Beez Neez now Chy Whella - Raj Ghat to Gandhi

Raj Ghat to Gandhi

Beez Neez now Chy Whella

Big Bear and Pepe Millard

Thu 11 Apr 2019 22:17

Raj Ghat

We pulled up to the gates of Raj Ghat and saw information boards each side of the sign.

To the left: Mahatma Gandhi (1869 – 1948). Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, popularly known as Mahatma (Great Soul) Gandhi, was born at Portbander, Gujarat on the 2nd of October 1869 and martyred in Delhi on the 30th of January 1948. After initial education he studied bar-at-law in England. He went to South Africa in 1893 and spent more than 20 years fighting for the rights of Indians against unjust laws through “Satyagrapha” – a methodology he successfully continued upon returning to India in 1915, till attainment of freedom on the 15th of August 1947. He united the people for freedom struggle and is called Father of the Nation. He lived modestly in a self-sufficient residential community and wore the traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, woven with khadi, a yarn hand-spun on a charkha. His Samadhi at Raj Ghat symbolises Truth, Non-Violence, Sarvdharma, Gram Swaraj, Trusteeship and Swadeshi, which are the building blocks of a new social order free from all kinds of exploitation, discrimination and domination.

To the right: Raj Gat: Gandhi Samadhi. Raj Ghat is the name of a ghat of Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad), on the banks of river Yamuna. It was here that Mahatma Gandhi was cremated on the 31st of January 1948, a day after his martyrdom. A memorial was built here to pay homage to Father of the Nation. A stone footpath from the main gate leads to the enclosure that houses the memorial, which is a black marble platform left open to the sky. On one side in the centre an eternal flame burns perpetually and on the other side the last utterances of Gandhiji. “Hey Ram” meaning ‘O God ‘ is inscribed. The memorial reflects the simplicity of Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi’s life. A spinning Programme and Sarva-Dharma-Prathana is held every Friday at the Samadhi premises.

Looking from the entrance gate.

In the centre a water gulley with fountains.

At intervals Gandhi’s quotes in Hindi and English.

Some of the quotes we read.

The extensive lily pond to the left.

The groundsmen clearly on a break leaving their trusty steed in the shade.

At the end of the water feature we could choose the lower path, shoes off and to pass the Raj Ghat, or the upper path to look down and see the whole area – we chose the upper path.

The ghat is located in the banks of River Yamuna (which of its own accord moved back a kilometre from the site).

It is a black marble platform that is built at the spot of the cremation of Mahatma Gandhi. There is an eternal flame beside the platform.

Looking beyond to the far entrance......

.....well kept grounds........

......and flower beds.

At the far side we passed planting that included a tree planted by the President of Spain (other labelled trees have been planted by notables like Queen Elizabeth II, USA President Eisenhower, Ho Chi Minh and others).