Amar Jawan Jyoti: The country commemorated 50 years of the 1971 Liberation War of Bangladesh and the eternal flame at India Gate Amar Jawan Jyoti (AAJ) is to be merged with the flame at the National War Memorial (NWM) on Friday (21 January 2022). AAJ pays homage to the unknown soldier.
The eternal flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate is being merged with the National War Memorial India Gate is a memorial to the fallen heroes of 1st World War
— Capt Shashank (@Capt_Cool1) January 21, 2022
The Amar Jawan Jyoti was added in 1972 as we did not have another memorial
NWM pays homage to all fallen Bravehearts pic.twitter.com/vBfo2osOD1
In February 2019, the National War Memorial was inaugurated and is located at the 'C" Hexagon near India Gate. It was built in memory of over 22,500 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives for the country in the post-Independence period.
Here to be noted that PM Narendra Modi, before the commencement of the Republic Day parade in 2020 paid homage to fallen soldiers by laying a wreath at the flame of the immortal warrior at the National War Memorial instead of the Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate and changed the tradition.
As per the sources "The names inscribed on the India Gate are of only some martyrs who fought for the British in the World War 1 and the Anglo-Afghan War and thus is a symbol of our colonial past. The names of all Indian martyrs from all the wars, including 1971 and wars before and after it are housed at the National War Memorial. Hence, it is a true 'Shraddhanjali' to have the flame paying tribute to martyrs there."
Amar Jawan Jyoti merging ceremony
Ahead of 75th Republic Day, the decision came into the news that the eternal flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti (AAJ) at India Gate is now going to be merged with the flame of the National War Memorial at a programme on Friday (21 January 2022) after gloriously burning for 50 years.
The ceremony will begin at 3:30 pm and it will be presided over by the integrated Defence Staff chief, Air Marshal Balabhadra Radha Krishna, as per officials. It is said that this decision was taken after the upkeep of the two flames became difficult.
About Amar Jawan Jyoti (AAJ) and its construction
Amar Jawan Jyoti, Flame of the immortal soldier, is an Indian memorial that was constructed after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 to commemorate the martyred and unknown soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who died during the war. It consists of a marble pedestal on which a cenotaph is situated. On all four sides of the cenotaph, "Amar Jawan" is scripted in gold. On the top, a L1A1-Self-Loading Rifle stands on its barrel. It has the helmet of the unknown soldier on the top. Also, the pedestal is bound by 4 urns out of which one holds a continuously burning flame.
How did Amar Jawan Jyoti burn?
LPG was used as a fuel source from 1971 to 2006. And from 2006, CNG was used to burn the flame of Amar Jawan Jyoti. Each of the four urns has a flame but only one of the four flames burns throughout the year. It is said that all the four flames are lit on the Indian Independence and Republic Days. AAJ is manned day and night by soldiers from the Army, Air Force, and the Indian Navy.
When was Amar Jawan Jyoti memorial constructed?
It was constructed in December 1971 and inaugurated by Indira Gandhi in 1972 under India Gate at Rajpath in New Delhi.
Amar Jawan Jyoti (AAJ): History
In 1921, the main structure (India Gate) was constructed by Edwin Lutyens.
In 1971, Amar Jawan Jyoti was added under the India Gate.
In December 1971, India had a military confrontation with Pakistan during the liberation war in East Pakistan. India assisted the creation of Bangladesh and during this, various Indian soldiers lost their lives.
After the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 in December, Indira Gandhi former Prime Minister helped pay to construct the Amar Jawan Jyoti under the India Gate. It was done to commemorate the dead and unknown soldiers.
Therefore, on 26 January 1972, Indira Gandhi officially inaugurated the monument.
Amar Jawan Jyoti (AAJ): Significance
As we know various Indian soldiers were martyred and sacrificed their lives in the formation of Bangladesh as a separate nation. Therefore, Amar Jawan Jyoti was ignited to pay homage to the martyred and unknown soldiers who lost their lives during the liberation war in East Pakistan. The burning flame is considered immortal. Here, citizens commemorate and pay tribute to fallen soldiers by reading their names at the concentric Tyag Chakra and so is more significant.
Comments
All Comments (0)
Join the conversation