A Band, a Mom Who Misses Her Kids, a Freedom Fighter: Faces of Bharat Jodo Yatra

Video Producer: Mayank Chawla

Video Editor: Rahul Sanpui

Nitin Ganpat Nandodkar has been cycling along with the Bharat Jodo Yatra for the past two months. Wearing a costume with the Congress party's name and symbol, and party flags erected on his bicycle, Nandodkar started from Kolhapur and cycled all the way to Haryana's Faridabad on Friday, 23 December, where the yatra reached before entering Delhi on Saturday.

"I will go till Srinagar on my bicycle. It's been two months since I started on this yatra. I have stitched these clothes myself," he said. The motive behind cycling along with the yatra, he said, was to protest the rise in fuel prices.

Since the march kicked off in September, many like Nandodkar have devoted themselves to making it a success and keeping the momentum going.

A look at a few of such people who entered Delhi on Saturday as the yatra reached the national capital.

A Band That's Been Playing From Kanyakumari

Fifteen members of the Sargadhara band from Kanyakumari have followed the yatra and played along the way since the first day of the march. As the yatra entered the 107th day, drummer Saifuddin said: "We were approached by party national president Srinivas ji to join the yatra, so we did."

"Rahul is the icon of the youth, we will be with him whenever required," he added.

Saifuddin said that the team will contemplate whether or not to visit home for a few days as the yatra goes on a break till 2 January starting Sunday, but they will "not return home for good until they reach Kashmir."

Being with the yatra since the first day, Saifuddin said that he is overwhelmed by the respect that the movement has received.

Abdul Rauf from Kerala, another member of the band, said that they walk for at least 25 kilometers every day. "They (Congress) can solve every problem," he said.

'Marched with Gandhi, Met Nehru': A 90-Year-Old Man Now Follows Rahul

A staunch supporter and worker of the Congress for close to six decades, 90-year-old Karuna Mishra joined the yatra on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti on 2 October. Hailing from Madhya Pradesh, Mishra said that he has marched with Mahatma Gandhi as a teenager and was encouraged by Jawaharlal Nehru to join politics.

"Nehru ji had inspired me to join the Congress. I had seen what the Congress was then. When I heard about the idea behind the yatra, I was happy. Sacrifices of three generations of the party have gone into building this country. So, when somebody from this generation took a step, I felt responsible as a senior citizen to support him. He gave me the same respect that Nehru ji gave me back then," Mishra said.

"He (Rahul) once made me sit in the car and I told him that I will always be ahead by a kilometer to support him," Mishra said.

'No Toilets for Long Distances': A Woman Who Left Home Alone

Prerna Goud (32), a Youth Congress worker from Maharashtra's Chandrapur, left home alone to set out on a march for the first time ever. Daughter of a local veteran Congress leader, Goud has been a part of the yatra since the first day in Kanyakumari. She said that it is not easy to be on a march like this being a single woman.

"The decision was challenging, walking for so many days, going through so many states. But Rahul ji's energy is infectious, you don't feel tired when you see him," she said.

"The journey has been logistically challenging too. Sometimes, we don't see washrooms in sight for long distances. We have to wait for the next halt. The mobile washrooms also need to be shared, but we try to maintain as much as we can," she said.

"There is still a lot that needs to be done in terms of building toilets by the government for women, especially in rural parts," she added.

Goud said that despite the logistical challenges, she will march to Kashmir.

'I Cried While I Left, But...':A Mother Who Left Her Children Behind

Rashmi, a Mahila Seva Dal worker from Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh, has left her children and family behind and has been a part of the movement since the first day of the yatra in Kanyakumari.

"It was difficult leaving my children behind. I was happy that I was going to be a part of the Bharat Jodo Yatra, but I cried as I was leaving them behind. I knew that I would be gone for a long time, but I was not sure how successful the yatra would be. A lot of children's futures depended on its success. There are children who don't have jobs and no signs of employment in the future," she said.

While her daughter is 18 years old, her son is 14.

"I have the support of my husband and my mother-in-law. They are taking care of them. My family, in fact, encouraged me to join the yatra. My children know my nature, they know that their mother gives equal importance to social work. I am thankful to them," she said.

'This is My Profession': The Flag-Bearer in Every Rally

Pandit Anokhelal Tiwari (53) goes to Congress rallies and waives the party flag. Hailing from Rae Bareli, Tiwari said that he has been waiving the flag at every possible rally he can attend in Uttar Pradesh, and at election rallies in other states.

"This is my profession. Furthering the agenda of the Congress has been my sole purpose," said Tiwari, as a picture of him with Rahul and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra hung around his neck.

Associated with the Congress for the past 35 years, Tiwari said that Rahul and Priyanka are the future of the party.

"I have met Rahul during the march as well. I just see him, salute him and he waives back," said Tiwari, a farmer by profession and a father of five children.

'Milke Jayenge': School Children Eager to Meet Rahul

"Jayenge bhai jayenge, Rahul Gandhi se milke jayenge (we won't leave until we meet Rahul Gandhi)," chanted a bunch of 20-25 students from various grades of the Smart Study public school from Faridabad.

"The children have been wanting to meet Rahul Gandhi since yesterday. We have been coming here since 20 December," said Santosh, their teacher.