RAIL TRAIL

The evolution of Mahatma Gandhi, from his birth on October 2, 1869, till his martyrdom on January 30, 1948, and the growth of the Indian Railways from its birth on April 16, 1953, till India's Independence on August 15, 1947, run as fairly parallel histories.

The Two Most Historic Train Journeys of MAHATMA GANDHI
The evolution of Mahatma Gandhi, from his birth on October 2, 1869, till his martyrdom on January 30, 1948, and the growth of the Indian Railways from its birth on April 16, 1953, till India8217;s Independence on August 15, 1947, run as fairly parallel histories. Mahatma Gandhi had travelled extensively in trains both during his long formative years while fighting racial discrimination faced by Indians in South Africa, and then across the length and breadth of India while leading India8217;s freedom struggle against colonial rule for over three decades. Here8217;s recapturing what I consider to be the two of the most historically train journeys associated with the Mahatma: from mohandas to mahatma

Soon after his arrival at Durban South Africa from Mumbai in 1893, barrister Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, then 23, had to go to Pretoria where a legal case for which he was engaged was being contested. In those days, trains ran from Durban to Charlestown, the onward journey being performed in stage coaches up to Johannesburg and from there to Pretoria by train. Young Mohandas suffered a series of racial indignities from Durban to Pretoria but, historically speaking, the most memorable incident was that of his being asked to step off the train at Maritzburg station capital of Natal, 117 km from Durban. This was his maiden railway journey in South Africa on a dark winter night, and he was thrown out because a white passenger would not travel with a 8220;coloured8221; person in the same first-class compartment. Mohandas protested that he had a first class ticket, but was still asked to move to the van compartment. On his refusal to do so, he and his baggage were thrown out and the train left. Gandhi remained at the station in extremely bitter cold the whole night. In his own words, 8220;I began to think of my duty. Should I fight for my rights or go back to India, or should I go on to Pretoria without minding the insults, and return to after finishing the case? It would be cowardice to run back to India without fulfilling my obligation. The hardship to which I was objected was superficial 8212; only a symptom of the deeper disease of colour prejudice. I should, if possible, try to root out the disease and suffer hardships in the process. Redress for wrongs I should seek only to the extent that would be necessary for the removal of the colour prejudice. So I decided to take the next available train to Pretoria.8221; Excerpted from An Autobiography: Part II Ch. IX. Thirteen years later, this philosophy of the young barrister gave birth to his unique philosophy of satyagraha in 1906 at Johannesburg. And, thus, began his long journey from 8216;Mohandas8217; to 8216;Mahatma8217;!

THE LAST JOURNEY
Mahatma Gandhi was martyred on January 30, 1948, and was cremated the next day at Rajghat. The whole world mourned. His ashes were carried in a special train from New Delhi to Allahabad on February 11, 1948 for immersion at the Sangam 8212; the confluence of Ganga, Yamuna and Saraswati. Thus ended the long and deep association of Mahatma Gandhi with the railways, which had started sixty years earlier in January 1888, when Mohandas had first travelled by a train for a part of the journey from Rajkot to Bhavnagar the rest was covered on a camel cart.

In the middle of a coach on a raised platform stood the urn containing the 8216;ashes8217;. Hymns and prayers were chanted throughout the journey. Dense and mournful crowds had collected from distant areas at stations all along the route to pay tearful homage to the Father of the Nation. At Rasulabad, a small station 60 miles from Allahabad, the train was halted for the night, and next morning it arrived at Allahabad as scheduled at nine. The crowd there was unmanageable. The urn was transferred from the train to a specially prepared truck, which moved to the Sangam, followed by a mammoth crowd.

Nearly three million people, including Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, Maulana Azad and other leaders, and Gandhiji8217;s sons Ramdas and Devdas, witnessed the immersion of the ashes .
8211; DR Y P ANAND, Former director, National Gandhi Museum; Former chairman, Railway Board.

DID YOU KNOW
Mahatma Gandhi travelled for the first time in a train in January 1888 when he travelled from Rajkot to Bhavnagar 8212; to join Samaldas College. At Maritzburg railway station in South Africa, on the night of July 31, 1893, Mahatma Gandhi was thrown out of the first class compartment since he was a 8216;coloured8217; man. This incident strengthened Gandhiji8217;s life-long commitment for struggle against racial discrimination. Years later, travelling with him in 1927, at the Lucknow station some Europeans objected to his son Devdas travelling with them in the 8220;European 038; Anglo Indian8221; compartment dressed in a dhoti. All this while Gandhiji himself was travelling in the third class compartment. A heated argument ensued but finally Devdas had his way. The train left Lucknow station with Devdas and the ladies travelling together.

Earlier, travelling in 3 UP Mail from Burdwan to Kalyan, enroute Poona in 1915, Gandhiji could not enter the third class compartment because of the rush. As a result he had to get inside the inter-class compartment for which he was promptly fined. Writing in Young India in 1929 and concerned over the poor condition of toilets in Jodhpur State Railway, Gandhij asked the state railways to provide better sanitary conditions for passengers travelling in third class compartments. His relentless pursuit finally led to provision for better toilet facilities for these passengers. Mahatma Gandhi8217;s last train journey was from Calcutta to Delhi on September 7, 1947.
8211; VIKAS SINGH, rail enthusiast