The National Martyrs Memorial Hussainiwala
The famous National Martyrs Memorial marks the location where Bhagat Singh, Sukhdev and Rajguru were cremated on March 23, 1931 on the banks of the Sutlej river. It is also the cremation place of B.K. Dutta (Batukeshwar Dutt) (Died 1965) who was also involved in bombing the Central Legislative Assembly with Bhagat Singh. His last wish was to be cremated at the place where Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev where cremated. The mother of Bhagat Singh, Vidyawati, was also cremated there in accordance with her last wish, and later she was awarded the title of Punjab Mata (Mother of Punjab).the border is also seen by many peoples of other countries and cities also.
The National Martyrs Memorial Hussainiwala, built in 1968, depicts an irrepressible revolutionary spirit of the three National Martyrs, Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. The memorial is located just one km from the India-Pakistan border on the Indian side and has memorials of Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev. After Partition, the cremation spot went to Pakistan but on January 17, 1961, this martyr’s land was received when India gave 12 villages near the Sulemanki Headworks (Fazilka) to Pakistan. But the irony of the fate is that during 1971 Indo-Pak war, the statues of these very martyrs were removed and taken away by Pakistan army and have not been returned till today. B.K. Dutt was also cremated here on 19 July 1965 and in accordance with his last wishes. Bhagat Singh’s mother, Punjab Mata Vidyawati, was also cremated here in accordance with her last wish.
This memorial was damaged by the withdrawing Pakistani troops in 1972. They also removed the busts of the three national heroes during 1971 war when the area was captured by Pakistani troops. The memorial came up once again in 1973 due to the efforts of the then Punjab Chief Minister, Giani Zail Singh.
Every year, on the 23rd of March, the Shaheedi Mela is observed at this National Martyrs Memorial at Hussainiwala, in which thousands of people pay their homage.