The Jang-e-Azadi Memorial at Kartarpur doesn’t take a single paisa from Punjab treasury, and has received almost 4 lakh visitors in the last 3 years.
Chandigarh: It’s an architectural attraction like no other, the most striking building one sees while travelling on the Grand Trunk Road in Punjab — a memorial sprawled across 25 acres, devoted exclusively to the freedom struggle.
The Jang-e-Azadi Memorial at Kartarpur near Jalandhar is bringing boundless cheer and much-needed moolah to Punjab, despite probably being the only government memorial and museum running without a single paisa from the state treasury.
A brainchild of former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal, the memorial is a tribute to contribution and sacrifices of Punjabis in India’s independence movement. The memorial was conceived, planned and partially constructed during the last Akali Dal regime.
The memorial was built in two phases, the first of which was opened to the public in November 2016. For several months, entry was free, which helped attract hordes of visitors. Then, in April 2017, entry to the museum was ticketed at Rs 60 per person and Rs 40 per student. Since then, almost four lakh people and 17,000 school students have visited the memorial, making it a self-financing venture of the government.
The second phase was completed in March 2018, and inaugurated by Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh. He was so impressed with the memorial that he even let go of his political differences with the Akalis and praised Badal for the project.
A fitting tribute
The complex houses buildings of various sizes, ranging from 22 metres to 43 metres tall. Renowned architect Raj Rewal, who has his roots in Hoshiarpur, designed the structure — featuring the four-petal main structure with halls, galleries, an auditorium, a film theatre, and a beautiful garden surrounding it all.
Meticulous research went into conceiving the project, and a committee of historians and intellectuals was set up to see it through. Construction began in March 2015.
“The fact that it was constructed in barely 16 months was an achievement in itself,” said Vinay Bublani, secretary of the committee and the present deputy commissioner of Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar district.
“The main building is a tribute to the martyrs who gave up their life for freedom. Then there are galleries showcasing the 100 years of the freedom struggle. We have included one dedicated gallery for Maharaja Ranjit Singh, who reigned over the Sikh Kingdom. While he ruled, the British were not able to annex Punjab,” said Bublani.
“The tallest building in the series of dome structures is the Shaheed-e-Minar, which has a live torch burning inside as a sign of tribute to the fire that burnt in the heart of freedom fighters,” he added.
“The memorial is aimed at disseminating knowledge about the rich cultural heritage of the state in the minds of youngsters. The site was carefully selected keeping in mind its easy accessibility to visitors and to add another tourist destination for those on way to the Golden Temple at Amritsar.”
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Unique features
Legendary filmmaker Shyam Benegal has directed a 90-minute film for the memorial, showcasing the entire freedom struggle in Punjab. Initially, it was screened only in the film theatre, but as more and more people started coming in, it is now shown also in the auditorium.
The museum within the memorial premises is one of the most high-tech ones in Punjab.
“It has large touch screen panels, audio-video explanations. Also the interiors, especially the murals, have been done in a manner that make you feel as if you are not just gaining knowledge about that era but actually are visiting that period,” said Bublani.
Another huge attraction for visitors is a one-of-a-kind 3D laser show on the waterfall in the gardens. The evening event is ticketed separately and even visitors who come in the morning stay back to witness it.
“The laser show is in three languages — Punjabi, Hindi and English — and has been beautifully conceptualised by the company which is also now working on the laser show for the Red Fort,” said Bublani.
Paying for itself
The memorial complex cost the Punjab government over Rs 300 crore, and the monthly maintenance charges vary between Rs 20 and 30 lakh.
But Bublani said the number of visitors is growing each day and that too without any advertisements.
“We are breaking even and are not looking for any funding or grant from the government of Punjab to maintain this complex. The footfall is so high that it takes care of all the expenditure that we incur in a month,” he said.
“It’s just word-of-mouth publicity. On Google, the memorial has a 4.3 review rating and hundreds of people have reviewed it. For us, this in itself is a matter of pride.”
The challenge, he said, was to keep the memorial fresh and welcoming for visitors.
“We don’t want a situation that once somebody has seen it, they do not want to come back and see it again. We are trying to constantly reinvent the galleries and have something new for those have seen it once. The memorial will become the cultural hub of Punjab,” said Bublani.
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