Original subtitles

TREVOR MCDONALD: 'I'm undertaking a journey across India,

'on one of the most amazing trains in the world.'

Are these gold plates? Yes, sir.

$500' Per plate. MY 900dness!

'The Maharajas' Express celebrates the height of elegance and style...'

I love the ceiling!

'..Recreating the feel of the royal trains,

'once used by India's kings.'

He had five wives, legally. I would suspect that

that's probably a little too many! THEY LAUGH

TRAIN HORN 'Almost half a mile long...'

Can I show you the bathroom? Wow!

'..It's the length of 60 London buses...'

\ Valet service! I

'..though, nothing about it feels like a bus.'

In my eight years, we've never said no to any guest, for anything.

I knew you were going to say that! Thank you, sir!

'Travelling 1,200 miles from Mumbai to the nation's capital New Delhi...

'..my journey will take me

'to some of the most iconic places in India...'

That's amazing!

'..And to its most hidden surprises.'

So, the rats drink the milk, but you drink the milk, too?

Yes, we also drink that. Ah.

'I was last in the Indian subcontinent

'as a news reporter in the 1980s.'

...the potentially explosive Tamil issue.

'Today the traffic is as bad as it always was.'

This is just... mad!

'Poverty is still an issue...'

Miles of slums.

'..But so much else has changed.'

I wonder what role mobile phones play in the worship to the goddess?

'But I also have a more personal reason for coming back here.'

I was born in Trinidad, my mother was pure Afro-Caribbean,

but I'm pretty sure that my father was Indian.

This is where he slept.

'I'll meet the great-granddaughter of Mahatma Gandhi,

'a man who inspired millions.'

It's extraordinary to be in the same area.

'It's a chance to discover ancient traditions...'

Wow, and you can't see the join!

'..And to see how old and new India are coexisting in the 21st century.'

That's a sign of happiness? Yes.

This is the beginning of a great adventure!

TRAIN HORN

TRAIN HORN

'In the three decades, since I last visited India,

'it's been transformed.

'The population's gone from 850 million,

'to nearly 1.3 billion.'

TRAIN HORN 'And its economy's exploded,

'to become, by some estimates, the fifth largest in the world.

'Yet, so much of this vast country

'looks just the same as I remember.'

As you speed through at 8O miles an hour,

there's a lovely panoramic view of it all,

and the trains going by.

It is a journey of discovery, isn't it?

'It's a perfect way to travel

'between two of the country's major cities.

'And, along the way, to see a new India emerging from the old.

'But today, I'm approaching a desert city,

'where an ancient way of life survives and thrives.

'Bikaner lies to the north-west of India,

'close to the border with Pakistan.'

Good morning, sir! Morning. Please watch your step.

I will, thank you.

Good morning, Mr Trevor. Thank you. How are you?

Very good. How are you today?

Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.

Morning, morning. Morning.

BAN D P LAYS

'In 1947, Pakistan, which had formed part of the country,

'became a separate state, with a Muslim majority.

'But, in India, Hinduism continues to dominate,

'with eight in ten people describing themselves as followers.

'From the station, I'm making a short journey to Deshnoke,

'to visit a remarkable shrine to a Hindu goddess.'

I'm not sure how I put these on, really.

'This extraordinary temple was built in honour of Karni Mata,

'a 14th century female warrior.

'To her followers, she was a miracle worker,

'whose reincarnated descendants live here.

'Although, not in human form.'

RATS SQUEAK

This is a truly amazing scene,

I was brought up on an island where Hindus make up

quite a proportion of the population,

and there are half a million Hindus in the UK,

but I've never heard of a temple to rats.

And since... and since I'm in a temple,

I think I should make a confession,

they are not my favourite creatures!

'A staggering 20,000 rats

'are believed to live inside the temple.

'They're fed, watered, and worshipped by devotee.'

I think I should also say that this... place is fly-infested.

Which is not entirely surprising!

'There are conflicting stories

'of why Karni Mata's descendants were reincarnated in this form.

'Some worshippers believe that the few white rats in the temple

'are the reincarnations of the goddess herself,

'and of her sons. None are visible today.

'But there are many other memorable sights.'

So what's happening here? The rats are drinking the milk?

It's holy water. So, we are ill,

this water, we are clean.

So, the rats drink the milk, but you drink the milk, too?

