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Location : New Delhi
Famous As : All India War Memorial
Designed By : Edwin Lutyens In 1921
Height : 42m
At the center of New Delhi stands the 42m high India Gate, an
"Arc-de-Triomphe" like Archway in the middle of a crossroad. Almost
similar to its French counterpart war memorial. It commemorates the
70,000 Indian soldiers who lost their lives fighting for the British
Army during the First World War and bears the names of more than
13,516 British and Indian soldiers killed in the Northwestern
Frontier in the Afghan war of 1919. The foundation stone was laid by
His Royal Highness, the Duke of Connaught in 1921 and was designed
by Edwin Lutyens.
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The monument was dedicated to the nation 10 years
later by the then Viceroy, Lord Irwin. Another memorial, Amar Jawan
Jyoti was added much later, after India got its independence. It is
in the form of a flame that burns day and night under the arch to
remind the nation of soldiers who laid down their lives in the
Indo-Pakistan War of December 1971. The entire arch stands on a low
base of red Bharatpur stone and rises in stages to a huge molding,
beneath, which are inscribed Imperial sons. Above on both sides is
inscribed INDIA, flanked by MCM and to the right, XIX.
The shallow domed bowl at the top was intended to be filled with
burning oil on anniversaries but this is rarely done. Surrounding
the imposing structure is a large expanse of lush green lawns, which
is a popular picnic spot. One can see hoards of people moving about
the brightly lit area and on the lawns on summer evenings.
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