National war memorial- All you need to know!

National War Memorial (Rashtriya Samar Smarak) was established in January 2019 and It is a national monument built for giving honour to our brave soldiers. This memorial has a lengthy history and some interesting facts about the design. Names of around 25,942 soldiers have been etched on stone here. Here is everything you need to know about National War Memorial Delhi.

So let’s read some interesting facts about the National War Memorial:

1. Origin of the Idea

• The first talk about a National War Memorial started in 1960 when the armed forces of our country requested the government for the commemoration of fallen soldiers at a War Memorial. 
• In 2015, the current NDA government approved the construction of the memorial near India Gate, honouring the sacrifice of soldiers during multiple wars.

2. Significance

• It has been built as a tribute to the soldiers killed during the Indo-China War in 1962, the Indo-Pak Wars in 1947, 1965 and 1971, the Kargil Conflict in 1999, and the Indian Peace Keeping Force Operations in Sri Lanka honouring 25,942 fallen soldiers.

3. Design

• For the design of the Memorial, a global competition was held. The contest was launched through MyGov.in portal, and sP+ Studios from Mumbai won the model for the War Museum, while Chennai based WeBe Design Lab’s design for the memorial was declared the winner.
• The memorial has 16 walls and pattern of the wall resembles a chakravyuh, an ancient Indian war formation.
• The design of the memorial also includes four concentric circles:
• The Amar Chakra (circle of immortality): The ‘Amar Chakra’ comprises a15-metre tall obelisk and the eternal flame.
• The Veerta Chakra (circle of bravery): The ‘Veerta Chakra’ is about the six crucial battles of the army, air force and navy, which have been depicted in bronze.
• The Tyag Chakra (circle of sacrifice): The ‘Tyag Chakra’ holds the names of about 25,700 battle casualties which have been written on a 1.5-metre wall.
• The Rakshak Chakra (circle of protection): The outermost tier is the ‘Suraksha Chakra’, comprising 695 trees depicting ‘standing soldiers guarding.
• Statues of the 21 Param Vir Chakra awardees have been installed at the Param Yoddha Sthal and include those of three living awardees – Retired Subedar Major Bana Singh, Subedar Major Yogendra Singh Yadav and Subedar Sanjay Kumar.

4. Other important details

• There is no entry fee for visiting, but the memories will be everlasting.
• Timings- Open on all days of the week, the timings for the War Memorial Delhi is from 9 am to 6:30 pm.
• The timings are supposed to change after March. From April, the timings would be 9 am to 7:30 pm. However, the entry to the memorial is restricted on certain days.
• Location- Located near the famous Delhi tourism attraction of India Gate, National War Memorial can be easily accessed through public or private transport.

National War memorial exemplifies the supreme sacrifice made by a soldier in the line of duty. The war memorial not only makes him immortal but also signifies that the spirit of a soldier remains eternal.