Delhi Marks America's 250th Anniversary at Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Gandhi King Plaza
To mark the 250th anniversary of America's independence this weekend, Delhi commemorated the occasion at local landmarks on Kasturba Gandhi Marg and Max Mueller Marg that highlight the historical ties between India and the United States. The milestone prompted reflections on the shared values of justice, peace, and non-violence (ahimsa) symbolized by Mahatma Gandhi and American civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Outside the American Center on Kasturba Gandhi Marg, a large portrait of President Donald Trump was displayed on the building’s facade, overlooking the local traffic. The banner had been installed weeks prior in anticipation of the American Independence Day celebrations.
A short distance away, the Gandhi King Plaza inside the India International Centre (IIC) on Max Mueller Marg served as a key site of remembrance. The plaza stands as Delhi’s enduring tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.’s sole visit to India in 1959, during which he stated, "To other countries I may go as a tourist, but to India I come as a pilgrim."
Coinciding with the anniversary on Saturday, the Hindustan Times reproduced an old article that the iconic American civil rights leader had written exclusively for the newspaper during his pilgrimage to India.
On the humid, overcast Saturday afternoon of July 4th, the plaza remained a quiet space for reflection. Ten fountains arranged in a straight row sent up delicate, steady jets of water into a long, green pool, creating a soft, rhythmic murmur. Two massive banyan trees, their canopies filled with the sounds of birds, dominated the space.
In a corner of the plaza stands the joint memorial to Gandhi and King, a tiered edifice of granite and stone panels. One face of the memorial features King’s engraved words: "True peace is not merely the absence of tension but it is the presence of justice and brotherhood."
The site, which was originally inaugurated in 1970 by then-Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, offers a poignant space to reflect on the work-in-progress values of peace and justice claimed by both nations, especially given that Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Indira Gandhi were all eventually killed by assassins.
