One hundred and two years after the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will share the stage with Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh, among other dignitaries, on August 28 when he dedicates the renovated Smarak at the site to the nation.
On April 13, 1919, as people in Punjab celebrated Baisakhi, thousands of peaceful protestors were killed and injured as the British soldiers opened fire at them, blocking the only exit from the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar. In a virtual event at 6.25 pm – the same time when General Dyer ordered the firing – the Prime Minister will also inaugurate the museum galleries developed at the Smarak.
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What is noteworthy, according to sources in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), soil from homes and villages of Jallianwala martyrs has gone into making of the Smarak. The renovation work has been completed in record time despite the constraints of the Covid-19 lockdown. The foundation stone was laid on January 25, earlier this year.
The August 28 event will also showcase the multiple development initiatives taken by the government to upgrade the complex. Four Museum galleries have been created through adaptive reuse of redundant and underutilised buildings. The galleries showcase the historical value of the events that unfolded in Punjab during that period, with the fusion of audio-visual technology, including projection mapping and 3D representation, as well as art and sculptural installations.
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A Sound & Light show has also been set up to replay the events of the fateful day. According to the PMO spokesperson, multiple development initiatives have been undertaken at the complex. Elaborate heritage restoration works have been carried out in sync with the local architectural style of Punjab. The Shaheedi well has been repaired and restored with a redefined superstructure. The heart of the Bagh, the flame monument, has been repaired and restored, the water body rejuvenated as a lily pond, and the pathways made broader for better navigability.
Several new and modern amenities have also been added, including redefined paths of movement with appropriate signages; illumination of strategic spots; landscaping and hardscaping with native plantation; and installation of audio nodes throughout the garden. Also, newer areas have been developed for housing the Salvation Ground, Amar Jyot and Flag Mast.
Among those who will attend the event are Union Minister of Culture G. Kishan Reddy, Union Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs Hardeep Singh Puri, Punjab Governor V.P. Singh Badnore, Chief Minister of Haryana M.L. Khattar, of Uttarakhand Pushkar Singh Dhami and of Himachal Pradesh Jai Ram Thakur; all Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs from Punjab, and members of Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust.
