Raj Ghat and associated memorials, Memorial complex in Central Delhi, India
Raj Ghat and associated memorials form a complex along the Ring Road that honors several leaders of the Indian nation. The central platform consists of black marble surrounded by lawns and trees, connected by stone footpaths that link the different sites within the grounds.
The memorial marks the spot where Mahatma Gandhi was cremated on 31 January 1948, a black marble platform raised over the cremation site with an eternal flame at one end. The complex later grew to hold samadhis of other leaders, among them Jawaharlal Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, Charan Singh, Chandra Shekhar and Atal Bihari Vajpayee. Alick Percy-Lancaster, Superintendent of Horticultural Operations with the Government of India, carried out the original landscaping and planting.
The name Raj Ghat loosely means "Royal Steps", referring to the climb from the banks of the Yamuna, where the historic ghat once stood outside Shahjahanabad. Foreign dignitaries visiting India come here to pay homage to Mahatma Gandhi. The grounds were landscaped by Alick Percy-Lancaster, Superintendent of Horticultural Operations with the Government of India.
The complex is open daily, and visitors should remove their shoes when entering the walled areas. The paths are wide and flat, making it easy to walk between the different memorials throughout the grounds.
An eternal flame burns on the black marble platform, fed by natural gas. Every year on January 30, the anniversary of Gandhi's death, people gather here for silent ceremonies and prayers.
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