Boys dressed as Gandhi march to honour civil rights leader|
Dressed in matching skincoloured caps, round spectacles and grey moustaches, these young children are taking part in a lookalike record attempt like no other.
The 485 children donned matching outfits in honour of Mahatma Gandhi, the iconic Indian spiritual leader who was assassinated 64 years ago to the day.
As well as the peace leader’s trademark round glasses and moustache, the boys also sported white robes to mimic his traditional Indian dhoti and shawl, as well as holding walking sticks.
Their march is an attempt to bring alive memories of Gandhi’s historic Dandi march in March 1930 which sparked India’s independence movement.
The boys, all aged between ten and 16 and mostly from single mothers, walked in costume for half a kilometre in central Kolkata, West Bengal. The underprivileged youngsters also set a world record, as their march of 485 children was the largest such gathering ever recorded.
Their impressive effort eclipsed the previous record for such an event, where 255 children dressed as Gandhi in Tamil Nadu’s Coimbatore district on June 13, 2010. The children took part in the march named ‘Rise Up’ while watched by Gandhi’s granddaughter Usha Gokani. She said: ‘It’s a great feeling. When my children heard of the effort they egged me to come to Kolkata. ‘They said it may be a bit tiring for you, but the trip is worth to be made.
‘I now know they were right. I am moved by the passion for the father of the nation displayed by these children.’