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Allahabad Museum soon to open “Digital Azad Gallery”
The gallery, built for ₹8 crore, will be open to the public soon, according to the Allahabad Museum
As a tribute to legendary freedom fighter Chandra Shekhar Azad who laid down his life while fighting the British in Prayagraj on February 27, 1931, and whose 116th birth anniversary is set to be celebrated on Saturday, the Allahabad Museum has set up the first “Digital Azad Gallery” to preserve his memories.
Set up for ₹8 crore, the gallery would soon open for the people, informed Allahabad Museum officials.
In this, the historical events of the first freedom struggle of 1857 to other events leading to the country’s independence in 1947 like Chandra Shekhar Azad’s death at the then Alfred Park to the Kakori incident, Dandi March and the glory of the revolutionaries have been displayed on the digital screen with photos and facts for interactive display with the help of National Council of Science Museums, they added.
Azad’s pistol is still the centre of attraction at the Museum. But after a few days when one visits the museum, the screen behind the Central Hall will showcase the Azad Gallery.
In this, the story of “Chandra Shekhar Tiwari” becoming “Chandra Shekhar Azad” will be available in digital form. The gallery will have a life-like statue of Azad with British soldiers firing bullets and Azad’s fellow revolutionary Sardar Bhagat Singh throwing bombs in the British assembly would be visible with the help of life-size statues. An 1857 cannon and World War-I machine gun will also be an attraction of this gallery.
The inauguration of the world’s first state-of-the-art Digital Azad Gallery was proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 23. For this, even preparations were made by the museum. But the formal opening has now been postponed for the time being. The museum and construction agency’s representatives are engaged in giving the final touches to the Azad gallery.
Allahabad Museum’s acting director and vice-chancellor of Prof Rajendra Singh (Rajju Bhaiya) University, Prayagraj Akhilesh Kumar Singh said that Azad Digital Gallery would depict events and details related to Chandra Shekhar Azad as well as other events of the independence struggle in a unique blend of modern, digital and traditional modes in an interesting manner for all visitors. “The gallery is ready and would soon be inaugurated,” he added.
Assistant Curator of Allahabad Museum Rajesh Mishra said that this is the first-of-its-kind digital gallery dedicated to Chandra Shekhar Azad. “Interesting voiceovers, digital depiction of events related to Azad would be a unique feature of this gallery,” he added.
The former head of the department of medieval and modern history, University of Allahabad Prof Yogeshwar Tewari said that documents show that Azad was a regular visitor to Allahabad (now Prayagraj) and Anand Bhawan, in particular.
“There have been instances where Pt Motilal Nehru secretly gave funds to Azad. In February 1931, when Azad got the news of Motilal Nehru’s demise, he visited Anand Bhawan. This was his last visit there. In the days that followed, Azad died while fighting the British police force in Alfred Park (now named after him as Chandra Shekhar Azad Park),” he shared.
The activities of Azad Azad were known to other revolutionaries of Allahabad. Prof Tewari said that Azad often loaned bicycles from the people of the city and they all cooperated with him. Akshat Lal, Prof Tewari’s research scholar, in his research finding has explained how the affluent families of George Town locality used to silently support the activities of Azad in Allahabad. “Children from the family of Peary Lal Banerji and George Banerji in George Town were given the task of silently distributing Azad’s pamphlets. In the same way, revolutionaries of the time from Katra and Chowk also volunteered for Azad and his activities in India’s freedom struggle,” he added.