Yes, also. We also drink that.

'In Deshnoke, around 600 families

'claim to be the descendants of Karni Mata.

'Like Gajendar, its caretaker, they believe that after their death,

'they'll also be reincarnated as "kabbas", or holy rats.'

The holy milk. Yes. If we are ill... Yes.

...then I come and pray for god, and that is...

Ah. This milk we drink. Health is good.

Never diseased, never problem.

Well, I'm glad that you... I'm glad that you are very healthy.

Yeah, I'm healthy.

RATS SQUEAK

After, we also... they are, eating food.

This what we want to see.

This food...

FLIES BUZZ

So you are eating the food that the rats have just eaten?

Yes, I also eat. It's good. This is "prasad".

And that helps you to stay healthy? Yes, healthy. No problem.

Very interesting. Yes.

'Karni Mata is said to have devoted much of her life to the poor.

'Legend has it that she disappeared, at the age of 151.

'It was then, in 1438, that her followers

'began building the temple in her honour.'

So this is a prayer to the goddess of this temple?

Inside it is church for goddess.

And is this food being brought by people who come to worship here?

Yeah, the foods they have brought here.

So they come to worship, they bring food for the rats...

Yes, yes. ..and they bring food in honour of the goddess? Yes.

BELL RINGS This goddess demands

copious quantities of food and offerings!

'The shrine is intricate and ornate.

'But, as a non-Hindu,

'this is as close as I'm allowed to get.'

It seems to have a lot to do with feel and touch,

and ringing of bells.

Everybody wants to get close to the goddess.

Hello! Hello.

BELL RINGS Hello.

Ah, there you go again, somebody ringing the bell.

'As well as attracting worshippers, the temple also draws

'curious visitors from around the world.'

I think it's also interesting

that this... temple is run on strict commercial lines.

I can see what people are obliged to pay for bringing in mobiles,

OI' CGITIGFBS, OI' ITIOViE CGITIBFBS.

I can't help but wonder what role mobile phones play

in the worship to the goddess.

And this is an example of the kind of dedication

that people feel to this place.

'From the Middle Ages, when this temple was built,

'to the modern era of digital communications,

'the religious faith that grips India

'shows no sign of loosening.

'Census figures show that almost 100% of its people

'follow one creed or another.

'Religion has given this country a culture and customs

'that remain intact.

'Although, this is one I didn't share.

'But religion has also been a source of conflict.

'And one that's simmered with India's close neighbour Pakistan,

'ever since the two countries split apart.

'It's left its mark here, close to the border,

'in the most beautiful of landscapes.'

That's amazing!

'Before our train leaves Bikaner,

'the staff have laid on a traditional sunset dinner,

'in the Thar desert.

'But while my fellow passengers prepare for a night of food, drink,

'and entertainment, my interest is sparked by something else.

'21 years ago, this was the scene of a story which,

'as a news reporter, I remember well.

'India carried out a series of nuclear test explosions here,

'in what was seen as a clear warning to Pakistan,

'with whom it's been at war four times in the last 70 years.

'Today, tensions remain high.

'This is one of the few places in the world

'where two nuclear powers sit side by side.'

MUSIC PLAYS

'At 77,000 square miles,

'the Thar is almost as large as England and Scotland combined.

'Yet, this deceptively serene desert,

'makes up a mere 6% of India itself.'

This is a great illustration

of the extraordinary vastness of India.

We've been seeing maharajas' palaces,

I've been at the rat temple,

and now, this is a barbecue in the desert.

And I have to remind myself constantly

that we are only about less than 100 kilometres

from the Pakistani border.

'The Thar is where India changed its place in the world order,

'becoming a nuclear state

'and demonstrating its technological advancement.

'Tomorrow, I'm leaving it behind,

'to explore a place synonymous with an earlier age.

'The spectacular pink city of Jaipur,

capital of Rajasthan.'

TRAIN HORN

TREVOR MCDONALD: 'I'm on an unforgettable journey.

'Retracing the travels of some of the richest,

'most powerful men who ever lived, the maharajas of India.

'These opulent surroundings

'would have been familiar to those ancient kings,

'who ruled individual swathes of this country for centuries.

'Most impressive of all is the premier bedroom suite,

'which sleeps four, and occupies an entire carriage.'

So this is the most luxurious suite on the train? It is, sir.

Yes. This is the best carriage we have.

