Kathmandu, January 21. The Indian government has announced that the Amar Jawan Jyoti ceremonial flame, which has been burning for 50 years, will be relocated from India Gate to the recently constructed National War Memorial.

A portion of the flame will be taken along the Guard Contingent to ignite the torch at the National War Memorial in an official ceremony on Friday afternoon. The flame at India Gate will then be extinguished.

Amar Jyoti since 1972

The Amar Jawan Jyoti flame was lighted in 1972 at the Indo-Pakistani War memorial site built on the grounds of India Gate.

Every year on Republic Day, the President, Prime Minister, Chief of the Air Staff, Chief of the Naval Staff, Chief of the Army Staff, and dignitaries lay a wreath at Amar Jawan Jyoti to pay tribute to the heroes who died fighting against Pakistan.

National War Memorial

In 2019, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the National War Memorial, which was built in honour of nearly 26,000 deceased Indian soldiers who served in the country’s wars and conflicts since independence.

The names of the soldiers killed in the greatest battles and operations are written in gold inscriptions on the walls of the memorial.

The Memorial which spreads over an area of 40-acres has  four concentric circles:

• Amar Chakra (Circle of Immortality): symbolises the immortality of the spirit of fallen soldiers
• Veerta Chakra (Circle of Bravery): showcases bravery of Indian forces on murals carved on bronze plates
• Tyag Chakra (Circle of Sacrifice): symbolise the ancient war formation ‘Chakravyuh” on granite tablets.
• Rakshak Chakra (Circle of Protection): composed of rows of trees that symbolizes all-round protection to citizens of the country