JAISALMER, Rajasthan: The Army’s Laungewala War Memorial, first of its kind on the Western front, is attracting footfalls with around 2,000 people visiting the very site where the India-Pakistan battle was fought in 1971.
People are having thrilling experience visiting the site where the Pakistani offensive was blunted, as they see the captured war trophies, vintage equipment including tanks, guns and military vehicles on the display at the memorial, defense sources said.
“A 10-minute video on the battle of Laungewala is screened to the visitors on their entry which has the lucid account of the battle, interview with Major (later Brigadier) Kuldip Singh Chandpuri, Maha Vir Chakra, the hero of the Laungewala battle, who gives a vivid description of the heroic deeds of the gallant soldiers,” Defense Spokesperson Lt Col Manish Ojha said.
“Visitors are told that how Chandpuri motivated handful of soldiers which he had at the post to face the Pakistan Army and gave a humiliating defeat to the enemy. He was heavily outnumbered by enemy amour and infantry but the soldiers led by Chandpuri fought the decisive battle against heavy odds on the border,” he said.
The memorial, which is nearly two hours away from Jaisalmer, was inaugurated on August 24 and since then nearly 2,000 people have visited it. The footfall is set to increase with the beginning of the tourist season.
After the audio-visual, the visitors are shown the museum where the scene of the battle has been recreated at the actual site of the battle with the means of bunkers, minefields, communication trench, jeep, destroyed enemy tanks and vehicles to give an insight as to how the battle was fought on the eventful night of December 4-5, 1971, Ojha said.
The murals of the soldiers, whose supreme sacrifice led to victory in the Laungewala battle and the 106 mm Recoilless Gun (main anti tank weapon) employed to destroy a number of Pakistani tanks occupy a place in the memorial.
Famous Bollywood movie “Border” released in 1997 was also based on the battle in which the Laungewala war has been depicted.
In the film, actor Sunny Deol essayed the role of Major Kuldip Singh Chandpuri.
A theme based ‘Border’ Cafe has also been developed in the memorial.
Souvenirs related to Indian Army in general and Laungewala War in particular, ranging from coffee mugs, caps, T-shirts to key chains are available in the memorial.–PTI
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