This is the presidential suite of ours.

Where we are standing is the living room,

to our left and right we have the bedrooms.

Behind that, we have a beautiful washroom.

This floor, as you see, is special.

This is Makrana marble,

the marble of which famous Taj Mahal is made of.

Ah, so this is made of the same marble as the Taj Mahal? Yes.

The ceiling, if you see, is hand-painted Rajasthani painting.

The mahogany wood is used.

Which is this. Just here. Yes, sir. Yeah. It all looks very nice.

And how much would it cost a couple to stay here?

Approximately, 47,000 US dollars, sir.

That's for eight days and seven nights.

Which is about £36,000. Absolutely, sir.

'Or, to put it another way, just over £5,000 a night.

'For those who can afford such splendour,

'the train is aptly named.'

The whole idea is to make you feel like a maharaja,

a very special person. Maharaja is king of kings.

So people staying here are very special people

and will be treated with extra care.

They have extra private valet of theirs,

who is available around the clock to them,

along with a chauffeur

and a personal guide at each station,

where they can go for off-board excursions.

So, if they want to, they can mix with the other passengers,

but they don't need to? Any time they can.

This is exclusive.

It is, sir. Wonderful. Thank you very much, sir.

Well, I envy all those who have the chance

to stay in the presidential suite!

'To make sure guests receive the best of everything,

'there's an army of full-time staff.

'Nearly one for every paying passenger.

'I was taken to see their living quarters.'

Please come. So this is where you all live?

Yes. This is the staff car, sir. Mm-hm.

This is our kitchen area.

Small kitchen area.

We have our staff sitting here and enjoy their lunch.

Enjoy their lunch.

But it means that only about six of you can sit here at one time.

Yes, yes, six persons.

So you have to eat in shifts, as well? Yes, yes.

And our food is making inside.

Yeah. Do they feed you well?

Yes, sir. You get good food?

Good food, all the time, yes. Yes. Excellent.

Like in the restaurant! Like in the restaurant!

'From cooks to cleaners, from maintenance men to managers,

'all staff members are trained to the highest standards

'and display a genuine pride in their work.

'Bansi is a personal valet.'

So how many people work and live in this carriage?

60 people on board, sir. 60. 60 people? Yes. Yes, sir.

But they don't all live and sleep in this? No.

In this porch, only, like, restaurant staff. Yes.

\ Kitchen staff. I

And the maintenance person. Yes. And the security person.

Yeah, but that's still a lot of people.

Do people use all these bunks? Yes, yes.

And how comfortable is that? Very comfortable.

They don't have any complaint about the sleeping.

I'm fascinated about who gets the choice about where to sleep.

Who gets the top bunk, and who gets the bottom bunk?

BANSI LAUGHS

We all are like a family member. Yes.

So we never... HE LAUGHS

You must get along. You must like each other,

otherwise it could be very difficult. Yes, yes.

'Despite the limited living space,

'jobs on the train are highly sought after.

'For those like Bansi, they offer a glimpse

'into an entirely different world, from the one in which he grew up.'

I'm very happy. Yes.

Because of so many different countries,

people I meet all the time.

So it's totally different lifetime experience. Yes.

Like, as well as guest and as well as staff, also. Yes.

Excellent. Thank you very much. Thank you, sir. Thank you so much.

'12 hours and a 170 miles after leaving Bikaner,

'we've made an eastward turn to Jaipur.

'A teeming city with an estimated 3.8 million people,

'and one-time seat of power for the British,

'once rulers of this state.'

TANNOY ANNOUNCEMENT

Good morning, sir. Morning, John. How are you?

Watch your step, sir. Yeah, thank you.

'The British took control of Jaipur in 1818

'and stayed until 1947.

'The Empire may be long gone, but the welcome remains the same.'

The red carpet, which we see everywhere.

Yes, sir. All the time, the red carpet for you.

HE LAUGHS That's very flattering, thank you.

My... my problem is I might get too accustomed to this

and expect it when I get home, and it wouldn't be there!

HE LAUGHS

'It's easy to see why Jaipur is known as the "Pink City".

'A 19th-century maharaja

'ordered all the main buildings to be painted this shade,

'in honour of Britain's future King Edward VII,

'then visiting as the Prince of Wales.

'But, as I arrive, the colour that greets us is grey.'

