Echoes of Silence: The history of Jallianwala Bagh
India is a country of vast spiritual and ancient history. We Indians follow our sacred scriptures for a serene, joyful and prosperous life. Our holy scripture- "Mahabharat," mentions it multiple times- "अहिंसा परमॊ धर्मः(Ahinsa Paramo Dharma). Which means "non-violence is the supreme responsibility." These few words are in the foundation of India. That helps Indians to lead an influential nation known for its courteousness and brotherhood.
On April 13, 1919, Amritsar was obeying the identical words. The immense crowd of innocents gathered in the Jallianwala Bagh on the superior occasion, "Baisakhi," to silent protest against the Britishers. "Baisakhi" is a prominent festival in Sikhism that celebrates the harvesting of crops. It conveys charity, gratitude, and devotion and also celebrates the establishment of Khalsa Panth by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. The crowd was rising constantly because of the Baisakhi.
People of Amritsar united against the Rowlatt Act(the Act passed by the British Colonial Government which gave power to the police to arrest any person without any reason. The purpose of the Act was to prohibit the growing nationalists in the country) and to arrest national activists Saifuddin Kitchlew and Satyapal. The protest was occurring peacefully, but soon, it became the black history of India.
Today, I will connect you to that historical place of India where history speaks for itself- Jallianwala Bagh. It is near the Golden Temple in Amritsar, Punjab. It is the location where the British Government committed a heinous act of violence. That black history is known as the "Jallianwala Bagh massacre."
Once you enter Jallianwala Bagh, you will experience every piece of evidence of cruelty- screams of children, men, and women, the sound of bullets, the struggles to protect their lives, the misery of losing their loved ones, and the brutality done on innocents.
The Britishers were afraid of constant protests by Indians after World War I. They issued an order, but the crowd was unaware of it.
According to that order, the British Government banned public meetings and celebrations. But, the Amritsar congregated, and the day turned to torment.
Brigadier-General Reginald Edward Dyer noticed the crowd. He was afraid that the crowd would become rebellious. Dyer wanted to crush every voice. To enhance the fear in Indians and show the result of the disobedience of British colonials, he took the malefaction decision.
General Edward Dyer ordered the British army to open fire on the innocent crowd of Jallianwala Bagh. He closed the sole gate of entry and exit on the Bagh. The people of Jalliawala Bagh were terrified and unaware of what was happening. Soon, the British troops prepared with their weapons- Lee-Enfield rifles. At Colonel Dyer's command, the army began indiscriminate firing on unarmed people and wrote the black history of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre on April 13, 1919.
The fire continued for 10-15 minutes. The official record stated that the British Army fired 1,650 rounds on the Amritsar crowd.
The British Army occupied every corner. The people were crying, running, hiding, climbing walls, and even jumping into the well to save themselves, but the firing did not stop. The crowd was witnessing the slaughter of their relatives. Some lost their hands, some their legs, some were shot in the head, and some in the back.
In the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, 379 people, including men, women, and children, were killed, while 1,200 were injured. It was the data released by the British government, but eyewitnesses said the number of killings was more than a thousand.
When I listened to the story of Jallianwala Bagh, I couldn't stop myself from experiencing the pain of the people of Amritsar. Then, I planned to visit the location to discover more about that day.
Today, Jallianwala Bagh has turned into a historic garden and a memorial that preserves the memory of the victims of the carnage.
I visited this site in August. It is cost-free. Visitors can go with their family and friends. The phones and cameras are allowed on the premises. You can easily capture the history of India anywhere.
Travellers can use any vehicle to reach there- buses, cars, rickshaws and e-rickshaws. The connectivity is fine from any conveyance.
I used the rickshaw to reach Jallianwala Bagh. It was a few minute's distance from my hotel. The hotels in Amritsar are available at affordable prices. You feel comfy there...
Soon, I was standing outside the Jallianwala Bagh.
Firstly, I met the statue of martyr Sardar Udham Singh, one of the eyewitnesses of the cruel history. He assassinated Michael Dwyer, the Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, who was the mastermind behind the Amritsar carnage. His statue is 10 feet, taking a pledge to revenge for the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. It is of marble. The people of Amritsar established his sculpture at the beginning of the Jallianwala Bagh to give tribute to Sardar Udham Singh.
The entry in Jalliawala Bagh is just behind him. It begins with a narrow lane, the only way to get in and out. Notorious General Dyer blocked the same area to fire the people.
