Oct 18: DHR to retrace Gandhi’s historic Himalayan journey
Darjeeling: After a brief delay, caused by the recent deluge that left a trail of disaster in the Darjeeling Hills, the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway (DHR) has announced that the ‘Shatabdi March’ — a heritage initiative commemorating the centenary of Mahatma Gandhi’s visit to Darjeeling — will now begin on October 18 from Darjeeling Railway Station at 8 am.
The march, organised by the DHR in collaboration with The Association for Conservation & Tourism (ACT), Mero Darjeeling, and TIEEDI, will retrace the route Gandhi took a hundred years ago from Darjeeling to Siliguri. The symbolic journey will take place over successive weekends and culminate in Siliguri Town in November. “It aims to celebrate Gandhi’s enduring ideals of peace, simplicity and harmony with nature while bringing communities along the hill route together in shared remembrance,” stated Rishav Choudhury, director, DHR. The Shatabdi March was originally scheduled to commence on October 5. “The event was postponed following severe weather in and around Darjeeling. Keeping the safety of participants and visitors as the foremost concern, we had postponed the event,” added the director. The commemorative march also draws attention to a historic chapter in India’s freedom movement.
In June 1925, Mahatma Gandhi travelled to Darjeeling to visit the ailing Deshbandhu Chittaranjan Das, founder of the Swaraj Party. Gandhi stayed with Das at “Step Aside” from June 4 to 9, during which the two leaders held crucial discussions on the future of India’s struggle for independence. The Shatabdi March symbolically connects the railway stations and communities that witnessed Gandhi’s presence during that period. In keeping with the Mahatma’s principles, the event will also highlight environmental awareness and sustainability. Partner organisations will conduct plogging drives and waste management activities along the route to promote cleanliness and responsible tourism under the banner of Swachhata. The Shatabdi March forms part of the ongoing ‘200 Years of Railways’ commemorations and the DHR’s ‘Station Mahotsav’ series. The DHR has invited citizens, students and well-wishers to participate in this unique journey of remembrance, retracing the footsteps of the Mahatma through the misty hills of Darjeeling while celebrating both history and heritage.