RUMBLE OF THUNDER Oh!

Oh, my God!

'Today, Jaipur is booming, thanks, in part, to tourism.

'Along with Delhi and Agra,

'it forms India's, so-called, Golden Triangle.'

CAR HORNS BEEP Oh! Oh, look at this!

'It's more than 30 years since I was last in India,

'but as the rain clears,

'scenes like this are unmistakably familiar.'

Whenever I think of travelling through major Indian cities,

this is the kind of traffic chaos that I remember.

There were probably fewer cars on the road then,

but the sense of disorder, the chaos, still goes on.

But, it works! And people still get around.

In a sense, everything is newer but old patterns remain.

Everybody is buying or selling something.

The streets are all lined, on either side,

with some kind of commercial activity.

In a way, it does explain why this economy continues to grow.

'Like the buildings,

'the streets and marketplaces are a riot of colour,

'as is the dress.

'Just like their ancestors,

'the Indians of today wear vibrant clothes that symbolise

'a whole range of moods, emotions and beliefs.

'For centuries, they were woven, dyed and decorated individually

'by skilled artisans, working from home.

'But now, they're churned out on an industrial scale.

'Factories like this are where the old and new India meet.

'The craft of block printing may be an ancient one,

'but owner Hemant is keeping it alive

'with modern business methods.'

How long have you been doing it?

We started this in 2001, and now, around 19 years. Yeah.

And the principle is fairly simple, isn't it?

You put the dye on and then somebody has to measure it carefully and...

Yes. And then hit.

And a degree of precision is involved

because when you do this one here,

it has to be absolutely... Next to it.

...because the design has to be continuous.

Look like continuous, it should not look like a join,

too much of joints. Yes. That's an art. Yes. Yeah.

'The fabrics are washed and laid out to dry.

'Staff then cut them to size and prepare the colours,

'leaving it to the artisans to begin their work.

'Hemant has two factories,

'using both natural and synthetic dyes for printing.'

This is where you put the colour in? Yes.

So let's see how you do it.

It's fantastic.

I can see he has to be very, very precise doing this.

He makes it look easy!

Now, here's a question, does... does anybody make mistakes?

Yes. Yeah? There's a lot of mistakes,

but within a range of mistakes is acceptable,

if it beyond that, then, is rejected pieces. Yes.

Because the key thing is the precision? Precision, yes.

After that, it will go in the sun for drying.

You put it outside? Yeah.

Sun play very important role in natural dyes. Yeah.

If the sun is bright then you get bright colours.

If the sun is dull, you get a dull colour.

I never would have thought that that distinction was possible

just by where you put it out to dry. Yes.

'Despite overseas competition, especially from China,

'the business is expanding.

'This factory exports to nine countries.

'Modern technology may power India's economy,

'but it's heartening to see skills,

'that go all the way back to the 12th century,

'thriving in the 21st.'

Well, I'm going to try one of these,

in the knowledge that my future in no way depends on it!

Pick the colour. Oh, pick the colour, first.

One more time. Yes.

One more.

\ Yes, now picks... l

Pick-up? Yeah.

Wow, and you can't see the join!

I'm very pleased with myself about this. Thank you. Thanks.

'Some aspects of Indian life are immutable.'

COW MOOS

'Cattle, considered sacred by Hindus,

'continue to roam freely,

'able to go wherever they please...

'..holding up traffic, even in rush hour.

'But there's another, so-called, "holy animal"

'that hasn't fared so well.'

Oh, my goodness me.

What is in front of us here?

'Despite their importance

'in the country's religion and culture,

'elephants have long been exploited,

'held captive, abused and used for entertainment.

'Although there ARE laws to prevent it,

'mistreatment is still evident.

'But as India advances, and international pressure grows,

'the movement to protect these animals gains strength.'

Tell me the story of this first one we are looking at here.

This elephant here,

her name is Anu, she is 19 years old.

'Rahul helps to run this elephant sanctuary in Jaipur.'

Here's a big question,

how do you know whether they are contented?

How do you know whether they're happy?

In general, they always keep themselves occupied.

Yes. Some certain activities. They never stay still.

Yes. Ears flapping continual, tails swinging all the time.

That's a sign of happiness?

Legs up and down, back and forwards. Yes.

Trunks swinging, eating, eyes blinking.

Good state. They're doing nothing but eating at the moment.

