Travel to India along the route of Mahatma Gandhi

There are as many reasons to travel as there are people who travel. For natural beauties, to tour historical museums and, why not, to retrace the same path as those who made a dent in world history. An example of leadership throughout the globe is undoubtedly Mahatma Gandhi, who sought the independence of his nation.

Son of Karamchand Gandhi, and Putlibai, India, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was born on October 2, 1869. The title Mahatma, was given to him by the poet Rabindranath Tagore. Gandhi married Kasturba Makharji at the age of 13, a young woman of the same age with whom he had four children.

In 1888, at the age of 19, he moved to England to study law in London. Three years later he returned to India. In the city of Ahmedabad he founded an almost monastic community in which foreign clothing, spicy foods and private property were prohibited, and in which its members dedicated themselves only to two material jobs: agriculture, to obtain sustenance, and hand knitting, to provide clothing.

When World War II broke out, Gandhi reappeared on the scene, speaking out against the war and calling for India's independence from the British Empire.

Every January 30, institutions around the world come together to celebrate the Day of Peace and Non-Violence, an anniversary that not only commemorates the death of the emblematic leader of the peaceful resistance Mahatma Gandhi, but which also seeks to promote values and actions that promote peace.

The first stop is the Birla Bhavan, the house where the thinker enjoyed his last days. The large mansion surrounded by gardens is far from the image of humility that we have of Gandhi. It is very special to be able to visit the bedroom in which he slept, a symbol of simplicity and in which his personal belongings are still preserved just as he left them.

The tour of the house continues with a video, photographs, writings and objects of Gandhi, ending at the point in the garden where he was shot on January 30, 1948.

In the heart of Old Delhi, next to the busy Chandni Chow street, is the Mahatma Gandhi Park, one of the historic gardens of the Indian capital, where tribute is paid to the character with a statue located in the center of the enclosure.

Relatively close by, taking into account the size of this city, there is a must-see, the National Gandhi Museum. If part of his legacy could already be seen in the Birla Bhavan, in this museum you can enjoy Gandhi's life with abundant photographic documentation, models, private documents and a meticulous setting.

The nest place of the visit is the Raj Ghat and it is located right in front of the aforementioned museum. It is a garden area on the banks of the Yamuna River that surrounds the exact place where his remains were cremated. The fire still continues to burn as a tribute and, often, a mantle of petals covers the slab under which his ashes rest.

This site is visited by the President, Prime Minister of India and other important political leaders. Furthermore, representatives of different religions also visit Raj Ghat to pray. Of course, it is worth noting that on Gandhi's tomb you can see an inscription in Hindi that reads "Hey, Ram". Entry to the venue is free, and you can visit it from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. every day except Monday, when it is closed.

Hundreds of kilometers away, in Ahmedabad, visit the Sabarmati ashram, where Gandhi lived for thirteen years. From there he maintained his fight to achieve the independence of India from the British Empire and from this same place the famous Salt March started. The place, facing the river, is an oasis of peace and today it is an interesting museum with an excellent bookstore. The original accommodations are still preserved.

And finally, in the state capital, Gandhinagar, there is the latest museum. The immense building is shaped like a large pyramid, trying to resemble a pile of salt, in this way it pays tribute to the famous protest march. The visits are always guided, very interactive and educational.