Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall in Jalandhar is a memorial for all patriots who fought uncompromisingly against British colonialism. It is also a special repository of Ghadar Party’s history and memorabilia. It has great educational value to young Indians.
Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Hall in Jalandhar is a memorial for all patriots who fought uncompromisingly against British colonialism. It is also a special repository of Ghadar Party’s history and memorabilia. It has great educational value to young Indians.
It is a two-storey building incorporating a library, an exhibition hall, conference rooms and some residential rooms. This complex is situated on Grand Trunk Road, Jalandhar in the centre of the city. The site is spread on three acres of land which was purchased in 1955.
As Ghadaris were released from Andaman Jail after serving life imprisonment, they decided to form ‘Desh Bhagat Parivar Sahayk Committee (Patriots’ Family Support Committee) aimed to look after the welfare of families of Ghadaris who were still in jail or had been incapacitated through prolonged confinement or their properties had been confiscated by the government. Baba Wasakha Singh became its chief organiser who raised much needed cash for many needy families. This Committee continued its activities till 1947 when India gained its independence.
At that time, Bhagat Parivar Sahayk Committee was registered under a new name of ‘Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee’ transferring its entire fund to the new organisation. Sohan Singh Bhakna, founder president of the Ghadar Party was elected President of the Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee.
Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee was concerned with preserving the memory of the Ghadar Party. For this purpose, they decided to establish a memorial for their colleagues who had laid their lives for the liberation of the country. A prime site was chosen and bought in Jalandhar in 1955. On 14th December 1957 following the death of Sant Wasakha Singh at Dadher, an appeal was made for funds for construction of building on this site. Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee members contributed funds with Amar Singh Sandhwan and Bhag Singh of Jai Singh Wala, Ferozepur offered magnanimously.
A wider appeal was launched on 5th January 1958. During 1958, Gurmukh Singh Lalton, Karam Singh Cheema, Bhooja Singh and Bhola Singh Cheema were deputed to collect donations from Punjabis in Britain and Canada. As sufficient funds were raised, the foundation stone for the Memorial building was laid by Amar Singh Sandhwan on 17th November, 1959.
Gallery
The Memorial has a very large exhibition hall measuring 90 by 60 feet with 212 portraits of Ghadar heroes displayed thematically. Included among these are many other Indian patriots and revolutionaries who played prominent role in the freedom struggle.
Library
Integral to the Memorial is a major library with valuable Ghadar material, both in its original form as also much related literature. The Library aims to preserve all materials relating to the Ghadar movement and has also acquired works on Punjab and India’s revolutionary movements and across the world. Its chief strength consists of several manuscripts, oral records and journals originally produced by the Ghadar Party.
Publications
During the last fifty years, Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee has published several books, periodicals and pamphlets, including reproduction of some original Ghadar literature. Please browse through the list. You can order any of these publications.
Events
The Memorial Building functions as an important meeting place for this metropolitan city, for citizens of Punjab and indeed North India. The Memorial is very much part of Punjab’s public life as it is a natural venue for several annual events offering its spacious hall and lawns for progressive political rallies and social gatherings. For several years now, an annual fair is celebrated with much gusto and enthusiasm for the propagation of the Ghadar ideas and ideals.
Support
The Ghadar Memorial is managed by Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee [DBYC]. As a volunteer organisation, the DBYC does not solicit governmental support, they depend upon their benefactors for maintenance of the Memorial’s upkeep, its library and providing other services and facilities to the community. You are encouraged to visit our sister sites, especially University of California, Berkeley’s valuable Ghadar Collections at Bancroft Library. Other sites with major depositories of Ghadar materials are also indicated.
The founding members of Desh Bhagat Yaadgar Committee on 2nd April 1955 were as follows:
President and Trustee: Sant Wasakha Singh, son of Sardar Dayal Singh
Vice-President and Member: Baba Karam Singh Cheema, son of Sardar Gujjar Singh
Secretary and Trustee: Gurmukh Singh, son of Sardar Hoshnak Singh
Treasurer and Trustee: Amar Singh Sandhwan, son of Sardar Sher Singh
Trustees:
1) Hari Singh [Master], son of Sardar Ishar Singh Jalwant Singh, son of Sardar Nihal Singh
2) Kishan Singh Gahaur, son of Sardar Ratan Singh
3) Ujagar Singh Cheema, son of Sardar Karam Singh Cheema
Members:
1) Achhar Singh Chhina, Member of Legislative Assembly, Punjab
2) Amar Singh Mann, son of Sardar Phuman Singh
3) Bujha Singh, son of Sardar Dharam Singh
4) Dr. Bhag Singh M.A. Ph.D, son of Sardar Sunder Singh
5) Dulla Singh, son of Hazara Singh
6) Genda Singh, son of Sardar Budh Singh
7) Mehanga Singh, son of Sardar Jawala Singh
8) Sher Singh, son of Sardar Kesar Singh