See her flapping ears? Flapping ears, too.

HE LAUGHS Tail is swinging.

'As a tourist industry veteran,

'Rahul has seen it first hand how elephants are exploited.

'Sadly, it's all too common.'

And where do they come from?

Sir, some of them are born here, grew up here in my family.

Some are rescued, sir. Some are from circuses...

You've had some from circuses? Yes.

Do the caretakers have to get trained

in how they treat the animals?

Sir, have you heard about the caste system in India? Yes.

We are from a caste called "mahouts". OK.

"Mahout" means "elephant riders". "Caretakers".

Oh, right! So this is our job from our generations.

Father, grandfather... So you, and these people,

have a long association with these animals?

Surely, sir. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

'The Asian elephant is now officially an endangered species.

'So the manner in which tourists

'are allowed to come into contact with them,

'even in so-called "ethical sanctuaries" like this one,

'is controversial.

'Rahul says elephant rides are not allowed here.

'Visitors are sometimes permitted to paint the animals,

'even that practice has been criticised.'

Her name is Shaku. Shaku. Yes. Yes.

She's 28. 28, yes.

Is she looking at us now? Can she see us?

Yeah. Yes, I can see those eyes on me.

Saying, "Who is this man? And what's he doing to us here?"

Wonderful.

Their skin is rather softer than I thought. Sir, yeah, it is.

'Although it's argued that keeping any elephant in captivity is wrong,

'the majority of animals which have been rescued

'have lost the ability to survive in the wild.'

I never thought I'd be in such close proximity

to anything like this.

They're huge things, aren't they?

She wants some more sugar cane. Oh, she wants some more sugar cane?

Let's not stand in the way of her food!

How much do they eat?

On an average, an adult elephant, sir, up to 200 kilograms every day.

Wow. Yeah. That's a lot.

And I'm sure they appreciate very much

what you are doing on their behalf.

Thank you. Thank you.

'It's a privilege to be allowed

'to get so close to these beautiful animals.

'And those looking after them

'do seem genuine in their care and affection.

'But there's still a long way to go

'to protect these magnificent creatures.

'It seems a fitting end to my day in Jaipur.'

Look at that sunset now.

'Tomorrow, my train takes me to Agra,

'and to one of the wonders of the man-made world.

'Sadly, we discover its future is at risk.

TRAIN HORN

TREVOR MCDONALD: 'I'm now a week into my visit to India.'

KNOCKING

Thank you very much.

Tea and biscuits, a nice way to start the day.

Any time you call me, I'm 24-hours available for you.

Yes, thank you very much. Thank you, sir.

'I've covered more than a thousand miles,

'travelling as the maharajas would have done.

'It might be one of the world's most luxurious trains,

'serving the finest food and drink,

'and offering the most comfortable of living quarters.

'But, however sumptuous the inner surroundings,

'you can never ignore what's on the other side of the glass.'

Looking out of this window, it's difficult...

to believe that these are the surrounds.

Miles and miles of slums.

'That such poverty still exists,

'is one of the tragedies of today's India.

'In the last decade, average incomes and living standards have soared.

'Yet, an estimated 70 million of its people

'still live on less than £1.50 a day.'

It's depressing to think that anyone can possibly survive

in conditions like these.

'Such conditions can be found throughout India.

'Including Agra, our next stop.

'But this city is also home to the country's greatest treasure.

'Every year, millions come to see the Taj Mahal,

'and I'm here to discover more about it.

'From Agra station, it's a 20-minute journey

'to this wonder of the modern world.'

Is this always the time

that people go to the Taj, in the morning? Yes. Yes, sir.

I can see why. It's sunlight is magical.

Yes.

There's a distinct thrill

going to it at this time in the morning, isn't there? Yes.

Yeah. In fact, blindingly beautiful sunlight!

THEY LAUGH

'Part of the journey can be done by cab.'

Good morning. Thank you.

So please, you can have a seat here. Thank you so much.

Lovely, thank you.

'For environmental reasons,

'all petrol and diesel-powered vehicles

'are banned from its immediate surroundings.

'So, for the last third of a mile, my transport is electric.'

Yep, OK.

This is the way, my dear friend. Yeah, thank you.

'Your first glimpse of the majestic Taj Mahal

'comes as you walk toward the gatehouse.

'The central dome soars 240 feet into the sky.

