Of a permanent war museum
| Date :07-Nov-2019 |
Vijay Phanshikar :
The city of Nagpur is abuzz with talk of positioning the four cannons unearthed from the grounds of Kasturchand Park, or placing two Vijayanta Main Battle Tanks there with a twin utility -- of attracting people to see the the weapons of war, and also add some decoration to the sprawling open space of historic importance. The city boasts of some such weapons of war having been positioned at a few places -- like the Battle Tank near Rajiv Gandhi’s statue at Ajni Square, like shell of fighter aircraft positioned in the Ambazari Garden ...! We also have the Dhantoli Park named after a War Hero -- Major Surendra Deo -- as sort of a memorial to what he did for the Motherland.
There are streets named after the city’s heroes who fought for the defence of India. Such spots do trigger in people’s minds memories of wars that were fought in the past. They also help youngsters build a willingness to join the Armed Forces and stand on the border to keep any enemy out and away. Even as these suggestions or demands come up from various quarters, another thought emerges in the mind -- of a special museum or permanent exhibition that would highlight the city’s connection with the Armed Forces or Defence.
The more one thinks about the idea, more one gets convinced that it is easily possible to have such a special museum or a permanent exhibition that would attract thousands of people to see what the city has done by way of contribution to the country’s Defence. Nagpur has had a fair and proud share of contribution to the Armed Forces by way of its young men joining their rank and file. The city also has had a major share in making the highest sacrifices for the defence of the Motherland -- with so many martyrs. But the city also has a good number of war heroes who lived through the wars and are still willing to share great many stories -- of their own and also of others.
The city has many senior officers who led their respective units in the Armed Forces The special museum or the permanent exhibition which one is talking about here can be complete with the pictures of such men who laid their lives for the country -- also also with details of the battles they fought and how they overcame daunting obstacles to defeat the enemy and protect the Motherland. Their stories -- of how some became martyrs of wars, and how some lived beyond to tell terrific stories of valour -- regardless of the absolutely impossible situations, can become an integral part of the special museum or the permanent exhibition. That exhibition also can have war or Defence memorabilias that people can purchase, books of wars that people may want for their personal libraries back home.
Schools and colleges can use the place to inspire their students to think of joining Defence Services. If the museum or exhibition halls have pictures and documents or personal weapons such as pistols and revolvers and hand grenades or guns or assault equipment, the grounds can host battle tanks and aircraft shells or even some clay models of battles fought and won or lost in defence of the Motherland. On weekends, war veterans, historians, soldiers and officers currently in service also can offer lectures for the common people -- stories of war, of how our men fought and won, of how their families felt sad upon their martyrdom but also proud that they produced a son -- or also a daughter -- who laid life for the defence of the motherland.
This is only a raw thought -- for the experts and leaders of Nagpur’s society in various fields to come together and explore the possibilities of such a special museum or permanent exhibition. I am sure, all will agree with me that our beloved city deserves such a museum -- which in time may become a national pride and an international attraction.