What was the importance of railways in Bapu’s life, understand from this special exhibition, a special initiative of the Centre

New Delhi : Who can ignore the importance of railways in the life of the Father of the Nation, Mahatma Gandhi? The most important event in the life of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, which made him/her Bapu, is connected to the railways. When Gandhi was humiliated by apartheid during his/her stay in South Africa, he/she was thrown out of the first class coach. After that, Gandhi returned to India and toured the whole country, where he/she took the help of railways to know the country. Keeping in mind the importance of railways in Gandhi’s life, the central government has taken an initiative, in which a special railway coach has been dedicated to him/her. This exhibition has been named – ‘Gandhi and Indian Railways’. This initiative has been taken by the Ministry of Culture. Where Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat inaugurated a special railway coach dedicated to Mahatma Gandhi at Gandhi Darshan, Rajghat on Wednesday.

Special exhibition related to Gandhi in railway coach

On this occasion, Minister Shekhawat said that the renovation of this railway coach related to the event that changed Gandhi’s life has been done with the aim of explaining Gandhi’s philosophy in a practical way. This effort is a historic moment to remember Mahatma Gandhi’s journey and his/her lasting legacy. Shekhawat said that we all need to move forward with the resolution that we will carry Gandhi’s philosophy forward in our lives.

Understand what is the government’s plan

It is noteworthy that the Ministry of Railways has given a coach to the Ministry of Culture, in which this exhibition has been preserved. Interestingly, this railway coach is from the same period when Gandhi was exploring India. The ministry believes that this coach is a symbol of Gandhi’s famous train journeys, which played an important role in his/her mission to unite the nation and advocate justice and equality. This exhibition of railway coaches brings alive Mahatma Gandhi’s train journeys in front of the audience. It has sculptures depicting Gandhi’s travels and conversations with fellow passengers. The ministry believes that this exhibition is going to become the centerpiece of the museum.

Government initiatives to highlight the importance of railways

It is noteworthy that Mahatma Gandhi’s early travels across the Indian subcontinent in third-class railway coaches played a vital role in shaping his/her understanding of India and his/her vision of a unified nation. Through travels, he/she got the opportunity to connect with people from all walks of life, understand their struggles and develop his/her philosophy of truth, non-violence and social justice, which made him/her realize the power of collective strength and the need to unite the nation in the fight against oppression. The Ministry of Culture said that in this way Indian Railways became an important medium in his/her mission to weave the fabric of a unified, inclusive India.