Amar Jawan Jyoti
OVERVIEW
Amar Jawan Jyoti (Hindi: अमर जवान ज्योति) (English translation: Flame of the immortal soldier) is an Indian memorial constructed after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971 to commemorate the martyred and unknown soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who died during the war. The memorial was constructed in December 1971 and inaugurated by Indira Gandhi in 1972. Amar Jawan Jyoti is located under India Gate at Rajpath in New Delhi and consists of a marble pedestal on which a cenotaph is situated. "Amar Jawan" (Immortal Soldier) is scripted in gold on all four sides of the cenotaph and on top, a L1A1 self-loading rifle stands on its barrel with a helmet of the Unknown Soldier on top. The pedestal is bound by four urns, one of which holds a continuously burning flame.
HISTORY
From 3 December 1971 to 16 December 1971 (Fall of Dhaka), India had a military confrontation with Pakistan (Indo-Pakistani War of 1971) during the liberation war in East Pakistan.Creation of Bangladesh was assisted by India during which many Indian soldiers lost their lives. In December 1971, after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, Indira Gandhi (then Prime Minister of India) helped pay to construct the Amar Jawan Jyoti under the India Gate to commemorate the dead and unknown soldiers who died invading Pakistan. On 26 January 1972 (23rd Republic Day of India), the monument was officially inaugurated by Indira Gandhi.
Since 1972, every-year on the Republic Day (before the Republic Day parade), it has been customary for the President, Prime Minister, Chief of the Air Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff, Chief of the Army Staff and dignitaries to place wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti and pay homage to the dead and unknown soldiers.
The main structure (India Gate) was originally constructed in 1921 by Edwin Lutyens. Amar Jawan Jyoti was added under the India Gate in 1971.
Construction and structure
Amar Jawan Jyoti is located under India Gate at Rajpath in New Delhi. It consists of a marble pedestal on which a cenotaph is situated. "Amar Jawan" (Immortal Soldier) is scripted in gold on all four sides of the cenotaph and on top, a L1A1 self-loading rifle is placed on its barrel and is capped by a helmet of the Unknown Soldier. The pedestal is bound by four urns, in one of which a flame has been burning continuously (using CNG) since 1971. The person responsible for keeping the flame burning lives in a room under the arch, next to the perpetually burning flame. From 1971 to 2006, LPG was used as fuel source and from 2006, CNG is used as source. Each of the four urns has a flame but only one of the four flames burns throughout the year; on Indian Independence and Republic Days, all flames are lit simultaneously. The Amar Jawan Jyoti is manned 24/7 by soldiers from the Army, Air Force and the Indian Navy.
SIGNIFICANCE
Constructed after the Indo-Pakistani War of 1971, the Amar Jawan Jyoti commemorates the dead and unknown soldiers who lost their lives in the conflict, that resulted in the creation of independent Bangladesh. The burning flame is considered immortal.