The end of the Alphabet.
The end of the Year.
Seemed an appropriate time to visit the end of a significant Life.
We’re currently on holiday in India, so today we went to 3 significant sites regarding Gandhi.
We left the hotel with the intention of visiting the Gandhi Smrity, the site on Tees January road in New Delhi where Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated.
However, our tuk-tuk driver took us to where Gandhi was cremated. Once again, shoes off as made our way to the venerated ground. Quite a nice, large park in the middle of busy Delhi; a bit of peace and quiet.
From here we asked another tuk-tuk driver to take us to Gandhi Smrity, but alas, we were taken to where Indira Gandhi was murdered by her own body guards. It’s at the house where she (and her son, later Prime Minister Rajiv) lived. Her last steps are commemorated by a glass path, and where she fell is identified by a clear glass panel. Obviously a very revered figure, the museum was chockers with local Indian tourists seemingly intent on capturing any photo as evidence that they had visited rather then reading any of the exhibits.
A quick check of the map revealed that we weren’t far from where we wanted to go, so rather than risk another failed tuk-tuk attempt, we headed off on foot.
We’re glad we did… we found the quietest, most beautiful part of Delhi that exists I think. Beautiful tree-lined streets, and guards and soldiers with machine guns every 50 metres or so keeping the hoi polloi at bay.
We were surprised to find the museum and grounds almost deserted… as such a significant figure, venerated for his role in gaining independence for India, there were bugger-all people there.
The museum display was pretty good, with plenty of information about his life and thoughts for India.
Something that stood out for me was his enthusiasm for women to be respected, educated and considered equal. Alarming and the path of his last walk and where he was shot (by a disgruntled Indian nationalist) are nicely maintained.
The irony of being shot like that, after a lifetime of advocating peace and unity.
Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation site
Indira Gandhi was assassinated along this path. Where she actually fell is under the sheet of glass.
Indira Gandhi
Mahatma Gandhi’s last steps
Mahtma Gandhi assassination area.
So, this weekend, we... 