Fort William Kolkata Is A Historic Place That Holds Stories of Colonial Bengal And The 1971 War

In the early hours of 16th December, Pakistan Surrendered to India in Dhaka after a 13-day-long liberation war. Casualties and deaths cannot be figured in numbers however, the battle engraved scars and fear among the soldiers from both fronts. The history has been recorded ever since and to date, the war veterans are haunted by the nightmares of bloodshed and deaths of their people. History never repeats itself but preserving history is a form of art that takes immense effort and dedication.

Fort William, a museum and headquarters to the Eastern Command of the Indian Army, holds distinct features and memories from the 1971 war. The structure holds memories and showcases some of the artillery and shells used in the 1971 war. It has gained a spell of popularity over the past 2 years as civilians are now allowed to enter the museum and have a chance to see the various machines and guns that were used during the battle.

On the day of Vijay Diwas, the veterans and the soldiers could remember the day when they were fighting the liberation war. One of the prominent figures, Sekhar Chakraborty was one of the soldiers of the liberation war. The individual was a Major General in the Indian Army and under his command were 4 Gorkha Rifles who were a part of the liberation war.

The Vijay Diwas marked history with a series of events despite the constant deterioration of the Indo-Bangladesh relations. The command museum is not just home to the Eastern Command but also a British-built museum. It holds the resonance of the India-Pakistan War of 1971, The India-China War, and the Second World War.

Not many are aware of the existence of the museum because it was recently opened. However, for some, it serves as a prominent place to pay homage to veterans and the fighters who lost lives saving the motherland. Fort William played a significant role in the Battle of 1971 war. Serving as a major operation and strategic decision center, Fort William earned its reputation to be one of the leading commands in Eastern India.

Six dedicated galleries record each of the events starting from the pre-independence movements to the post-war freedom fighters. Fort William has many more rooms and dedicated places where the inhabitants of the current troops are deployed. According to a book published by David Lockwoods, “Calcutta served as an industrial center, a port, and a transit point for troops moving up to fight the Japanese in Malaya and then in Burma. It was a city of considerable strategic importance to the allies.”

The galleries hold the flag etiquette where the flags are hosted upside down, gathered from battlefronts in the 1971 war. The largest flag belongs to the 18th Punjab Regiment who brought back the regiment flag after they captured Jessore.

The museum displays records of the bravery of the martyred soldiers and independent groups that came into force to fight Pakistan and their agenda. Mukti Bahining was one of the groups that have been highlighted in the place. “There may be some museums dedicated to guns and artillery, but the one at Fort William is a war museum and we do not have this anywhere else in the state,” Claims Sekhar Chakraborti.