Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day : Tell Your Child The Story

Jallianwala Bagh Massacre Day -

On 13 April 1919, when the day was clear and bright, and people were gathered at a public garden “Jallianwala Bagh” in Amritsar, Punjab to participate in the annual Baisakhi celebration, a religious and cultural festival of Punjabi people and also to indicate strong disapproval the arrest and deportation of two national leaders, Satyapal and Dr Saifuddin kitchlew. Many people had come from outside the city so they were unaware of the imposition of martial law some time earlier.

Colonel Reginald Dyer, the acting military commander of Amritsar announced the implementation of the pass system enter or leave Amritsar and banned all public meetings of four or more people. Meanwhile, detectives received information about the planned meeting at Jallianwala Bagh and informed Dyer about the same. An hour after the meeting began Dyer arrived with a group of Sikh, Gurkha, Baluchi and sind rifles soldiers, who were armed.

The Bagh had few narrow entrances, most were permanently locked. The main entrance was wide but was guarded by armed troops. Dyre without warning blocked the main exit. He ordered his troops to begin shooting towards the crowd. Firing continued for 10 minutes. Many people died in the massacre which includes – 337 men, 41 boys, and a six-year-old baby. Many people died in the stampedes or by jumping in the solitary well to escape the shooting. Over thousand people were wounded.

The actual fight for independence started after this dreadful event which was caused just to evoke fear among the people. Every year we celebrate Independence Day but forget about the days where our brothers and sisters lost their lives fighting for freedom. Today, you should tell your child the story of Jallianwala Bagh. Tell them about how so many people of our nation had to fight the dark days only for us to see the sunlight again.

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