New Delhi: Prayagraj, a city in Uttar Pradesh, in one of the holiest places in India. It is the place of the Triveni Sangam, the “three-river confluence” of the Ganges, Yamuna, and the mythical Sarasvati. It has been mentioned in the ancient Hindu texts and in the Vedas, it has been venerated as Prayaga. In the late Vedic period, it was known as Kosambi and was named by Hastinapur’s Kuru rulers who developed it as their capital.
Centuries later, Mughal Emperor Akbar founded Ilahabas which became known as Allahabad and was renamed Prayagraj a few years back. The city has many important historical places and the Chandra Shekhar Azad Park is one of them. In this article, we will take a look at the history and importance of this park.
Chandra Shekhar Azad Park: The place where a freedom fighter was martyred
Formerly known as Alfred Park and later as Company Bagh during the Company Raj, the Chandra Shekhar Azad Park is a public park in Prayagraj. It was built in 1870 to mark the visit of Prince Alfred to the city. To those wondering, Alfred was sovereign Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha from August 22, 1893, until his death in 1900 and he as the second son of Queen Victoria. He was known as the Duke of Edinburgh from 1866 and later he became the Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in the German Empire.
It is the biggest park in the city and covers an area of 133 acres. The Uttar Pradesh government named it after revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad who sacrificed his life there in 1931 while fighting the British Raj. Azad died there on February 27, 1931, after engaging in a fierce gun battle with the British forces.
The memorials at the Chandra Shekhar Azad Park
The Chandra Shekhar Azad Park has several memorials, including the Chandra Shekhar Azad Memorial which marks the place where Azad sacrificed his life. There is also the Victoria Memorial, a large canopy made of Italian limestone and dedicated to Queen Victoria, the Allahabad Museum, the Allahabad Public Library and the Madan Mohan Malviya Stadium.
How did Chandra Shekhar Azad die?
Chandra Shekhar Azad was a revolutionary who believed in armed resistance against the British Raj. To avenge the death of Lala Rajpat Rai, he conspired with revolutionaries like Bhagat Singh, Shivaram Rajguru and Sukhdev Thapar to assassinate the Superintendent of police, James A. Scott. However, they mistakenly killed John P. Saunders, an Assistant Superintendent of Police and Azad shot dead a head constable Channan Singh.
On February 27, 1931, the police was tipped off that Azad was at Alfred Park with Sukhdev Raj. The police arrived at the park and surrounded it from all four sides. Some constables entered the park and a shootout began. Azad, despite being badly wounded, killed three policemen and helped Sukhdev to escape. Azad hid behind a tree and continued the shootout. Finally, Azad stayed true to his pledge to always remain Azad (Free) and shot himself in the head with the last bullet of his gun. His body was sent to Rasulabad Ghat for cremation and the general public was not informed. Once people got to know, they surrounded the park and chanted slogans against the British government and praised Azad.
Chandra Shekhar Azad Park in Prayagraj, initially Alfred Park, holds immense historical significance. Established in 1870, it was renamed to honor the revolutionary Chandra Shekhar Azad, who died there in a 1931 shootout with British forces. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
