Chandigarh—Anglo-Sikh War Memorial once built to shine honour of Sikh Soldiers who fought heroically against the British army for the freedom is today in ruins left in a negligible state of disrepair.
The Punjab Government constructed the memorial as a source of inspiration, education and most importantly in respect of those that died fighting for our brighter future and left it under the administrative control of the Department of Cultural Affairs.
The hall on the ground floor housed weapons relating to the period of the Anglo Sikh War; some of which were stolen a few years back alongside other rare artifacts.
A police case was registered to aid the recovery of the lost treasures but to date they still remain missing.
The hall has many paintings depicting the four fierce battles of Mudki, Ferozeshah, Sabhraon and Chellianwala as well as paintings capturing battle scenes and various leaders from both armies.
The creative displays however would now hardly enthuse any visitor, as the rotting broken pieces of furniture lying in the exhibition hall crowd the surroundings and the paintings themselves are in degrading conditions.
Until last year the museum bore the look of an abandoned place, with thick vegetative growth blocking not only the only entrance but nearly the entire building as well. Wild animals and a range of insects had nested around the grounds. Fountains on the 4.5-acre complex had become dysfunctional and cannons on display at the entrance rested on decaying wooden mounts with broken wheels.
A visit by the former Deputy Commissioner of Ferozepur had led to the repair of the cannon mounts as well as the sanction of a tube-well connection. Further to this a new kitchen and dining hall were constructed on the premises six months ago, but to date have never actually been used for the hospitality of visitors.
Whilst the new structure has been built at a considerable cost by the Punjab Heritage Tourism Promotion Board (PHTPB) under its renovation scheme for “revitalisation” of Anglo-Sikh battle sites in the state, no money has yet been spared for the maintenance of the main museum.
Inadequacy of maintenance funds, shortage of staff, and lack of basic amenities at the sprawling complex are cited amongst the many concerns over the neglect of the memorial. The extensive damage to the memorial means that it is still in ruins despite having Rs 85 Lakhs already spent on its restoration.
The Director of Cultural Affairs and Tourism; Karamjit Singh states that there is a need for a “composite plan” for the upkeep of museums and memorials, without which some museums may be headed for closure.
Considering the finality of such a statement the rebuttal of “but we are working out plans to attract more visitors, by ensuring they get an informative glimpse of the history and rich heritage of the state in general, and Sikhs in particular”, is very futile. Guided tours and arranging connectivity with nearby towns is among the proposals, but with such poorly planned effort from the government restoring the memorial to its intended glory will require much more respectful work.
