Ranchi temple hoists tricolour

A temple on a hilltop in Ranchi hoisted the national flag on Wednesday, like it does every year, in the memory of dozens of freedom fighters who were hung from trees nearby by the British.

A temple on a hilltop in Ranchi hoisted the national flag on Wednesday, like it does every year, in the memory of dozens of freedom fighters who were hung from trees nearby by the British.

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Pahari Mandir, as the temple is known, is located on a 2,000-feet hill where the British used to hang many freedom fighters.

"There is a saying that Sahdeo Lal, a freedom fighter, was to be hanged and his last wish was to pray at the temple here. He offered his prayers and it is believed that the deity appeared before him and asked the British to quit India," said Manoj Kumar Mishra, a temple priest.

"More than a dozen freedom fighters were hanged from trees located near the temple," he said.

The tricolour is hoisted atop the temple every year since Independence and sweets are distributed - a ceremony attended by thousands of people.