party office and the building was purchased at a cost of Rs. 10,500/-. In 1940, a Trust was formed named "Utkal Swaraj Ashram Trust".

Cuttack was the seat of freedom movement is Odisha and the Swaraj Ashram played a pivotal role in paving the way for Swaraj Movement. All national leaders connected with Freedom Movement who visited Odisha conducted all their activities from Swaraj Ashram.

Gandhiji visited Odisha three times during Freedom Movement and each time he stayed in late Gopal Praharaj's house in Bhasakosh Lane which is adjacent to Swaraj Ashram. Shri Gopal Chandra Praharaj is the author of the monumental "Purnachandra Bhasakost", the encyclopaedia of Oriya literature.