...Prev
Sightseeings in Delhi
MEMORIALS OF GREAT INDIAN LEADERS
Location: Near Delhi Gate, Delhi
Commemorates: National Leaders of India
Memorials are: Raj Ghat, Shanti Van, Vijay Ghat, Shakti Sthal & Vir Bhumi.
Some of Delhi�s museums tell the story of the architects of modern, independent India, whose memorials are set in spacious gardens along the Yamuna river front�Mahatma Gandhi�s at Rajghat, Jawaharlal Nehru�s at Shanti Van, Lal Bahadur Shastri�s at Vijay Ghat, Indira Gandhi�s at Shakti Sthal and Rajiv Gandhi�s at Vir Bhumi. A steady stream of visitors pays homage to the leaders at these memorials, which are all beautifully landscaped.
Rajghat
4-km away from Janpath to the northeast of Feroz Shah Kotla near Delhi Gate at Ring Road on the bank of Yamuna is situated Rajghat. Jawaharlal Nehru Road also ends opposite Rajghat. On 31st January, 1948, Mahatma Gandhi�s last rites were performed here.
The memorial stone of Gandhi is square in shape made of black stone. His last words��Hey Ram� is inscribed on it. Ordinary people, VIPs, foreign tourists all come at Rajghat to pay their homage to the father of the nation. On every Friday (the day of his death) a prayer is held. Except Monday, a regular feature of projecting Gandhi philosophy in picture, sculpture and photos from 10.00am to 5.00pm is performed at Rajghat.
Besides, there is Gandhi Memorial Museum projecting Mahatma�s life and the philosophy of Sarvodaya Movement in film shown from 9-30am to 5-30pm except on Thursday and on Sunday at 6pm in Hindi and 7pm in English, 4 and 5pm in winters.
Another Gandhi Memorial is Gandhi Balidansthal or Assissination Spot at Tis January Marg of the city. On 30th January, 1948 on his way to prayer at Birla Bhawan, Gandhiji was assassinated by bullets.
Shanti Van
To the north of Rajghat is Shanti Van. India�s first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru�s last rites were performed here on 27th May, 1964. A tomb stone has been erected on the place of the funeral. Next to Nehru�s memorial lies the tomb of his grandson, Sanjay Gandhi, who died in an air crash in 1980.
Vijay Ghat
This is the tomb of India�s second Prime Minister, Lal Bahadur Shastri. He died of a heart attack in 1966, on his peace mission to Tashkent in the then Soviet Russia, after the Indo � Pak war of 1965. His last rites were performed here.
Shakti Sthal
This memorial of Indira Gandhi, Prime Minister of India, with longest tenure in power, was built after her assassination on 31st October, 1984. Her last rites were performed here on 3rd November 1984. The tomb is made of grey and red monolithic stone.
Veerbhumi
It is built in the memory of Rajiv Gandhi, who was assassinated down south in Perumbudur, near Chennai on 21st May 1991. His last rites were performed here.
...Prev