Venue: Rajghat, Delhi

Given that Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday is a national holiday coming Friday, a trip to Rajghat, a monument in his memory, is the thing to do.

Rajghat is situated at the bank of river Yamuna. The main edifice at Rajghat is a black marble platform that has been placed at the cremation spot of the Mahatma. It is an open monument with an eternal flame burning on a torch at one side. The words “Hey Ram” are inscribed in Devnagari script on the other side.  A stone elevated boundary surrounds this structure.

The whole area is covered with lawns and trees and when we went, we saw children playing and people sitting on the grass.

The site has a calming atmosphere and the open area relaxes the senses. Rajghat can be visited from 10 am to 5 pm any day. Beside Rajghat is the Gandhi Memorial Museum. The adjacent area has many other memorials (Shanti Van for Jawaharlal Nehru, Shaktisthal for Indira Gandhi, Vir Bhumi for Rajiv Gandhi etc.) that are open to all visitors.

This area has ample parking space for cars and larger vehicles. If one is not driving,  various transport options such as buses, auto rickshaws, cycle rickshaws are available. The site is not far from the Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi. or the Indrapastha Metro Station. One may need a cycle / autorickshaw from the metro stations to reach Rajghat.

To summarise, this is a peaceful place, no entry charges and an activity suitable for most parts of the year, except may be peak summer days.