Remembering the martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh

             Amongst all the events of our struggle for freedom, a particular event stands out for its brutality and poignancy. The Jallianwala Bagh massacre!

            The British Lieutenant Governor General of Punjab, Michael O’Dwyer ordered to fire on unarmed people who had gathered in thousands at the Jallianwala Bagh, in Amritsar, for a Baisakhi celebration that had soon turned into an informal political meeting. It was 13^th April, 1919. A black day in History.

           Brigadier General Reginald Dyer was in charge of the operation.1650 bullets were reportedly fired in all, at the gathering of about 20,000 people. The hapless people ran helter-skelter, trying to save their precious lives. As the rounds found their marks, scores fell to the ground, moaning and dying.

          Several people ran towards a large well on the ground and jumped into it, desperately trying to save themselves from the vicious onslaught. They drowned and attained a watery grave. There was speculation hitherto, on the exact number of those dead. A recent study by renowned historian Kishwar Desai and her team; puts the estimate at around 547, including 45 unidentified corpses.

          Udham Singh, a strapping young lad, who had experienced the massacre’s brutality first-hand, plotted for 21 long years; to avenge the martyrs’ sacrifice. Then, on 13^th March, 1940, he boldly assassinated Lieutenant Governor General Michael O’Dwyer who was attending a meeting in London.

          He was tried and sentenced to death. On 31^st July, 1940, he bravely went to the gallows with his patriotic fervor intact. Some of his remains are preserved in an urn at the Jallianwalla Bagh. His statue also occupies pride of place there.

          It is the centenary of the massacre, today. I still vividly remember my visit to the Jallianwalla Bagh, with my husband, in 2011. Even as we entered, a pall of gloom befell us. This was the site where so many people had been massacred brutally, for no fault of theirs!

          We were amazed at the vast, well-manicured, lush green lawns, trees and shrubs that had transformed that blood-soaked ground into a pleasant memorial. At the entrance itself, a small enclosure stands, proudly bearing an eternally burning flame, an ode to the sacrifice! We bowed our heads and silently prayed for the departed souls.

          A tall pillar, elegantly designed, stands as a proud tribute to the lost lives. Behind it is a portion of the compound’s wall, still bearing evidence of the cold-blooded brutality, in the form of gun-shot holes!

          At the sunny, paved veranda, with portraits of the revolutionaries and pictures of the event, I suddenly became despondent. A nervous peep into the Well of Martyrs showed me the desperation of those who had leaped to their death, to escape the carnage. The well was empty and dry, but the anguished cries of the martyrs still rung loud and clear in my ears and their visions swam in my mind’s eye. Overwhelmed by emotion, I sat on a nearby ledge and sobbed. My palms were clammy. After a while I regained composure.

          With a heavy heart, I saw some innocent kids, frolicking with laughter and gaiety, on the lawns, blissfully ignorant about the place’s dark history. For them, it was a garden, a place of cheer! Then I brightened up as a thought struck me. Freedom is precious and precious lives of martyrs have been sacrificed to attain this freedom, so we must value both! Long live the martyrs! Long live our democracy!

We must learn our lessons from History and take care, not to repeat any blunders, lest History repeats itself! 

The copyright of this write-up is with Mrs. Priya Ramesh Swaminathan.