Jallianwala Bagh: Embossed figures, new-look well & more

Neeraj Bagga

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, August 28

The historic Jallianwala Bagh, housing the national martyrs’ memorial, which was thrown open to public after over one and a half years of renovation, has been beautified at a cost of Rs 20 crore by the Ministry of Culture with accent on aesthetics.

During the renovation period, the Bagh underwent massive changes. Both walls of the narrow street, from where the British Indian troops led by General Dyer had gained access to the Bagh on April 13, 1919, are now teeming with embossed human figures, depicting varied culture through their attires.

The entrance to the Bagh, where a fountain stood, now has a huge piece of granite bearing the flame carving symbolising the martyrs’ memorial.

Sheds have been installed on the walls bearing the bullet marks, while glass panels have been put up on the historic well, where hundreds fell to their death to escape bullets. The façade of the well has been redone with small bricks (locally known as Nanakshahi) replacing the plaster walls. The other features include a permanent sound and light show besides an open theatre.

The public garden has been landscaped with with native plantation. The steel grills around it have been replaced with wooden ones. On the outside, booths with ticket windows have been set up.

Heritage experts, however, feel the original character of the Bagh has been lost with repeat beautification drives. “The original character can now only be seen in old pictures, journals, newspapers, documentaries and movies. Present and future generations will have difficulty in relating with the past,” they said.