Amar Jawan Jyoti

2022-01-21T08:54:17Z

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{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=June 2018}}
{{Infobox military memorial
| name = Amar Jawan Jyoti
| native_name = अमर जवान ज्योति
| native_name_lang = Hi
| body = {{flag|India}}
| image = {{Photomontage
| photo1a = Amar Jawan Jyoti at India Gate.jpg
| photo2a = National war memorial text at bottom of pillar.jpg
| photo4a =
| spacing = 2
| position = center
| color_border = white
| color = black
| size = 270
| foot_montage =''' Top Image:''' Amar Jawan Jyoti under [[India Gate]] <br/>
'''Bottom Image:''' Amar Jawan Jyoti at Amar Chakra of [[National War Memorial (India)|National War Memorial]]}}
| caption =
| commemorates = martyrs and soldiers of [[Indian Armed Forces]].
| use_dates = 
| established = *{{start date|df=yes|1971|12}} under India Gate
*{{start date|df=yes|2019|02}} at War Memorial
| unveiled = *{{start date|df=yes|1972|01|26}} under India Gate
*{{start date|df=yes|2019|02|25}} at War Memorial
| coordinates = {{coord|28.612912|77.229510|display=inline,title}}
| location = [[India Gate]], [[New Delhi]] (Both Monuments)
| nearest_town =
| designer = [[Indian Army Corps of Engineers]]
| unknowns =
| commemorated =
| by_country =
| by_war =
| inscription = '''अमर जवान'''<br/>(English: "Immortal soldier")
| embedded =
| findagrave =
| source = [http://www.delhitourism.gov.in/delhitourism/tourist_place/india_gate.jsp Official webpage]
|country=India}}
'''Amar Jawan Jyoti''' ({{lang-hi|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. Amar Jawan Jyoti 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.

The memorial is located at two places. The first one was constructed in December 1971 and inaugurated by [[Indira Gandhi]] in 1972 under [[India Gate]] at [[Rajpath]] in [[New Delhi]] and the second one was installed under the [[National War Memorial (India)|National War Memorial]] to honour all known martyrs (post independence) of Indian Armed Forces with their names written in'' 'Golden letters'.'' Completed in February 2019 and inaugurated by [[Narendra Modi]] on 25 February, with the igniting of the ''eternal flame of Jawans "''Amar Jawan Jyoti''".''

==History==
The main structure (India Gate) was originally constructed in 1921 by [[Edwin Lutyens]]. Amar Jawan Jyoti was added under the India Gate in 1971.<ref name="The India Gate">{{cite news|title=The India Gate|publisher=thedivineindia.com|url=http://www.thedivineindia.com/the-india-gate/5784|access-date=4 January 2017}}</ref> 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 [[Bangladesh Liberation War|liberation war]] in [[East Pakistan]].<ref name="India-Pakistan 1971 war">{{cite news|title=India-Pakistan 1971 war|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=4 January 2017|url=http://indianexpress.com/article/explained/india-pakistan-1971-war-bangladesh-indira-gandhi-4429236/}}</ref> The [[Creation of Bangladesh]] was assisted by India during which many Indian soldiers lost their lives.<ref name="Amar Jyoti">{{cite news|title=Amar Jyoti|publisher=discoveredindia.com|access-date=4 January 2017|url=http://www.discoveredindia.com/delhi/attractions/samadhis/amar-jyoti.htm}}</ref> 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. On 26 January 1972 (23rd Republic Day of India), the monument was officially inaugurated by Indira Gandhi.<ref name="Amar Jyoti"/><ref name="Amar Jawan Jyoti">{{cite news|title=Amar Jawan Jyoti|publisher=indiagate.org.in|access-date=4 January 2017|url=http://www.indiagate.org.in/amar-jawan-jyoti.htm}}</ref>

== Old Custom of Amar Jawan Jyoti (1972-2019) ==
Since 1972, every-year on the [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] (before the [[Delhi Republic Day parade|Republic Day parade]]), it had been customary for the [[President of India|President]], [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]], [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Chief of the Air Staff]], [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Chief of the Naval Staff]], [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Chief of the Army Staff]] and dignitaries to place a [[wreath]] at ''Amar Jawan Jyoti'' and pay homage to the dead and unknown soldiers.<ref name="Amar Jyoti"/><ref name="Amar Jawan Jyoti"/><ref name="Significance of Amar Jawan Jyoti">{{cite news|title=Significance of Amar Jawan Jyoti|publisher=indiagate.org.in|access-date=4 January 2017|url=http://www.indiagate.org.in/articles/significance-of-amar-jawan-jyoti.htm}}</ref><ref name="History">{{cite news|title=History|publisher=indiagate.org.in|access-date=4 January 2017|url=http://www.indiagate.org.in/history.htm}}</ref>

== Current Custom of Amar Jawan Jyoti (2020-) ==
From 2020 onwards, the [[Prime Minister of India]], [[Narendra Modi]], on the occasion of [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] placed the [[wreath]] at the [[National War Memorial (India)|National War Memorial]] instead of the [[India Gate]][[Republic Day (India)|.]] Starting a new Custom taking place at the new Amar Jawan Jyoti at the National War Memorial accompanied by the [[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff]] , along with the [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Army Chief]], [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Navy Chief]], and [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Air Force Chief]] who also visit the same monument on their respective Service Days to pay tribute to historic and modern fallen soldiers.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|date=January 23, 2020|title=Not Amar Jawan Jyoti, Republic Day wreath-laying ceremony at National War Memorial from this year|url=https://www.indiatoday.in/india/story/republic-day-amar-jawan-jyoti-ceremony-national-war-memorial-1639434-2020-01-23|access-date=2020-12-14|website=India Today|language=en}}</ref>

