About the Salt March

On 12th March 1930, Mohandas K Gandhi and 78 others - all men - left the Sabarmati Ashram near Ahmedabad on a protest march.  They wished to draw attention to the inequity of the prevailing Salt Tax and Laws, under which it was illegal for Indians to manufacture salt.

After walking some 350 km they arrived at the seaside village of Dandi on 5th April 1930.  The following day Gandhi broke the Salt Laws and soon villagers in many coastal areas of India were following his example and preparing their own salt.

Gandhi was arrested on 4th May 1930, but his supporters continued with his philosophy of non-violence, as exemplified by the events at the Dharsana salt works.  Although it would be more than 17 years before India achieved independence from Britain, the colonial power was rapidly losing the moral authority with which to govern.

The images in this gallery were taken in Feb/Mar 2004 when I took the journey myself, mainly on foot, from Sabarmati to Dandi.