Walking 1 200kms for world peace

A delightful group of people from the World Peace and Friendship Movement is walking 1 200 kilometres from Johannesburg to the Eastern Cape via Durban to spread the legacy of Indian activist, Mahatma Gandhi and anti-apartheid revolutionary and late president, Nelson Mandela.

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The group of seven, consisting of six people from India and a Japanese Buddhist monk, met with the Herald while passing through Port Shepstone.

They are currently walking to eMvezo in the Eastern Cape, the village best known for being Madiba’s birthplace.

The group, led by Nitin Sonawane (27) from Pune in India, has travelled more than 20 000 kilometres across 20 countries.

Mr Sonawane is on a mission to spread Gandhi’s teaching of non-violence to the world.

“South Africa is wonderful; we love the nature and the people are very friendly,” he said.

Joining him is Bhikku Kansin Ikeda (39) who is a Japanese Buddhist monk. Bhikku Ikeda’s guru is Nichidatsu Fujii who met Gandhi on October 4, 1933.

Bhikku Fujii, also a Japanese Buddhist monk, was founder of the Nipponzan-Myohoji order of Buddhism.

He is best known for his decision, in 1947, to begin constructing Peace Pagodas in many locations around the world as shrines to world peace.

Another member of the group is Jalandharnath Channole (44) who has been associated with the Gandhi Ashram – Seva Gram in Wardha near Nagpur in India – for the past 28 years.

Twenty-six-year-old, Sangram Patil, who is committed to social reform, is an engineering student.

Yogesh Mathuria, also known as Vishwa Mitra (61), has dedicated the past 11 years to world peace.

After working in the global IT industry for 30 years, he is walking with his daughter, Sakshi (19), an artist.

Lastly, Dr Rushikesh Andhalkar is a great enthusiast, serving humanity and is a recipient of the Chief Minister Award.

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In the presence of large gathering, the ‘Gandhi @150 to Mandela @100’ peace pilgrimage was seen off from Constitution Hill in Johannesburg, where both Gandhi and Mandela had been jailed at some time, by Indian Consulate-General Dr KJ Srinivasa, for the 150th anniversary of Gandhi’s birth, on October 2.

From there they walked to many historical places including Gandhi Square, where there is a statue of young Gandhi as a lawyer. They also visited Chancellor House, the Nelson Mandela Museum in Soweto and Gandhi’s memorial outside the Hamida Mosque, Newtown, where he played a role in the burning of passes.

Their joint mission is to spread the message of peace and non-violence given to this world by great iconic leaders like Gandhi and Mandela.

“We are walking to keep their legacy alive, as they have made a huge difference. We must not forget their message, but instead pass it onto the next generation,” said Mr Sonawane.

He said they had travelled through the country without money and people from all walks of life had been more than generous in providing them with food and accommodation. These offerings of kindness are, to Mr Sonawane, signs of hope and peace.

“People do care about each other and humanity exists everywhere, in all forms. We need to be positive and change will happen.

But, we need to change ourselves first. If you see peace, you will receive peace,” he said.

He added that they have a short time here in South Africa, and the purpose is to connect with as many people as possible, and spread the message of peace.

“South Africans are friendly people (we have even danced with them) – when they wave at us, we wave back at them with love and a smile,” he said.

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