'But not until you emerge from this cramped and crowded walkway,

'does the Taj Mahal shine in all its glory.'

There's no question that this is probably

one of the most stunning views in all the world.

And looking at the old Taj in the morning sunlight

is absolutely stunning.

No wonder crowds of people, from all over the world,

come here every day,

just for one glimpse of this most glorious scene.

'The Taj Mahal was literally a labour of love.

'The 17th-century ruler Shah Jahan

'ordered it to be built to honour his wife Mumtaz,

'who had died giving birth to their 14th child.

'He resolved to lay her to rest

'in a place of unparalleled beauty.

'And this is what he came up with.

'A shimmering marble mausoleum

'that cost an estimated 32 million Indian rupees,

'well over half a billion pounds in today's money.'

How long did it take to build? The Taj Mahal took 22 years,

and 20,000 workers worked to build this place.

And why it took so long, reason is the workmanship.

The white marble is from Makrana, which is,

like, 360 kilometres from here.

The red sandstone is from Fatehpur Sikri,

which is 40 kilometres from here.

So it all had to be brought in? Yes.

It's an absolute stunning, stunning aspect... Ah-ha.

...to look at the Taj Mahal... Right.

...in the glorious morning sunlight. Right.

'As befitting a place of love,

'countless couples come here to be photographed together.

'But, in 1992, it was the setting for something different.

'In a highly symbolic pose,

'Princess Diana chose to be pictured alone.

'Not only did it send a clear message

'that her marriage to Prince Charles was in deep trouble,

'unintentionally, it had consequences

'for the monument itself.'

I came here for the first time

long before that famous Diana picture was taken,

which was shown all over the world.

And I've often wondered over the years

how Indians regarded that image

as something which publicised something so central

to the culture of this country.

Well, I've discovered that they are,

the Indians, are quite pleased about it

because it has made the Taj Mahal immensely more popular.

'But popularity comes with a price.

'Eight million people come here every year.

'Pollution and fumes discolour and crack the marble.'

Thank you very much for agreeing to talk to us.

'As the authorities strive to clean and restore it,

'Indian environmentalists are calling for stronger action.'

So, if you look at Agra right now, as we imagine,

the number of tourists that actually come to visit Taj Mahal,

but you still see so much garbage.

So there's so much of international attention that Agra gets,

but there's garbage on the roads,

there's plastic burning that is happening,

the river is completely stinking,

there are factories,

there are coal-fired factories all around,

there's vehicles that are...

there's no pollution under control to check on these vehicles,

these two-wheelers or four-wheelers.

So it's a complete mess.

And Agra, in many, many ways, is the story of each and every city.

And imagine, by 2030,

almost 70% of India is actually... will be living in cities.

Agra is a microcosm of emerging India.

'The pollution, caused by tourists and locals,

'is most evident in the Yamuna River,

'which flows next to the site.

'Today, it's a rancid repository of industrial and household waste.

'The insects that thrive here,

'swarm over the monument in such numbers

'that they've created patches of brown and green

'on the famous white exterior.'

I thought that there was a more concerted plan of action,

to deal with most of this pollution because it began to be recognised

as something which needed to be dealt with.

See, no doubt there is a grown narrative around pollution.

There's more discussion, there are more schemes,

but, unless and until my river is drinkable,

my air is breathable, my children are healthy,

things will not improve.

Things need to be really, be concrete on the ground

and that's missing in our policy and in our action.

'Seeing the Taj Mahal on a perfect morning like this,

'it's hard to believe that its integrity is under threat.

'But it is.

'In 2018, India's Supreme Court

'ordered the government to take urgent steps to protect it.

'Hopefully, it's not too late.'

TRAIN HORN

TREVOR MCDONALD: 'Eight days after I first stepped on board

'the Maharajas' Express,

'this most incredible train is now taking me

'on the last 122 miles of my journey to India's capital.

'It's early morning, and we are about to arrive in Delhi.

'Like all passengers on board,

'I've come to view the staff on the train almost as friends.

'That's especially true of the Head Chef, John.'

Thank you so much. You've cooked superbly for us.

Thank you ever so much, sir. I hope you had a good trip, sir.

I'll always remember this trip. God bless you, sir.

And I hope I get the chance, by some means...

Sir, do visit us again, please.

If I win the lottery, I'll come back to see you.

