The Raj Ghat is a memorial to Mahatma Gandhi. Originally it was the name of a historic ghat of Old Delhi (Shahjahanabad) on the banks of Yamuna River. It is a black marble platform that marks the spot of Mahatma Gandhi’s cremation, Antyesti (Antim Sanskar) on 31 January 1948, a day after his assassination. It is left open to the sky while an eternal flame burns perpetually at one end.
It is located on Ring Road officially known as the Mahatma Gandhi Road. A stone footpath flanked by the lawns leads to the walled enclosure that houses the memorial. All the guests must remove their footwear before entering the Raj Ghat walls. Raj Ghat loosely translates to King’s Bank (where King alludes to the importance of the place and Bank as in, on the bank of river Yamuna). Several other samādhis or cremation spots of other famous leaders can be found in the vicinity of Raj Ghat on the banks of the Yamuna. The landscaping and planting of these memorials was performed by Alick Percy-Lancaster, the last Englishman to hold the post of Superintendent of Horticultural Operations, Government of India.
