Quick answer: Raj Ghat is the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi on the banks of the Yamuna in Delhi: a simple black marble platform marking the spot where he was cremated on 31 January 1948, the day after his assassination, with an eternal flame at one end. It sits in landscaped gardens surrounded by the memorials of several other national leaders, with the National Gandhi Museum across the road. As of October 2026, the Ministry of Tourism’s Incredible India site lists Raj Ghat as open from 7 am to 6 pm; visitors remove their shoes before approaching the platform.
Raj Ghat at a glance
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Location | Mahatma Gandhi Road (Ring Road), on the west bank of the Yamuna, near Daryaganj, Delhi |
| Timings | 7 am to 6 pm (Incredible India, checked October 2026) |
| Entry fee | No fee is listed on official sites; check at the gate |
| National Gandhi Museum | 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday; closed on Mondays; free entry (museum website, checked October 2026) |
| Nearest metro | Delhi Gate (Violet Line) |
| Time needed | 1 to 2 hours with the museum (general guidance) |
| Etiquette | Remove footwear before entering the samadhi enclosure; keep silence |
History of Raj Ghat
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was shot dead on 30 January 1948 at Birla House in New Delhi, now the Gandhi Smriti museum, as he walked to his evening prayer meeting. The next day, 31 January 1948, he was cremated on the bank of the Yamuna. The black marble platform at Raj Ghat marks the exact spot. An earlier version of this article said he was killed “on his way to the gathering at the Birla House”; he was killed in the grounds of Birla House itself, on the way to the prayer meeting there.
The name is older than the memorial. Raj Ghat was a historic ghat (riverside steps) just outside Shahjahanabad, the walled city of Old Delhi, and the city gate that led to it was called Raj Ghat Gate. After 1948 the name came to mean the memorial site.
According to the Ministry of Tourism’s Incredible India site, the memorial was designed by the architect Vanu G. Bhuta, and the landscaping and planting were done by Alick Percy-Lancaster, then superintendent of horticultural operations for the Government of India.
The memorial
The Gandhi samadhi is deliberately plain, reflecting Gandhi’s own simple way of life:
- A stone path leads through lawns to a walled enclosure open to the sky.
- In the centre is a square platform of black marble, usually covered with fresh flowers.
- The words “He Ram”, traditionally believed to be Gandhi’s last words, are inscribed on it.
- An eternal flame burns in a glass enclosure at one end.
The surrounding gardens are planted with trees, several of them planted by visiting heads of state and government, each marked with a plaque. Travel writers have listed Queen Elizabeth II, US President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh and Australian Prime Minister Gough Whitlam among them. (An earlier version of this article misspelt Whitlam’s name.)
Raj Ghat is part of India’s official ceremonial calendar. Visiting heads of state usually lay a wreath here, and the President, Prime Minister and other leaders pay tribute on Gandhi’s birth anniversary (2 October) and his death anniversary (30 January, observed as Martyrs’ Day).
Other memorials in the Raj Ghat area
Over the years, the riverside land around Raj Ghat has become the resting place of many national leaders. The main memorials include:
- Shantivan: Jawaharlal Nehru, India’s first Prime Minister, just north of Raj Ghat
- Vijay Ghat: Lal Bahadur Shastri
- Shakti Sthal: Indira Gandhi
- Veer Bhumi: Rajiv Gandhi
- Kisan Ghat: Chaudhary Charan Singh
- Karma Bhumi: Shankar Dayal Sharma
- Memorials to other leaders including Jagjivan Ram, Giani Zail Singh, Devi Lal, Chandra Shekhar and I.K. Gujral
Rashtriya Smriti Sthal: in 2000 the government decided not to create more separate memorials, as the existing ones already covered more than 245 acres. A shared memorial complex, Rashtriya Smriti Sthal, was developed after a 2013 Cabinet decision. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was cremated there in 2018. In 2025, the government earmarked sites in this complex for memorials to former President Pranab Mukherjee (January 2025) and former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, whose family accepted the site in March 2025, according to news reports at the time.
An earlier version of this article called Vajpayee’s memorial “the latest addition” to the area; the 2025 decisions mean that is no longer the case.
National Gandhi Museum
Opposite Raj Ghat, the National Gandhi Museum tells the story of Gandhi’s life and ideas. It first opened in Mumbai soon after his death, moved several times and opened at Raj Ghat in 1961, when President Rajendra Prasad inaugurated the new building.
According to the museum’s website, it is open from 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday to Sunday, and closed on Mondays; it stays open on public holidays, entry is free and the last admission is 30 minutes before closing (checked October 2026). Its galleries include a spinning wheel gallery, a photographic gallery, a martyrdom gallery, a commemorative gallery and an art gallery, along with an audio-visual section and a large library of books and documents by and about Gandhi. Among the best-known exhibits are the shawl and dhoti he was wearing when he was shot, one of the bullets that killed him, his walking stick and his urn.
An earlier version of this article gave film-show timings at the museum (4 pm to 5 pm on weekends); the museum’s current visitor page does not list them, so ask at the museum.
How to reach Raj Ghat
- By metro: Delhi Gate on the Violet Line is the closest station; from there it is a short auto or e-rickshaw ride along the Ring Road.
- By road: Raj Ghat is on the Ring Road between Daryaganj and the Yamuna, and is served by city buses, autos and app cabs.
- By rail: New Delhi Railway Station is the nearest major station listed by Incredible India; Old Delhi Railway Station is also close.
Tips for visiting
- Plan for the National Gandhi Museum’s Monday closure if you want to see both.
- Expect security restrictions and possible closures on 2 October, 30 January and during state visits, when dignitaries pay tribute.
- Mornings are cooler and quieter, and the lawns are pleasant in winter.
- Photography of the memorial is common, but be respectful of people paying tribute.
Nearby places to visit
Raj Ghat is a short drive from Old Delhi. The Red Fort and Jama Masjid are a few kilometres north-west. To see where Gandhi spent his last days and where he was shot, visit Gandhi Smriti on Tees January Marg in New Delhi.
Frequently asked questions
What is Raj Ghat famous for?
It is the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi, marking the spot where he was cremated on 31 January 1948.
What are the Raj Ghat timings?
As of October 2026, the Ministry of Tourism’s Incredible India site lists 7 am to 6 pm. Access can be restricted on anniversaries and during state visits.
Is the National Gandhi Museum open on Monday?
No. The museum is open Tuesday to Sunday, 10 am to 5 pm, and is closed on Mondays. Entry is free.
Who designed Raj Ghat?
The memorial was designed by architect Vanu G. Bhuta, with landscaping by Alick Percy-Lancaster.
Which leaders have memorials near Raj Ghat?
Jawaharlal Nehru (Shantivan), Lal Bahadur Shastri (Vijay Ghat), Indira Gandhi (Shakti Sthal), Rajiv Gandhi (Veer Bhumi), Charan Singh (Kisan Ghat) and others, plus the shared Rashtriya Smriti Sthal complex.
Details checked in October 2026 against the Ministry of Tourism’s Incredible India page on Raj Ghat, the National Gandhi Museum’s website and news reports on the Rashtriya Smriti complex. Timings can change on national occasions, so check before you visit.
