Durban: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday paid rich tribute to Father of the Nation by sharing a train ride with his entourage in South Africa and said that he was privileged to retrace the Mahatma Gandhi's journey.


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PM Modi boarded the train from Pentrich railway station to Pietermaritzburg in Durban.


“I visited all three places where lawyer Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi visited in South Africa. These places made him a Mahatma,” PM Modi said.


“South Africa's journey has become 'tirth yatra' for me, I have visited all three places, significant in India's history and Mahatma Gandhi,” he added.


“The memories of Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela will keep inspiring the future generations. South Africa has fought a long battle and India has been a part of that struggle.


“Today South Africa and India are working shoulder to shoulder for development," he said.


After reaching Pietermaritzburg, PM Modi inaugurated an exhibition themed 'The Birthplace of Satyagraha' and said that the place marks the transformation of 'Mohandas' into 'Mahatma'.


 


"The journey of lawyer Mohandas ended but a new journey of Mahatma commenced.


"I am talking from the place where Mohandas named lawyer was offloaded in 1893 while travelling," the PM added.


Writing in the visitors' book at the station, Modi said the incident at Pietermaritzburg had altered the course of India's history.


The Prime Minister also inaugurated an exhibition at the waiting hall of the railway station where Gandhi had spent the night after being thrown out of the train.


On the fateful winter night, while Gandhi was on his way to Pretoria from Durban, a white man objected to his presence in a first-class carriage, and he was ordered to move to the third-class compartment.


Gandhi had a valid first-class ticket and refused to obey the orders following which he was thrown out of the train at Pietermaritzburg station in a winter night. He had stayed at the station that night in shivering cold.