The National War Memorial was inaugurated on 25 February 2019, by the Prime Minister Of India, Narendra Modi. The memorial is in the form of an obelisk which is 15.5-m tall and was conceptualized during the Indo-China War in 1962 as a tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives while protecting the country.
The memorial wall includes the inscription of names of martyrs from the Independence war of 1947,1961 Annexation of Goa, 1962 Indo-China War, 1965 Indo-Pakistan War, 1971 Indo-Pakistan War, 1987 Siachen war, 1987-88 Operation Pawan in Sri Lanka, and 1999 The Kargil War in Kargil.
The inauguration of the National War Memorial was quite recent, that is, on the 25th of February 2019. Although people can visit this place for free to witness this tribute to the martyrs at any time of the day, evenings are the most preferable time for you.
History of National War Memorial
In April 2017, a global design competition was announced and conducted. In this competition, a Chennai architectural firm, WeBee Design Lab was chosen as the winner. Then, accordingly, it was given the task of conceptualizing the design of the upcoming National War Memorial. And they came up with quite an interesting concept which included the below-mentioned highlighting features.
1. Amar Chakra (Circle of Immortality)
One of the concentric circles is Amar Chakra that denotes the immortality of the soldiers who left us during the war.
2. Veerta (Circle of Bravery)
This is another concentric that defines the bravery of soldiers and encourages the nation to respect the country-savers.
3. Tyaga (Circle Of Sacrifice)
Tyaga or sacrifice denotes the courage of soldiers who were/are willingly wanting to sacrifice their lives to ensure the safety of the country.
4. Suraksha Chakra (Circle Of Protection)
The 'Suraksha Chakra' stands for the protection of the country that the soldiers pledge by.
Major Attractions in and Around National War Memorial
1. National Gallery Of Modern Art
The art gallery is under the Ministry of Culture. It was established on March 29, 1954. It houses more than 14,100 works that include works of several renowned artists such as Thomas Daniell, Raja Ravi Verma, Abanindranath Tagore, Rabindranath Tagore, Gaganendranath Tagore, Nandalal Bose, Amrita Sher-Gil, Jamini Roy, etc.
2. Swaminarayan Akshardham
Swaminarayan Akshardham is another branch of Akshardham Gandhinagar, Gujarat. There are several exhibition halls displaying the life and works of Swaminarayan. It is just a few minutes of walking distance from Akshardham Metro Station.
3. National Museum
Also known as the National Museum Of India, it is on the list of largest museums in India. Established in 1949, it houses the art and lifestyle of India from prehistoric to modern works of art. It is located near Janpath.
4. Delhi Food Walks
Know Delhi through its food! There are several food walks provided by the local authority, accompanying a guide to introduce you to Old Delhi Food Culture. This certainly is going to be an amazing experience for you.
5. Shopaholics
Khan market, which is an amalgamation of several clothing shops and other antique accessories, is perfect for shopaholics. Also, there are many street clothing stalls that are famous among Delhiites as well as tourists. Apart from this, you can head to several malls in Delhi to enjoy your days in the capital city.
How to Reach National War Memorial
Built-in honor of the Indian Armed Forces, the National War Memorial of Delhi is one of the best establishments of the Government of India. If you also want to memorize the moments of bravery that made our lives safe, then this is one destination where you should definitely visit. To reach National War Memorial, you get to travel 20.4 km from Delhi, 1406.5 km from Mumbai, and 2157 km from Bangalore.
By Air
The most convenient method to reach Delhi is by air for which one needs to take a flight to IGI Airport (Indira Gandhi International Airport) as it lies at the nearest distance from National War Memorial. The airport is well established and properly connected with a lot of Indian airports, therefore you can get flights easily both to and fro. From the airport, you can easily book a cab or some other means of public transport to reach your destination.
- From Kanpur. Board Spice Jet flights from Kanpur Airport. The airfares can cost you around INR 5000
- From Goa. Board Go Air, Vistara, IndiGo flights from Goa International Airport. The airfares start from INR 6000
Popular Domestic Flights to Delhi
By Train
The nearest railway station to National War Memorial is the Delhi Railway station. You can easily take direct trains to this place from most of the major Indian cities. Once you reach the station, choose any of the local transportation methods to cover the rest of your journey.
- From Ambala. Board SVDK VANDEBHARAT from Ambala Cant Junction and deboard at the New Delhi Railway Station.
- From Mumbai. Board NZM RAJDHANI SPL from Mumbai Central and deboard at the New Delhi Railway Station.
- From Patna. Board DRBG NDLS AC SPL from Patliputra and deboard at New Delhi Railway Station.
By Road
Being the capital and metropolitan city, Delhi never lacks ways of transportation as its road network is spread widely. As the city is well-connected with the nearby areas, therefore you will not find any challenges in reaching the iconic place of Delhi's National War Memorial. Keeping your convenience and budget in mind, you can choose to travel there by metro, bus, cab, and if within the city, then you can also choose between e-rickshaw and auto-rickshaw, whatever suits you the best.
- From Chattisgarh. 1240.8 Km via NH 44
- From Dehradun. 247.1 Km via Saharanpur Rd
- From Gurgaon. 32.4 Km via NH44
You can plan your trip and create your own route to the city with Adotrip’s technically driven circuit planner. Click here.
