Amar Jawan Jyoti

 AMAR JAWAN JYOTI

The eternal flame at the Amar Jawan Jyoti that is underneath India Gate located in Central Delhi was an iconic symbol of the country’s tributes to soldiers who have sacrificed their lives for the country in various wars and conflicts since the time of Independence. This was established in 1972, to mark India’s victory over Pakistan in the year 1971 at the time of war. This resulted in creation of Bangladesh. The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi has inaugurated it on Republic Day 1972 after India defeated Pakistan in December 1971.

The key features of Amar Jawan Jyoti include a black marble plinth, a cenotaph, that acted as a tomb of unknown soldier. The plinth has an inverted L1A1 self-loading rifle with a bayonet, on top of which was a soldier’s war helmet. The installation had 4 urns on it, with 4 burners. On normal days one of the 4 burners were kept alive, but on important days like Republic Day, all 4 burners were lit. These burners were what is called eternal flame, and it was never allowed to be extinguished.

HOW WAS THE ETERNAL FLAME KEPT BURNING?

For 50 years the eternal flame has been kept alive underneath India Gate without being extinguished. On 21st January, 2022, the flame was finally extinguished and was merged with another eternal flame at the National War Memorial. Since 1972, when it was established, it used to be kept burning with the help of cylinders of liquified petroleum gas or LPG. One Cylinder had the capacity to keep one burner alive for one and a half day.

In the year 2006, it was changed, A project that costed  around 6 lakh for the fuel for the flames was changed from LPG to piped natural gas or PNG. It is through this piped gas that the flame was kept alive marking the tribute to Indian Soldiers.

WHY WAS IT PLACED AT INDIA GATE?

The India Gate, All India War Memorial, as it was called earlier was built by the Britishers in the year 1931. It was raised up as a memorial to around 90,000 Indian soldiers of the British Indian Army who died in different wars and campaigns till then. The inscription on the monument reads:

“TO THE DEAD OF THE INDIAN ARMIES WHO FELL AND ARE HONOURED IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS MESOPOTAMIA AND PERSIA EAST AFRICA GALLIPOLI AND ELSEWHERE IN THE NEAR AND THE FAR-EAST AND IN SACRED MEMORY ALSO OF THOSE WHOSE NAMES ARE HERE RECORDED AND WHO FELL IN INDIA OR THE NORTH-WEST FRONTIER AND DURING THE THIRD AFGHAN WAR.”

Names of more than 13,000 soldiers who lost their lives are mentioned on the memorial commemorating them. As it was a memorial for Indian Soldiers martyred in wars, the Amar Jawan Jyoti was established underneath it by the government in the year 1972.

WHY WAS THE ETERNAL FLAME EXTINGUISHED FROM THERE?

There are different reasons that are mentioned by the officials. Since the political controversy broke out government sources have claimed by giving a “correct perspective” that flame will not be extinguished but it will just be moved to merge with the one at the National War Memorial. Sources said that the eternal flame paid homage to the soldiers martyred in the war of 1971. But it does not mention their name and India Gate is a symbol of our “colonial past”.

“The names of all Indian Martyrs from all wars including 1971 and wars that happened before and after it are housed at the National War Memorial. Therefore, it is a true tribute to have the flame paying tribute to martyrs there.” 

The officials from Defence establishment said that once the National War Memorial came up in 2019, Indian Political and military leaders and foreign dignitaries pay their tributes to martyred soldiers at the National War Memorial. This used to happen earlier at the Amar Jawan Jyoti.

WHAT IS THE NATIONAL WAR MEMORIAL AND WHEN WAS IT MADE?

The National War Memorial that is around 400 meters from India Gate was inaugurated by Modi ji in February, 2019, in area around 40 acres. It was built to commemorate all the soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in various battles, wars, operations and conflicts of Independent India. There are many independent memorials for such soldiers but no memorial existed commemorating them at the national level.