‘Memorial reflects soldier’s perspective’

Vijay Mohan

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, October 23

Helping visitors get a soldier’s perspective of the battlefield is the focal theme of the Punjab State War Heroes Memorial and Museum that was inaugurated in Amritsar today, conveying the message that if the call arises the sword should be unsheathed.

The centerpiece of the memorial is a 45-metre-tall steel sword that emerges from a water body. “Water signifies purification of things and sword evolving from it denotes that it is only to be used for righteous action and protection of the distressed and not for any evil purpose,” Rakesh Kapoor, whose Delhi-based architecture firm designed the memorial, said.

“The underlying theme is that we are pure at heart but ready to pick up arms if need be. The sword also represents the spirit of Punjab, which has borne the brunt of foreign invasions over centuries,” he added.

At the base of the sword are four lions facing the four cardinal directions, which depict strength and alertness. “The expression of the lions has purposely been kept neutral so that they can reflect the visitor’s own thoughts and the viewer can develop a notional relationship with them,” he said. The lions also represent India’s national emblem and the visitor can also relate them with the nation as a whole.

Motivation is an important aspect of the museum and a gallery is devoted to this theme. A lot of planning also went into giving visitors a realistic feeling of war zones.

A cafeteria in the complex has been designed to look like a bunker while some other areas have a distinct military ambience where visitors can walk back in time.