Narendra Modi inaugurates museums on Subhash Chandra Bose, Jallianwala Bagh in Red Fort complex

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi Wednesday inaugurated the Subhash Chandra Bose museum at the iconic Red Fort to mark the leader’s 122nd birth anniversary. He also inaugurated the Yaad-e-Jallian Museum, (museum on the Jallianwala Bagh and World War I), the Museum on 1857- India’s first war of Independence, and Drishyakala-Museum on Indian Art within the Red Fort complex. [caption id=“attachment_5945431” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose museum at Red Fort, New Delhi. Image courtesy: Twitter[/caption] The entire complex of museums will be known as ‘Kranti Mandir’ (temple of revolution) “as a tribute to the revolutionary zeal and courage of our great freedom fighters”, he said in a tweet after the inauguration. The museum on Bose and the Indian National Army showcases various artefacts related to Netaji and the INA. The artefacts include wooden chair and sword used by the leader, medals, badges, uniforms and other items related to the INA. A documentary on Bose and the INA will help visitors understand the vision of the freedom fighter. Actor Abhishek Bachchan has lent his voice for the documentary. The Yaad-e-Jallian Museum provides an authentic account of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre that took place on 13 April, 1919. A replica of the memorial erected at the Jallianwala Bagh has also been placed at the museum. The museum will further showcase the heroism, valour and sacrifices made by Indian soldiers during the World War I. A poem penned by Sarojini Naidu on the plight of Indian soldiers who fought the World War I for the British Empire is part of the artefacts at the museum. The poem, titled ‘The Gift’, describes sacrifices made by 1.5 million Indian soldiers in the First World War. The Museum on 1857-India’s first war of Independence portrays the historical narrative of war of independence, showcasing the valour and sacrifices made by Indians during the period. The Drishyakala- Exhibition on Indian Art showcases art works from 16th Century till Independence. It has paintings by Amrita Shergil and Raja Ravi Varma on display. The prime minister spent nearly an hour at the museums and shuffled between venues on a golf buggy. “It was extremely humbling to inaugurate four museums relating to India’s rich history and culture … Museums on Netaji Bose and Azad Hind Fauj are a key part of Kranti Mandir. History echoes from these walls. In this very building, brave sons of India, Colonel Prem Sahgal, Colonel Gurbaksh Singh Dhillon and Major General Shah Nawaz Khan were put on trial by the colonial rulers,” Modi said in a series of tweets. He said art lovers should specially visit Drishyakala, which will take them through the finest aspects of Indian art and culture. There are 4 historical exhibitions, spanning three centuries, with over 450 works of art. “Works of eminent Indian artists like Raja Ravi Varma, Gurudev Tagore, Amrita Sher-Gil, Abanindranath Tagore, Nandlal Bose, Gaganendranath Tagore, Sailoz Mookherjea amd Jamini Roy are on display at the exhibition,” he pointed out. In an earlier tweet, Modi said he bows to Bose on his birth anniversary. “He was a stalwart who committed himself towards ensuring India is free and leads a life of dignity. We are committed to fulfilling his ideals and creating a strong India,” he wrote.