Monalisa Patsani
post news network
Bhubaneswar, Sept 20: Daubed in silver and masquerading as a statue of Mahatma Gandhi, Baba Sairam, so he says is his name, who had started his maiden journey on foot to Porbandar from Orissa’s holy city of Puri sometime back, reached Sabarmati Monday evening.
A student of Utkal Sangeet Mahavidyalaya, Sairam started his march June 26 to promote Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flagship programme ‘Swachh Bharat’.
He has reportedly covered a distance of 1,629 km crossing four Indian states and will walk for another 500 km.
“I want our cities, states and country to be considered the cleanest places to live in. I believe in Gandhi’s ideology,” he said over telephone. Inspired by the doctrines of Gandhi, he said he had been trying to live by his principles for the last 14 years.
To reach Porbandar in Gujarat, Sairam would have to walk another 500 km over four days. He said, “Swachh Bharat mission is not being given the emphasis it requires. So, I thought of walking across the country to spread awareness.”
Sairam, who is a social worker, works in the welfare sector while being a student. Maybe he has taken Gandhi’s words too literally as he walks with a stick in one hand and the Bhagavad Gita in the other. He plans to walk another 300 km in Mumbai after finishing his first trip.
