Since-Independence, more than 26,000 soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces have made the supreme sacrifice to defend the sovereignty and integrity of the country. The National War Memorial represents the gratitude of a nation to its Armed Forces. The Memorial helps strengthen the sense of belonging, high moral values, sacrifice and national pride in it’s citizens. It stands testimony to the sacrifices made by soldiers during various conflicts, United Nations Operations, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response Operations since Independence. It also showcases rich military traditions of Armed Forces as a shining example of selfless service to the nation.
The memorial complex is in harmony with the existing layout and symmetry of the majestic Rajpath and Central Vista. Solemnity of the ambience is maintained with an emphasis on landscaping and the simplicity of architecture. Apart from the main memorial, there is dedicated area for busts of soldiers who have been conferred with ‘Param Vir Chakra’, the nation’s highest gallantry award. The design of the main memorial exemplifies that supreme sacrifice made by a soldier in the line of duty not only makes him immortal but also depicts that the spirit of a soldier remains eternal.
The memorial has distinct scheme of concentric circles :
Rakshak Chakra : Circle of Protection. The row of trees in the Rakshak Chakra is a reassurance to the citizens of the country about their safety against any threat, with each tree representing the soldiers who ensure the territorial integrity of the Nation, round the clock.
Tyag Chakra : Circle of Sacrifice. The circular concentric walls of honour, which symbolize the ancient war formation ‘Chakravyuh’. The walls are clad with granite tablets where an independent granite tablet is dedicated to each soldier who has made the supreme sacrifice where his name is etched in golden letters.
Veerta Chakra : Circle of Bravery. A covered gallery that exhibits six murals crafted in bronze depicting valiant battles actions of Armed Forces.
Amar Chakra : Circle of Immortality. This has an Obelisk with Eternal Flame. The flame symbolizes the immortality of the spirit of fallen soldiers with the assurance that the Nation will never forget their sacrifices.
Param Yodha Sthal : The Param Yodha Stahal is dedicated to the nation’s highest gallantry award ‘Param Vir Chakra’ (PVC) recipients and designed with well laid out pathways, landscaping, individual busts in bronze of all 21 recipients till date.
Location : National War memorial is located East of India Gate and spread over 40 acres across three lawns of ‘C Hexagon’ in New Delhi.
URL:
https://goo.gl/maps/iSCGJda2nPgFXdZe8
Timing : Open daily. Entry restricted on certain days / timings.
9 am – 7:30 pm (Nov- Mar – last admission 7 pm)
9 am – 8.30 pm (Apr- Oct – last admission 8.00 pm)
Entry Fee : Free
Source : Gallantry Awards | Ministry of Defence, Government of India