Rajghat Delhi | Rajghat Timings, History, Images

Rajghat, Delhi Overview

Rajghat is a memorial in Delhi where Mahatma Gandhi, Father of the Nation, was cremated followed by his assassination in the year 1948. The cenotaph commemorating his memory is a simple black marble structure that sits amid a beautiful garden. The place is visited by locals as well as foreigners and various delegates to pay their homage to the Father of the Nation. A prayer is held every Friday, the day he died at Rajghat.

Rajghat also has samadhis or memorials of notable leaders if India Jawaharlal Nehru, Sanjay Gandhi, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Choudhary Charan Singh, Giani Zail Singh, Jagjivan Ram, Shankar Dayal Sharma, Devi Lal. Chandra Shekhar and I.K. Gujral. Raj Ghat, translating to King's Bank is giving reference to its location on the bank of Yamuna River.

In addition to being Mahatma Gandhi's memorial, Rajghat is also a celebration of his illustrious life. Gandhiji's philosophy is projected through picture, sculpture and photos. At Gandhi memorial Museum at Rajghat, his life and philosophy of Sarvodaya Movement are also shown through a film in English and Hindi between 9:30 AM till 5:30 PM except on Thursday. On Sunday, it is featured in Hindi at 4 PM and at 5 PM in English.

History of Rajghat

The location of Rajghat is quite close to the Yamuna River and was originally known as a historic ghat. The 'Raj Ghat Gate' of the walled city opened to Raj Ghat at the river. Over time, the entire area came to be known as Raj Ghat. It was here where Mahatma Gandhi’s last rites were performed on January 31, 1948, one day after his assassination.

Architecture of Rajghat

The memorial at Rajghat is a humble black marble structure which is raised above the ground level and quotes the last words said by Mahatma Gandhi "Hey Ram". A flame enclosed in a lamp sits atop the memorial's surface and has a flame that burns ceaselessly. The design was conceptualized by Vanu G. Bhuta and is a reflection of Gandhiji's simple lifestyle. The place is bounded by a lovely park with trees labelled as planted by notables like Queen Elizabeth II, USA President Eisenhower, Ho Chi Minh and many others. One can also find two museums dedicated to Gandhiji in the proximity.

National Gandhi Museum

The premises of Rajghat has a museum called the National Gandhi Museum dedicated to the Father of the Nation. After Mahatma Gandhi assassination on 30 January 1948, collectors began looking for artefacts belonging to or related to him. These artefacts were collected and taken to Mumbai, from where they were moved to Kota House in 1951 and then moved again in 1957 to a mansion. The year 1959 saw the final movement of the National Gandhi Museum to Rajghat, next to his memorial where it was formally opened by Dr Rajendra Prasad who was the president of India at that time.

The Gandhi Museum has a library that has a unique collection of all that was written about or by him in addition to a host of other study material. The library can be divided into two sections, one which is solely focused on Mahatma Gandhi and the other which concerns itself with other subject matter. There are currently over 35,000 books or documents in the museum's library. The library also has a collection of 2,000 periodicals illustrating Gandhi's life.

A gallery in the museum showcases his personal artefacts such as paintings, one of Gandhi's walking sticks, the shawl and dhoti worn by Gandhi when he was assassinated, one of the bullets that were used to kill Gandhi, his urn, some of Gandhi's teeth and his ivory toothpick. Other exhibits related to India's history are also on display here.

Tips For Visiting Rajghat

1. Do not create unnecessary noise in the area.
2. Do not litter around the park or around Rajghat.
3. Remove your shoes before entering the place as a mark of respect.

How To Reach Rajghat

There are plenty of transportation options in Delhi to reach your destination. The nearest metro station to Raj Ghat is New Delhi Railway Station. The distance between New Delhi Metro Station to Chandni Chowk is almost 3 KM. From New Delhi you can hire auto or E- Rickshaw to reach Raj Ghat. Bus number bus no. 331 and 753 can take you to Rajghat as well. You can always take a taxi or auto-rickshaw to reach Rajghat.