E-Paper
A shrine in UP remembers India's freedom fighters
The 'Swaraj Temple' in Saharanpur is a shrine which has tales of several freedom fighters etched in marble.
A visit to any temple or mosque usually reveals some ancient saying or pear of wisdom that have stood the test of time.
The 'Swaraj Temple' in Uttar Pradesh's Saharanpur District is, however, a shrine with a difference. This unique temple has tales of several freedom fighters etched in marble.
Located in Sarsava, the Swaraj Temple was constructed by noted freedom fighter Shayam Lal Kaushik with the intention of creating an awareness among the younger generation about India's struggle for freedom from their British colonial rulers.
The museum-cum-temple narrates the tales of many freedom fighters like Lala Lajpat Rai, Mahatma Gandhi, Subash Chandra Bose, Tara Chand Sethi, Dr. Jaiprakash Thakur Phool Singh and many others.
"One can find more than 152 tales of freedom fighters and we are planning to include all these tales in this unique museum. All the tales are engraved on marble and it is very different from the scripts of book. This museum would indeed be different in India," claims Shashi Raman Kaushik, the President, Swaraj Temple, Sarsava.
According to Kaushik, who is the son son of Shyam Lal, Kaushik, the inspiration to construct this museum came from his grandmother. In 1970, she went to the Manas Temple in Varanasi and found the Ramayana written on marble. She then inspired everyone to build a museum narrating the stories of India's freedom fighters.
"Constructing such museum is a good medium to make the young generation aware about the freedom fighters and their contribution. It is indeed a wonderful initiative," said Surendra Kapil, the vice president of the Swaraj Temple and a former Member of Parliament from Saharanpur.
The construction of the museum was started in 1972 by Shyam Lal Kaushik who was also the President of the Municipal Corporation of Saharanpur.
Shayam Lal went to every freedom fighter's house and collected all the facts to make this historical museum. It took him eight years to collect the data.
A book was also published by him on the hundred years of Congress.
