On the eighteenth day of the Dandi Yatra, after breakfast the padyatris bid goodbye to the holy land of Umrachi. During the padyatra, the team passed through Vadoli, Doltnagar to reach Erathan. Bapu had stayed in the village of Arathan, so this village holds historical significance. In the school room where he had stayed, pictures of Bharat Mata, Gandhiji and Kasturba have been engraved. The children there greeted the padyatris. Bapu had invoked the spirit of patriotism by applying the soil of this small village in Surat district to his forehead.
Swami Vivekananda had once said that for the next hundred years, the worship of all deities should be stopped and only our motherland should be worshiped. Gandhiji too did the same. Post lunch and an afternoon siesta the journey continues. Minister of State for Water, Shri Kunwarji Bhai Bavaliya ji participated in the padyatra and joined the padyatris for a stretch of 1 kilometers.
After a grand reception in Tadma and Sondamitha villages, the Dandiyatris arrived at Bhatgam after an 18-km padyatra. With the blessings of Swayambhu Mahakali, the padyatris entered Bhatgam and garlanded the statue of Mahatma. Bapu had rested the night in the primary school of this village. The Honorable Minister gave a persuasive speech in simple words and praised the padyatris for undertaking this journey on the footsteps of history.
The Honorable Minister completed his speech expressing views on the values of independent India and Mahatma Gandhi. Post the same, grand cultural programs started. The eclectic programming mix of Ganeshvandana, Holi Geet, Punjabi Folk Dance, Gujarati Ras-Garbo and "Ame Gujarati Laheri Lala'' mesmerized everyone. The presentations of the primary school children were so beautiful and adorable that even after the program was over, everyone had a "lahari lala ..." on their tongue. After dinner, the padyatris went for a night's rest with the villagers.