Moral conscience
In 1997, one such urn was found in a bank locker in the state of Orissa. They were later immersed in keeping with the family's wishes.
The BBC's Prachi Pinglay, who attended the Mumbai ceremony, says that many of those present at Chowpatty beach were in their seventies.
Assassin who still divides
Indian Home Minister Shivraj Patel and Maharashtra Governor SM Krishna represented national and state governments.
The ashes were taken to sea after police formed a guard of honour.
Gandhi was assassinated by a Hindu fanatic in 1948. Today he is widely revered as the nation's moral conscience.
His principles of truth and non-violence have been widely followed and worshipped.
However, some Hindus question his philosophy of non-violence.
Wednesday's ceremony was deeply moving for 72-year-old lawyer Trivedi, who stood at the barricade in Mumbai and watched his wife Usha Trivedi go with the boat to immerse the ashes.
He watched the media scuffle with police as they jostled to get on other boats to cover the ceremony with a certain amount of sadness.
"Isn't it an irony that when ashes of a man who practiced peace and non-violence are being immersed, there is so much commotion and chaos?" he asked.
As the ashes dropped deep into the sea, another follower with childhood memories of Gandhi, 72-year-old Dr Vora, was overcome with emotion.
"Hope he is reborn," she said.
Courtesy: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7217111.stm
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