India, Sept. 8 -- Padayatra was a revolutionary method adopted by Mahatma Gandhi to mobilise people in pursuit of specific goals during the Indian independence movement. Two of his most significant journeys were the Dandi March and the Noakhali March. While the primary aim of the Dandi March was to challenge colonial authority, the purpose of the Noakhali March was to promote communal harmony.

Since India's independence, political leaders across various parties have continued to use yatras as a strategy to connect with the masses and energise their respective parties. These yatras have taken different forms: some were padayatras (on foot), others rath yatras (using motor vehicles), and some were hybrid in nature. While some yatras-such a...