Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi took the British regime to task in 1930 with a path breaking and non-violent protest against the unjust Salt Tax.
Gandhiji had already championed the concept of 'Swadeshi' (Made in home country) and had propagated the idea through his Charkha (Spinning Wheel) and producing Khadi ( Coarse cotton cloth). Making Salt within India without paying any taxes to the British was another big impact initiative in India's freedom struggle.
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More than 70% of Indian population was then involved in agriculture and could not have afforded to buy a micro yet important ingredient at such high prices. The Salt March on 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad to Dandi a coastal village near Navsari covering 387 kilometers walked on foot by Gandhiji and his followers changed the status-quo of the Indian freedom struggle.
Today, there is just a list of places that were visited during the epic Dandi March. A couple of memorials each at Ahmedabad and Dandi are the only standing testimony of the episode. En-route there is no sign reminding us of the glorious past. However, what still stays is the phrase "Gandhi Bapu ni Dandi yatra ahiyaan thayi ne gayi ti". In the local Gujarati language it means - Gandhi's (Bapu's) Dandi March went through here. After 85 years there is still a feeling of pride for the people that Gandhi walked on the same land for their forefather's rights and their rights too.
Today two of our lovely guests are doing this walk and have already reached half way through the route. Very soon they will reach the town of Bharuch and take a longish halt in Ankleshwar.
Right from 27th November till today the 8th of December these ladies - Masha and Torre have seen, understood and absorbed a lot about India. There is a lot that is happening inside them as humans and there is a lot more that they will take back with them.
Emotional experiences will keep adding as and when they will write and discuss about this journey. They have seen India so closely that they are able to find the meaning of such a complex country. Understanding Gandhi and his philosophy in the contemporary times is an experience in itself.
Vedic Walks was approached by Masha with this challenge of organizing the Dandi March for her and we took it with a smile. An opportunity that comes once in a lifetime for doing something that nobody could have ever thought of.
This initiative will surely set an example of a travel route and travel style not so popular in India. Besides that it will be a great example for Safety for Women Travelers in India, which is a primary mission of Vedic Walks and its team.
www.vedicwalks.com
www.facebook.com/vedic.walks
Photo: Dandi Memorial - Gandhi Picking Salt
He walked a little under 400 kilometers over the span of just 25 days through small towns and villages of Gujarat spreading the message of non-violent protest.Gandhiji had already championed the concept of 'Swadeshi' (Made in home country) and had propagated the idea through his Charkha (Spinning Wheel) and producing Khadi ( Coarse cotton cloth). Making Salt within India without paying any taxes to the British was another big impact initiative in India's freedom struggle.
Photo: The Dandi March route map at Sabarmati Ashram- Ahmedabad
1930 was the time when the British were trying to get over with the economic losses of the first world war and needed more and more money from all of their colonies. India being the prime supplier of finances became the apt target.More than 70% of Indian population was then involved in agriculture and could not have afforded to buy a micro yet important ingredient at such high prices. The Salt March on 1930 from Sabarmati Ashram Ahmedabad to Dandi a coastal village near Navsari covering 387 kilometers walked on foot by Gandhiji and his followers changed the status-quo of the Indian freedom struggle.
Photo: Some unfinished initiatives of the bureaucracy
Today, there is just a list of places that were visited during the epic Dandi March. A couple of memorials each at Ahmedabad and Dandi are the only standing testimony of the episode. En-route there is no sign reminding us of the glorious past. However, what still stays is the phrase "Gandhi Bapu ni Dandi yatra ahiyaan thayi ne gayi ti". In the local Gujarati language it means - Gandhi's (Bapu's) Dandi March went through here. After 85 years there is still a feeling of pride for the people that Gandhi walked on the same land for their forefather's rights and their rights too.
Today two of our lovely guests are doing this walk and have already reached half way through the route. Very soon they will reach the town of Bharuch and take a longish halt in Ankleshwar.
Photo: Candid moment of Masha and Torre
Right from 27th November till today the 8th of December these ladies - Masha and Torre have seen, understood and absorbed a lot about India. There is a lot that is happening inside them as humans and there is a lot more that they will take back with them.
Emotional experiences will keep adding as and when they will write and discuss about this journey. They have seen India so closely that they are able to find the meaning of such a complex country. Understanding Gandhi and his philosophy in the contemporary times is an experience in itself.
Vedic Walks was approached by Masha with this challenge of organizing the Dandi March for her and we took it with a smile. An opportunity that comes once in a lifetime for doing something that nobody could have ever thought of.
Photo: The things one comes across
We as a team were having two parallel discussions about different things. One was with the Gujarat Tourism where we were thinking of promoting Gujarat in our programs and the second about female friendly travel programs. We knew it that this is the signature activity that we must undertake to set an example of what a young team with innovative thinking can deliver.
Photo: Kick-Start at Sabarmati Ashram
This initiative will surely set an example of a travel route and travel style not so popular in India. Besides that it will be a great example for Safety for Women Travelers in India, which is a primary mission of Vedic Walks and its team.
www.vedicwalks.com
www.facebook.com/vedic.walks
