Gandhi Jayanti travel guide: 5 memorials honouring the Father of the Nation

Mahatma Gandhi, greatly known for being a representative of non-violence and the architect of India’s independence movement. His great contributions have inspired the establishment of numerous memorials across the globe. All of these memorial sites are reminders of his principles of truth, peace, and justice. On the auspicious occasion of his birth anniversary, we decided to travel through some stunning memorial sites made for Mahatma Gandhi all over the globe.

A memorial complex located in Delhi that was dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi. This site has a black marble platform that is raised and marks the spot of his cremation on 31 January 1948 and also has an eternal flame at one end. The complex is surrounded by beautiful gardens and is accessible via a stone footpath. People from all over the world come here to pay homage to the symbol of peace. Various other Indian leaders’ memorials are also located here, making it a complex of national remembrance.

The Mahatma Gandhi World Peace Memorial is found at the Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Los Angeles and is a must-visit site for all visitors. This is an outdoor shrine where one will find an authentic 1,000-year-old Chinese stone sarcophagus which holds a portion of the ashes of Mahatma Gandhi. Originally, this memorial was designed by Paramahansa Yogananda as a "wall-less temple".

A statue of Mahatma Gandhi was built by Kantilal B. Patel and is located in Union Square in Manhattan, New York. This memorial site has an 8-foot bronze statue which was donated by the Gandhi Memorial International Foundation with support from Mohan Murjani. The Mahatma Gandhi statue was dedicated on October 2, 1986, the 117th anniversary of Gandhi's birth. Gandhi is depicted in traditional attire, carrying a staff, gazing forward. The statue’s placement here signifies Union Square’s tradition as a site of protest and remembrance.

Mahatma Gandhi’s bronze statue is located in the centre of Tavistock Square in London and was built by Fredda Brilliant and unveiled in 1968. The statue depicts Gandhi in the later years of his life, sitting in a contemplative pose, with legs crossed in the lotus position and his left hand resting on his ankles, and his bare head with furrowed brows slightly lowered. He is also depicted as wearing a dhoti with a shawl over his shoulder. The location is significant, being near University College London, where Gandhi studied law.

Located in the Sabarmati area of Ahmedabad in Gujarat, India, along the banks of the Sabarmati River. One of the residences of Mahatma Gandhi, he lived here when he was not travelling or in prison. Mahatma Gandhi lived here for about 12 years with his wife Kasturba Gandhi and his followers. This place has also been the start of many important movements in the fight for Independence. Visitors can visit the museum located here today, known as the Gandhi Smarak Sangrahalaya.