Khadi Marigolds for the Martyrs of Jallianwala Bagh (India)

Abstract

Folklorists have long studied the nature of ephemeralities in a range of vernacular responses to tragic events. This paper extends the scope of ephemeralities by arguing that the tangible representations, such as buildings and objects, are important anchors for socially reconstructing historical events. Focusing on the site of a cold-blooded genocide in India—Jallianwala Bagh—the present analysis transcends a predominant western frame of reference to highlight the imperativeness of preserving the trauma site, as it happened. The analysis reveals that a critical esthetic aspect of the site is the tangible absence of bodily ephemerality—an aspect that is intricately tied to martyrdom as opposed to victimhood. With the rise of transgressions that potentially rupture esthetics of memorial sites, it becomes essential to look for alternate tangible representations that transcend the spatial confines of the trauma sites. The quest ends with Khadi Marigolds that embody the essence of Jallianwala Bagh massacre and holds the key for perpetuating the memories of the martyrs for years to come in the service of “never again”.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The author is grateful to three anonymous reviewers of the manuscript whose comments have helped in improving the manuscript considerably.

Notes

1 Personally conveyed to the author by the local inhabitants of Amritsar on a field visit during September 2022. For several people, acquainted with the generational pain of the massacre, adding “joyful” murals to the narrow lane was antithetical to the sombre interpretation that the lane evoked—that was purposefully chosen by General Dyer. The narrow escape point, sealed by Dyer’s men, effectively turned the Bagh into a death trap for people.

2 There have been sporadic attempts noted for memorial aesthetics in India (Khetrapal and Karmakar 2022) and in Bangladesh (Mookherjee 2011).

3 https://zeenews.india.com/india/renovation-of-jallianwala-bagh-divide-kin-of-martyrs-2391636.html

4 For further personal reflections on the sanctity of the narrow lane, https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/features/the-jallianwala-bagh-makeover-307035

5 This aesthetic element should be contrasted with the display of relics from once living individuals—human hair—at Auschwitz that serve as a signifier of Jewish victimisation. Here, the deceased are painfully present through their bodily remains (Jacobs 2008). Thus, the significance of absence has been downplayed. As a result, the bodily remains represent the lost lives of victims.

6 Martyrdom, as a concept, is not culturally monolithic. The concept is also not unique to Christianity. Similar concepts, such as kedoshim, in Judaism, is used for those who have got glory to God by sacrificing their life (Bélanger et al. 2014). Shahid, in Arabic, means both martyr and witness. In Sikhism, a martyr is someone who dies not just on the battlefield but is also someone who suffers death by refusing to give-up her/his tenets and principles (Kaur 2013). Tangible representations of culturally-specific conceptualisations of martyrdom is a topic of deliberation that is likely to gain momentum in the future (e.g, Winter 2015).

7 Despite the contested claims (Christoyannopoulos 2021).

8 https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/punjab/news-detail-742246

9 The handwoven and hand-spun fabric—Khadi—came to occupy a special place over the course of the Indian freedom struggle against the British due to the efforts of Mahatma Gandhi. Initiated as a means of economic relief for people residing in the Indian villages, the very act of weaving and spinning was elevated as an ideology for self-governance and self-sufficiency.

10 Mimicking its counterpart, Flanders Poppy, Khadi Marigold was meant to be worn by those who were willing to commemorate the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre.

Additional information

Funding

The author is indebted to the financial support received from the O.P. Jindal Global University, through Staff Development Funds, for visiting and learning about Auschwitz (Poland) in July 2022.

Notes on contributors

Neha Khetrapal

Neha Khetrapal is an Associate Professor at the Jindal Institute of Behavioural Sciences, Room 315, T1, 3rd floor, O.P. Jindal Global University, Sonipat-Narela Road, Near Jagdishpur Village, Sonipat, Haryana-131001, India. E-mail: [email protected]