Thank you ever so much. Thank you.

'The train will now be cleaned, serviced,

'and restocked with another four tons of food,

'before embarking on its journey all over again.

'But I still have the last leg of mine to complete.

'And it's something of a personal pilgrimage.'

Driving through the major cities of India,

you get so fixated by the congestion

and by the chaos of traffic,

that driving through New Delhi, you would never believe

that they're both parts of the same country.

This is entirely different.

'And that's because the city, actually a district of old Delhi,

'is barely 90 years old.

'It's foundation was laid by George V,

'then Emperor of India,

'and became the capital in 1931.

'It's the seat of India's government,

'and the final resting place of the man

'who helped to make possible the creation of this country.

'Mahatma Gandhi led the independence movement

'against British colonial rule.

'His commitment to non-violent struggle

'inspired one of my own heroes, Martin Luther King,

'and the many other civil rights campaigners who came after.'

This is where he slept.

'I've come to meet his great-granddaughter

'Sukanya Bharatram,

'at the home where he spent his final months.

'This picture shows him a few yards away

'from where I'm standing.'

This is where Mahatma Gandhi lived and where he had his meetings.

Where everyone, from the Prime Minister,

to Mountbatten,

to anybody you can think of... They all came to see him here?

And they all came to see him

and they all sat on the floor, the way he sat.

It's extraordinary to be in the same area. Yes.

'Gandhi moved here shortly after Britain's withdrawal,

'in August, 1947.

'As his country was partitioned,

'into Hindu dominated India and Muslim majority Pakistan,

'at least half a million people were killed

'in bitter religious riots.

'Gandhi, as ever, preached peace.'

This lawn was where he gave his evening prayers.

Oh, I see! So this is where...

So people congregated all around here? Yes, yes.

They congregated here,

very often they spilled over onto the bigger lawn.

And that was a room that he,

where those windows, those French windows... Yes.

...on that side, yes. Yeah, he came out?

So he used to come out from there and walk from here.

That is where he sat... OK. ..to give his sermon.

And this was... So this place would be filled with people?

Yes. That is amazing.

'Gandhi's efforts to end religious strife

'made him an easy target for extremists.

'And on January 30th, 1948, one of them struck.

'At 5:17 in the afternoon,

'the 78-year-old leader emerged from his room

'and walked down this path to his regular evening prayers.

'Among the crowd that knelt and bowed down before him,

'was an Hindu nationalist gunman, who pulled out a concealed weapon.

'Firing three times, he killed his victim instantly.

'The assassination sent tremors across the world.

'There was civil unrest.

'India went into mourning for 13 days.'

The sense of grief and deep profound shock

among his immediate family

must have been something they had to live with

for such a long time Yes.

It was... it was a terrible sense of loss. Mm-hm.

And I don't think

I can quite describe the grief.

I can only describe it by saying that nobody wants to talk about it.

No. At least those who were there at that time.

'Today, the spot where Gandhi died

'is immortalised as Martyr's Column.

'These concrete footprints represent his last steps.'

I mean, he was assassinated, his physical body,

but his message of nonviolence...

Lived on. ..lives on.

He is not dead because he's quoted,

he's referred to, he's... mentioned.

His philosophy lives on. His philosophy lived on.

'It's been 71 years since those fatal shots rang out,

'robbing India of its most revered leader.

'In that time, the country he led to independence

'has advanced with increasing speed.

'On this trip, I've been privileged to witness much of that country,

'and from a vantage point I never could have imagined.

'From the teeming streets of Mumbai...'

Everywhere you look there's industry.

People are doing things. Everybody is on the move.

'..To the splendour of Udaipur.'

It's built on an island.

'India has said goodbye to the once all-powerful maharajas.'

We were made to look small, from being privileged people.

And the whole thing, it was a bit of a dampener.

'But some things refuse to go away.

'Like the deprivation, still all too evident,

'both in the cities...

'and in the driest of rural fields.

'India is on a mission to become, not just an economic force,

'but a new world superpower.

'Embracing the future, and facing outwards,

'while doggedly holding on

'to centuries-old traditions and customs.

'Yet, its greatest challenge, probably lies ahead.

'How to build a prosperous nation,

'while ensuring the most disadvantaged

'share in the benefits.

'Gandhi himself said,

"The future depends on what we do today".'

CHILDREN: Bye! Bye!

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