Gandhi began the padyatra from Agasteeswaram in Kanyakumari, along with 118 'Bharat Yatris' as well as other party leaders from across the country.

Gandhi has flagged off the party's ambitious 'Bharat jodo' yatra with an assertion that he will not lose his country to hate and accused the BJP-RSS of trying to divide the country on religious lines

The march would cover 12 states and two Union Territories in about five months

The march will move in two batches from 7 am to 10:30 am and from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm. While the morning session will include fewer participants, the evening session will see mass mobilisation

The participants plan to walk around 22-23 km daily

About 30 per cent of 'Bharat Yatris' are women. The average age of Bharat Yatris is 38

After reaching Kerala on September 11, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north

The yatra will pass through Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Nilambur, Mysuru, Bellary, Raichur, Vikarabad, Nanded, Jalgaon, Indore, Kota, Dausa, Alwar, Bulandshahr, Delhi, Ambala, Pathankot, Jammu, and end in Srinagar