The Indian freedom struggle was a long-drawn movement that claimed thousands of lives and countless sacrifices. Scores of events, tragedies, campaigns and movements both big and small took place for several decades before we finally achieved freedom on August 15, 1947. The Jang-e-Azadi memorial-cum-museum, sprawling across 25 acres on the Jalandhar-Amritsar National Highway-1 at Kartarpur, takes you through the key moments of the Indian history, promoting a greater understanding of the freedom struggle. Besides, the memorial also showcases the life and history of all those personalities because of whom we stand on the pinnacle of social, political and economic greatness.
The other components include a 45-metre high tower known as ‘Shaheed-e-Minar’, an open-air theatre, movie hall, an auditorium, library besides research and seminar halls.
British brutality at Kala Pani
Known as Kala Pani or ‘black water’, the Cellular Jail in Andaman and Nicobar Islands was constructed in 1896 and opened by the British in 1906 to exile political prisoners in remote isolation. The place is a living witness to the brutal treatment of freedom fighters behind the bars.
Jallianwala Bagh massacre
It was supposed to be a joyous festival on April 13, 1919, and pilgrims, along with peaceful protesters, had gathered at the Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar to celebrate Baisakhi — the Sikh festival. Little did they know that their celebrations would soon turn into one of the deadliest moments in the Indian history.
Bombing the Assembly
On April 8, 1929, Bhagat Singh, along with Batukeshwar Dutt, hurled two bombs inside the Central Legislative Assembly in New Delhi to protest against an unfavourable Bill. Interestingly, their intention behind this defiant act was to get arrested and to use the subsequent court appearances to further the cause of their organisation — Hindustan Socialist Republican Association — for India’s Independence.
Martyrs’ execution
Indian revolutionaries Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev Thapar and Shivaram Rajguru were hanged on March 23, 1931, in the Lahore Jail against the scheduled execution on March 24.
Quit India Movement: Gandhi’s call for ‘Do or Die’
The Quit India Movement was a turning point in India’s freedom struggle. Under the leadership of Mahatma Gandhi, people across India came together to uproot the British imperialism. In 1942, in a fiery speech in Mumbai, Gandhi made a ‘do or die’ call to the people in a final push to make the British quit.
Kirti Kisan Movement
Punjab is known for its resistance against Colonial rule. The Kirti Kisan Lehar (movement) came into Punjab in 1928. It was based upon Gadar movement, which revived the party by encouraging militant nationalism in Punjab. The Kirti Kisan Party was a mirror of deliberative condition of peasants, landless and suppressed classes of Punjab. By the beginning of the 20th Century, peasants in Punjab came into the forefront of public reactions against the British administration because they were under debt.
Anglo-Sikh Wars
The kingdom established by Ranjit Singh met its doom within 10 years after his death in 1839. The British occupied it after winning two successive wars — the first (1845-46) and second Anglo-Sikh war (1848-49).
Hanging of Kukas
In 1871, when the then DC of Amritsar sanctioned the opening of a slaughterhouse, the Kukas, who are staunch vegetarians, rallied against this decision. In an action that resulted in five Namdharis being sentenced to death, a group of followers raided the slaughterhouse, killed the butchers and set the cows free. For this, four Namdharis were hanged on trees in 1871.
Komagata Maru ship
On May 23, 1914, the Komagata Maru, a Japanese ship, sailed from Hong Kong to Canada carrying 376 passengers, mostly immigrants from Punjab. On arrival in Canada, the exclusionist laws of Canada were quoted to bar their entry. Following a two-month stalemate, only 24 passengers were given permission to disembark.
Kukas being blown apart by cannon fire
Not many people know that the Namdhari Sikhs (also known as Kukas) led by their founder Satguru Ram Singh, laid down their lives for the freedom of the country on January 17, 1872 much before the emergence of a national movement. He had also launched the non-cooperation and Swadeshi Movement against the mighty British Raj. Namdharis had made supreme sacrifices for the freedom struggle way back in January 1872. On display is the scene when 66 Kukas who protested against the butchering of an ox, were made to stand before the mouths of seven cannons and blown up in seven rounds.
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