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Delhi, the capital of India is home to memorials and cenotaphs
of freedom fighters and the Indian national leaders. People
from far and wide visit the Memorials in Delhi and pay homage
to them. Delhi is home to the memorials of Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal
Nehru, Indira Gandhi and Lal Bahadur Shastri. The Memorials
in Delhi have now become tourist places of interest.
Raj Ghat:
Raj Ghat is a home to the memorial of the father of the nation,
Mahatma Gandhi. Mahatma Gandhi was assassinated on 31 January,
1948. Raj Ghat, a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi is a simple black
marble platform is the spot where Gandhiji was cremated after
his assassination. An eternal flame is seen burning constantly
at one end of the memorial. A stoned pathway flanked by manicured
lawns leads to Gandhiji's memorial. His last words "Hey
Ram" are engraved on the memorial.
Visitors are expected to remove their footwear as a sign of
reverence.
Every Friday prayers are held commemorating the thought and
philosophy of the father of the nation. There are two museums
nearby. The museums have preserved the writings, speeches of
Gandhiji and the spinning wheels which Gandhiji used.
Shanti Van:
Shanti Van, north of Raj ghat and Shakti Sthal is the memorial
of India's first Prime Minister and the man who played a pioneering
role in the Indian freedom struggle, Jawahar Lal Nehru. Shanti
Van literally means the "forest of peace". Jawahar
Lal Nehru was cremated here on 27th May, 1964. The area is adorned
in lush greenery. His paramount objective was to rid the society
of the ills of poverty. He worked towards making India a flourishing
and advanced country. He is fondly remembered as Chacha Nehru
by children on his birthday, 14th of November. Prayers are offered
on his birthday and death anniversary.
His Grandson Sanjay Gandhi's tomb lies close to Jawahar Lal
Nehru's memorial.
Shakti Sthal:
Shakti Sthal, north of Vir Bhumi is the memorial of India's
first and only woman prime-minister Indira Gandhi. She was the
daughter of India's first prime-minister Jawaharlal Nehru. If
she stifled democracy in independent India for the first time,
she also realized many dreams. This towering personality played
a defining role in Indian politics till her assassination in
1984. She had remarked in 1984 "If I die a violent death,
as some fear and a few are plotting, I know that the violence
will be in the thought and action of the assassins, not in my
dying."
Her last rites were performed at the 'Shakti Sthal', meaning
the place of strength and power to symbolize the determination
and guts of Indira. The memorial to Indira Gandhi is a grey-red
monolithic stone. Rajiv Gandhi said "Everyone grieves when
his mother dies. But I gained courage for there grew a feeling
in the country that every citizen had lost his mother…For
some days, people thought that India was shaking. But there
are always tremors when a great tree falls." The lush greenery
around the memorial provides a peaceful ambience. Prayers are
organized on her birthday and death anniversary to commemorate
her services to the nation.
Vir Bhumi:
Vir Bhumi, near Raj ghat is the memorial of India's sixth and
youngest prime-minister Rajiv Gandhi. Rajiv Gandhi inherited
the legacy of his mother and he took the country to newer heights.
Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated at Sriperumbudur, near Chennai
by a Tamil woman, belonging to the L.T.T.E. He was awarded the
Bharat Ratna posthumously in the year 1991. Prayers are offered
on his birthday and death anniversary to commemorate the great
deeds of this great leader.
Vijay Ghat:
Vijay Ghat is a memorial to India's second Prime Minister Lal
Bahadur Shastri. He was cremated here in 1966. He was a great
freedom fighter and braved turbulent times in British prisons.
Popular for coining the slogans 'Jai Jawan' and 'Jai Kisan',
he played a major role in the administration of the country
after independence. He led the country on the path of progress.
He played a deciding role in the Indo-Pak war, the country emerged
victorious. He died of a heart attack in 1966. He was posthumously
awarded the Bharat Ratna. Political leaders and heads of state
pay homage to this great leader every year on his birthday and
death anniversary.
The Memorials in Delhi are major places of interest. You can
pay homage and revere the great souls at their memorials. Indiaprofile.com
offers complete information on Memorials in Delhi and other
Tourist Attractions in Delhi.
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