==Construction and structure==

=== Under India Gate, in 1971 ===
Amar Jawan Jyoti is located under the [[India Gate]] at [[Rajpath]], [[New Delhi]]. It consists of a marble pedestal with a [[cenotaph]]. The Phrase "Amar Jawan" (Immortal Soldier) is written in gold on all four sides of the cenotaph. On the top, a [[L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle]] is placed on its barrel and is capped by the helmet of the Unknown Soldier.[[File:Amar Jawan Jyoti-2.jpg|thumb|left|Cenotaph with a [[L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle]] placed on its barrel and capped by a helmet of the Unknown Soldier.]]The pedestal is bound by four urns, in one of which a flame has been continuously burning(using [[Compressed natural gas|CNG]]) since 1971.<ref name="Amar Jawan Jyoti"/> The staff responsible for maintaining the burning flame resides in a room under the [[India Gate|arch]], next to the perpetually burning flame.<ref name="Keeper of the flame">{{cite news|title=Keeper of the flame|work=[[The Indian Express]]|access-date=4 January 2017|url=http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/keeper-of-the-flame/960016/0}}</ref> From 1971 to 2006, [[Liquefied petroleum gas|LPG]] was used as fuel source and from 2006, [[Compressed natural gas|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 [[Independence Day (India)|Indian Independence]] and [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]]s, all flames are lit.<ref name="5 things about Amar Jawan Jyoti">{{cite news|title=5 things about Amar Jawan Jyoti|publisher=thebetterindia.com|access-date=4 January 2017|url=http://www.thebetterindia.com/43484/amar-jawan-jyoti-republic-day-delhi/}}</ref> The ''Amar Jawan Jyoti'' is manned day and night by soldiers from the [[Indian Army|Army]], [[Indian Air Force|Air Force]] and the [[Indian Navy]].<ref name="5 things about Amar Jawan Jyoti"/>

==== At Amar Chakra, National War Memorial, in 2019 ====
{{Main|National War Memorial (India)}}
[[File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi lighting the eternal flame, to mark the dedication of the National War Memorial, in New Delhi on February 25, 2019 (1).JPG|thumb|Prime Minister lighting the Amar Jawan Jyoti at NWM]]
Amar Jawan Jyoti is also located at Amar Chakra of National War Memorial. The Memorial has four concentric circles and a central obelisk, at the bottom of which burns an 'eternal flame' representing the immortal soldier (''amar jawan''). The pedestal is bound by four urns, in which flame has been burning continuously, since the inauguration. The President and Prime Minister visit this memorial on National Days including but not limited to [[Republic Day (India)|Republic Day]] and [[Independence Day (India)|Independence Day]]. The [[Chief of Defence Staff (India)|Chief of Defence Staff]] , along with [[Chief of the Army Staff (India)|Army Chief]], [[Chief of the Naval Staff (India)|Navy Chief]], and [[Chief of the Air Staff (India)|Air Force Chief]] also visits the monument on respective Service Days to pay tribute to the fallen Heroes of the Nation, post Independence.<ref name=":0" />

A global design competition was conducted and the result was announced in early April 2017. A [[Chennai]] architectural firm, WeBe Design Lab's proposal was declared the winner and was accordingly chosen for the conceptualization of the architectural design and for coordinating the construction of the project.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://thewire.in/urban/national-war-museum-delhi-india-gate|title = National War Memorial Takes Shape Six Decades After Being Conceived}}</ref> The chief architect of the National War Memorial is Yogesh Chandrahasan of WeBe Design Lab, Chennai. [[File:The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi at the dedication ceremony of the National War Memorial, in New Delhi on February 25, 2019.JPG|thumb|Prime Minister Modi at the National War Memorial, the burning flames visible with the words "Amar Jawan" in golden letters]]

==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<ref name="Significance of Amar Jawan Jyoti" /> The burning flame is considered immortal.<ref name="Amar Jawan Jyoti" />[[File:The Kyrgyzstan Defence Minister, Maj. Gen. Abibilla Kudaberdiev paying homage to the martyrs at Amar Jawan Jyoti, in New Delhi on September 09, 2011.jpg|thumb|[[Ministry of Defense (Kyrgyzstan)|Kyrgyzstan Defence Minister]], Major General [[Abibilla Kudayberdiev]] rendering a [[hand salute]] at Amar Jawan Jyoti in [[New Delhi]], 9 September 2011.]]The signification became more broad when all the names of soldiers martyred in post Independence wars or other missions during their service, written in golden letters, was accompanied at the War Memorial. Amar Jawan Jyoti at Amar Chakra is now a place where citizens commemorate and pay tribute to fallen soldiers by reading their names at the concentric Tyag Chakra.

==See also==
{{commonscat|Amar Jawan Jyoti (Tomb of the Unknown Soldier)}}
*[[National War Memorial (India)]] in New Delhi
*[[India Gate]] in New Delhi
* [[National Military Memorial]] in Bengaluru
* [[National War Memorial Southern Command]] in Pune
* [[National Police Memorial (India)|National Police Memorial]] in New Delhi
* [[Kargil Vijay Diwas]]
* [[Vijay Diwas (India)]]
* [[Victory day of Bangladesh|Bijoy Dibos]]

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==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Delhi}}

[[Category:Cultural infrastructure completed in 1971]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in New Delhi]]
[[Category:Commonwealth War Graves Commission memorials]]
[[Category:Indian military memorials and cemeteries]]
[[Category:Military of India]]
[[Category:Monuments and memorials in Delhi]]
[[Category:Terminating vistas]]
[[Category:Tombs of Unknown Soldiers]]
[[Category:Tourist attractions in Delhi]]

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Amar Jawan Jyoti