Sanjha Morcha

War memorial gets three more galleries

War memorial gets three more galleries
The Punjab War Heroes’ Memorial-cum-Museum in Amritsar. Photo: Vishal Kumar

GS Paul

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, February 8

The state-of-the-art Punjab State War Heroes’ Memorial-cum-Museum (PSWHMM) has expanded its horizon with the addition of three galleries.With this, the memorial has eight galleries that showcase the era of Alexander, rise of the Sikh Empire (Maharaja Ranjit Singh), Anglo-Sikh Wars, Jammu and Kashmir operations and India-Pakistan wars.The PSWHMM authorities have engaged eight guides, who tell visitors about the significance and history of each aspect in detail.The memorial has a 7-D theatre, where audience can feel environmental effects such as smoke, storm, wind, rain, snow and fire. A visitor from Sangrur said, “It was the live experience of war and being present on the battlefield.”Another viewer Barjinder Singh said, “One climbs the impossible heights of the Himalayas. And you can sense the wind as a bullet whizzes past you. You feel the chill of snow and ice, and howling winds.”One of galleries documents the history of Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa. It touches upon the dynamic land, mountains, rivers, people, their daily lives, art, craft, cultural ceremonies, followed by the invasion of Alexander, the change in the form of Bhakti Movement by Guru Nanak Dev and formation of Sikhism. This is followed by the depiction of the Sikh Empire under Maharaja Ranjit Singh. Another gallery relates to the first India-Pakistan war (1947-48).Col HP Singh, general manager of the project, said that one more youth-friendly segment was under progress, christened “Out of Area Operations, Proxy War and Motivation”. “As the name suggests, it will motivate the youth to fulfil their ambition of joining the armed forces. It spells out the details of eligibility conditions, selection process, pay, perks and privileges,” he said.A few months ago, ‘The Saragarhi Panel’ on a wall 80 ft by 15 ft was made. Apart from the brief on the Saragarhi battle, the soldiers’ names were engraved on the mural.