Tawang War Memorial, published on December 30, 2012

India tends to forget Chinese aggression of 1962. In fact, many feel that this particular war did not offer anything to be remembered. Time magazine had famously mentioned in one of its articles that India lacked everything except courage in 1962. At least, for this reason -- of Indian soldiers showing courage against the superiorly-equipped enemy in the most adverse conditions -- every Indian should remember 1962 war and draw inspiration from heroic deeds. Tawang, a small town closer to the border in Arunachal Pradesh, has preserved memories of these brave soldiers in the form of a war memorial. The Hitavada Chief Reporter Kartik Lokhande travelled all the way to Tawang and felt that the impressive war memorial erected there is a monument of inspiring courageous acts of Indian soldiers.

Tawang War Memorial:

A temple of inspiration

“How can men die better than facing fearful odds, for the ashes of his fathers and the temples of his Gods?”

Thus reads a plaque installed at the entrance of Tawang War Memorial. The entrance also has two BMGs (a type of Machine Guns) installed on two sides of the first step on stairs leading to main part of the memorial. In front of the memorial, two tanks and a beautiful idol of Lord Buddha have been installed.

The beautiful and imposing structure of the war memorial has several stories to tell. The names of all Indian soldiers who made the supreme sacrifice for their motherland despite facing odds in trying conditions and inclement weather, have been inscribed on black granite marble plaques placed in all corners of the memorial. The memorial is dedicated to ‘unsung’ heroes of 1962 Sino-Indian ‘conflict’ in Kameng Sector . As a mark of respect to the units that participated in the war and fought a pitched battle to protect Indian territory from attacking Chinese forces, flags of 25 units fly high on these many posts around the memorial constructed in the form of a ‘Chorten’ (a structure that venerates the departed in Buddhist custom).

Interestingly, when the construction of the memorial started on August 15, 1998, the local citizens of Tawang also came forward and made their contributions in various forms. They donated scriptures, idols of Lord Buddha, gold, silver ornaments etc. These valuables have been consecrated within the memorial. The idols of Lord Buddha and Arya Avalokiteswara have been anointed personally by the Dalai Lama.

The memorial has been erected by 190 Mountain Brigade with assistance of HQ Eastern Command, HQ 4 Corps, HQ 5 Mountain Division, 5 Field Regiment, 289 Sata Battery, 4th Battalion Rajput Regiment, 1st Battalion Sikh Regiment (4 Mechanised), 1st Battalion Sikh Light Infantry, 13th Battalion The Dogra Regiment, 6th Battalion The 8th Gorkha Rifles, and citizens of Tawang. The memorial was constructed under patronage of Lt Gen D B Shekatkar (now retired) of General Officer Commanding of 4 Corps. The war memorial was dedicated to the nation by Lt Gen HRS Kalkat, the then GOC-in-C of Eastern Command on November 2, 1999.

Another inscription on a black granite marble plaque asks a very interesting question to all those who feel a false intellectual pride in discussing how the Indian Army had failed in 1962 war. “Is it not glorious to die in battle doing one’s duty?” The inscription further reads, “We went down like true soldiers with our guns blazing true to traditions of Indian Army, crushing thousands of our foe. Our very flesh and blood was scattered over the mountains. The brooks turned red with no one to lift our mortal remains, except the beast. Our supreme sacrifice in war is for children of Mother India. For them to live with honour, in freedom, in the new millennium.”

Truly, the war memorial is a temple of inspiration for modern India that vies to take a great leap forward towards becoming a super-power. Isn’t it?

Pics---

1) The exterior view of Tawang War Memorial erected as a mark of respect and recognition to Indian soldiers who laid their lives for the country in 1962 war with China.

2) A plaque at Tawang War Memorial reads that 2,420 officers and soldiers laid their lives in Kameng Sector in 1962 war.

3) The statue of Gautam Buddha, the apostle of peace, and a mounted gun outside Tawang War Memorial stand as a symbol of how gun should be regulated.

(All pics by-- Kartik Lokhande)