Chandigarh, Oct 13 Haryana minister Anil Vij on Tuesday said the war memorial in Ambala Cantonment dedicated to the First War of Independence is ready and will be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“It is dedicated to the sacrifices of the brave men and women who participated in the uprising of 1857 but whose contributions did not receive the recognition they deserved in history,” Vij said.
Constructed at a cost of about Rs 800 crore in Ambala Cantonment, Vij termed it “Azadi ki Pehli Ladai ka Shaheed Smarak” and described it as the largest of its kind in Asia.
It will be open to the public following the inauguration.
Vij said the memorial is not merely a monument for Ambala or Haryana but a national memorial.
The energy, transport and labour minister said he salutes every individual who took even a single step to fight against British rule during the freedom struggle.
The Ambala Cantt MLA claimed that history textbooks have often portrayed the Congress as the organisation that led the country’s freedom struggle, “whereas the Congress was founded by A O Hume in 1885. Twenty-eight years before that, in 1857, a widespread armed uprising against British rule had taken place across the country.
“Despite the scale of this struggle, the stories and sacrifices of many of its participants remained largely unknown for a long time,” he said.
He said that during that period, British authorities shot many Indian freedom fighters after tying them to trees. Yet, they did not receive the tribute and recognition they deserved.
The idea of establishing the memorial emerged from the need to give these unsung freedom fighters their rightful place in history, he said.
The memorial presents the history of the struggle in Ambala, Haryana and various other parts of the country. A coffee-table book on the subject is also being prepared.
To ensure the authenticity of the historical material, a committee comprising five eminent historians from across the country was also constituted.
Referring to historical records relating to the 1857 uprising, Vij said accounts indicate that the conflict in Ambala began approximately nine hours before the revolt in Meerut on May 10, 1857.
Vij said the memorial comprises 23 galleries showcasing the events of the 1857 uprising in Ambala, Haryana, Meerut, Delhi, Punjab, Gujarat, Jhansi and other parts of the country. These galleries will familiarise visitors with the events of the period, the struggles of the revolutionaries and their sacrifices.
He said advanced technology had been incorporated into the memorial, including a 360-degree projection system designed to give visitors an immersive experience, making them feel as though they are standing among the revolutionaries and witnessing the historic period up close. Sound and laser shows will also be organised.
A special gallery has been created to pay tribute to the martyrs.
Visitors will be able to place their hands at a designated point and offer a digital tribute, with a record of the tribute being maintained.
Vij said the memorial had been conceptualised to help visitors experience the historical period of 1857 and understand the struggles of the freedom fighters.
Research has so far identified the names of more than 700 brave freedom fighters, along with their fathers’ names and villages.
Their names have been inscribed in gold at the memorial. The names of other freedom fighters will also be added in the future as and when authentic information about them becomes available.
The minister said an open-air theatre with a seating capacity of 2,500 people has been constructed within the memorial complex. An auditorium with a capacity of 300 people has also been established.
Visitors may require approximately six hours to explore the memorial in detail. For their convenience, arrangements have been made to organise visitors into groups of 40.
A lift has been installed at the memorial that will transport up to 40 people at a time from the first floor to the second floor, allowing them to view exhibits related to history and the revolutionary freedom fighters during their visit.
Vij said a 63-metre-high lotus-shaped structure has been built at the memorial, featuring two high-speed lifts. A sky cafe is also being developed at the top of the structure.
A helipad has been constructed within the complex.
(PTI News)
