Over 300 rare photographs of freedom fighters on display

More than 300 photos and paintings of freedom fighters who participated in various movements for India's independence from the revolt of 1857 are on display at a museum here.
The venue of the exhibition is the Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall, being managed by a committee of volunteers.
"The museum was established in 1992 to conserve the photographs of forgotten heroes of our freedom struggle," Desh Bhagat Yadgar Hall Committee trustee and museum incharge Gurmeet Singh told PTI.
While in 1992, the museum had photographs of only 70 leaders, they have gathered around 200-250 photographs in the past three-four years, Singh said, adding it is a work in progress.

"There are photographs of heroes of 1857 revolt till the attainment of freedom, whose memories have been erased from public consciousness," he said.
Photographs of freedom fighters who participated in the revolt of 1857, Kooka agitation and other Bengali, Marathi and Kanpur agitations are kept here, he said.

"It also has pictures of the 'Pagdhi Sambhal Jatta' agitation launched by freedom fighter Bhagat Singh's uncle Sardar Ajit Singh," he added.
Apart from these, there are photographs of leaders of the Gadar Party movement, Babbar Akali agitation, Kirti party agitation and the Bhagat Singh-led Naujavan Bharat Sena, Singh said.
Remains of freedom fighters found during the excavation in Ajnala region of Punjab has also been kept here, he said.

Apart from photographs from jails in various parts in India, we have also obtained them from jails in London, Canada, America and Pakistan, including the Lahore jail, she said.
Some of the pictures have been taken from newspapers of that time and documents of the proceedings of cases against the freedom fighters, Gurmeet added.
The committee has appealed to the people to come forward with any rare pictures or other material they have so that those can be displayed at the museum.