I took my steps forward. The lane started with many sculptures of humans inscribed on their walls. They represent the martyrs and innocents injured who happily came with their loved ones to celebrate Baisakhi. At the bottom, the names of martyrs are mentioned in gold. I effortlessly felt the past- how the crowd joyfully came, and their happiness suddenly changed in immense pain. It was disheartening to remember the past.
I moved ahead and saw a massive greenery and memorial. The whole premises were of around 6.5 acres. You can visualise the large crowd gathered here. Some sources say the number reached 10,000. The Jallianwala Bagh was a barren land, but it was recreated as a memorial by the Indian National Congress and inaugurated in 1961 by former President Rajendra Prasad.
The area contains well-structured pathways. Visitors do not need to remember or follow the map. They will direct you towards every crucial destination.
I followed the path and next met the red towering monument. It resembles a burning flame. Four stone lanterns are at the corners of the tank. This monument was built to honour the martyrs. There was also an "Amar Jyoti," which means "eternal light." It pays tribute to all. Amar Jyoti burns 24*7. I had only respect and homage for that place.
There are multiple small galleries and museums in Jallianwala Bagh that contain pictures, statues, documents and screenings of events during and after the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre. You can only follow the path to visit every gallery. Many artworks depicted the response of the world towards this barbarity.
If you want profound details about the "Jallianwala Bagh carnage," visit these museums and galleries to learn more. There are no restrictions on time and rules. You can read at your own pace.
Museums display many preserved entities that were collected after that terrible day. They refreshed the memories of what individuals faced that day.
I took sufficient time to collect the history of Jallianwala Bagh. The more I learned, the more I felt the importance of an Independent Nation.
After seizing the memories from galleries, my step forwarded to the walls that witnessed the cruelty of Britishers. The wide holes of bullets were visible on damaged walls. A total of 36 bullet marks were highlighted in white colour. Those giant holes of bullets were conveying their destruction.
Standing there, I was experiencing misery when these bullets touched our people. From all this evidence, one can guess what they might have had to endure, but it is impossible to feel their misery.
We tremble at the slightest blow, but they had to endure so much barbarity, which is difficult for me to express in words.
After that, I reached the Jallianwala well. History says the people of Amritsar jumped into this well to escape from bullets. The well was full of water, but people still jumped in compulsion. It is depressing to visualise that history. It was terrific.
In this bloodbath, 120 dead bodies were found in the well. Today, the well is covered by a strong structure of bricks. There are some mirrors, so you can easily see its depth. It is around 20 feet. Its outer boundary is wire, so don't attempt to cross the fence; experience it from behind.
I took a few hours to visit the entire memorial. After experiencing the existence of this massacre, I comprehended how much Indians faced in British rule. The more we tried to spend a serene life, the more atrocity we faced.
If visitors desire to participate in the black history of Jallianwala Bagh with narration, I suggest you wait till evening.
A one-hour light and sound show is arranged here from the perspective of Sardar Udham Singh. It is very informative and will connect you to the ground reality. The timing of the show varies with season. The summer show varies from 6-7 pm, and in winter will be 5 pm. Try to be a part of this show. It will take you on a tour where no words can take you.
I waited till evening to witness this historic event. Soon, the sunset happened. The night view of Jallianwala Bagh gives you another ease. The monument was illuminated with beautiful colours. I sat on a side to attend to every word of history. My eyes were wet. I comprehended that the truth forever remains constant, while lies change over time. Every word used in the narration in the voice of actor Amitabh Bachchan touches your soul.
History always happens to teach you. We have to learn from our past and understand the values of freedom.
Today, we live in an independent nation with equal laws enshrined in our constitution. But! Still! Few people are dying and fighting to kill our people.
The journey to Jallianwala Bagh filled me with immense sorrow and respect towards the martyrs. I hope none will face this massacre again. The destruction of innocent lives is the destruction of humanity that is unacceptable. We should committed to creating a peaceful and joyful environment for all citizens.
With this, I have shared everything I saw and felt in Jallianwala Bagh, and I hope you will add a trip of it to your list.
I wrote my previous blog on "India Gate." If you are curious about another historical monument in India created for the martyrs of World War I, you can visit my site and link I mentioned here.
I tried to convey everything in the "Jallianwala Bagh" blog. I hope I positively hooked you with my words and served the knowledge of historical India.
Now, it's time to say bye. A new place always comes with new experiences. I'll be back soon after exploring another incredible place in India. Till then, read my blogs, share your views in the comments and keep reading!
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