Martyrs’ monuments in Delhi: History etched in stone
Delhi never seems to stop throwing surprises at me. Every stone in Delhi tells us a part of our country's past. Once while wandering through the streets of Mehrauli, I came across this marble plaque on a wall. The plaque commemorates the inmates of a jail in Delhi who were drafted during the World War I for combat or non-combat roles by the British. Many of these inmates perished in the World War I. India wasn't even independent then; so, they weren’t fighting for their own country in a way.
Delhi and war are no strangers to each other perhaps since the days of the Mahabharata. War oftentimes decided who would rule from Delhi. One of the most well-known monuments of Delhi, the India Gate was built in memory of the Indian soldiers who lost their lives during the First World War (1914-1918) and the Third Anglo-Afghan War (1919). Completed in 1931, this magnificent archway, designed by none other than Sir Edwin Lutyens, bears resemblance to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. The names of 13,300 soldiers are inscribed on the monument. The Amar Jawan Jyoti (eternal flame) was placed under the arch in the post independent era to honour the soldiers who sacrificed their life in the India-Pakistani War of 1971, leading to the liberation of Bangladesh.
Now in the 21st century, our capital city also has the National War Memorial, which was inaugurated in 2019, to commemorate and honour the members of the Indian Armed Forces who were martyred in the service of independent India. The names of these martyrs who sacrificed their lives in the wars with Pakistan and China, and other such armed conflicts after independence are inscribed here. The names of these martyrs will always remain etched in a grateful nation’s memory.
Pankaj Deo, New Delhi
