Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, the great Indian freedom fighter, holds a special place in the hearts of all Indians. Many young men and women of India grow up idolizing him. While more of us relate him with Orissa and West Bengal, places associated with his early life, only a few know that he has also left an imprint of his love for his country in the remote northeastern state of Manipur.
To learn more about the relation between Netaji and Manipur, we traveled to Moirang from Imphal to visit the Indian National Army (INA) complex.
Moirang is a small town of Manipur located about 45 km away from its capital Imphal. Moirang’s history is intertwined with the history of the Indian Independence Movement in a very special way.
As our car stopped in front of the INA Complex, we could see a grand statue of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose standing inside the gates of the complex. After going inside, we were requested to submit our camera and smartphones at a kiosk and then ushered in to visit the museum inside.
Being big admirers of Netaji, we could not hold back our excitement as we went in humming the tunes of “Kadam kadam badaye ja.”
Let me first brief you a bit on the history of this INA Complex before describing the actual place.
The Indian National Army or the Azad Hind Fauz as it was popularly called, was an armed force established to fight against the British Raj to free India from British rule. The Force was established by Rash Behari Bose, a revolutionary Indian freedom fighter. He later handed over the reins of this Army to Netaji who then led the force.
On April 14, 1944, the Indian tricolor was unfurled for the first time on liberated soil. Netaji led the INA to defeat the British in Moirang and established a provisional independent government in the area. The flag of independent India was then hoisted in Moirang.
Today, the INA headquarters in Moirang still stands although it was substantially damaged during a past earthquake. The museum where that we were visiting, however, was located at the spot where the INA members first hoisted the Indian tricolor.
As we wandered through the rooms of the INA museum, we saw many rare and special photographs of Netaji and other notable members of the Azad Hind Force. With the help of these photographs, numerous letters handwritten by Netaji, and other related artifacts we were able to trace the footsteps of Netaji as he bravely conquered all odds to earn freedom for his beloved nation.
We also saw the map tracing Netaji’s journey in a German submarine for over three months from Germany to Singapore.
The exhibits at the museum are arranged very wisely to produce imagery before your eyes about the activities of INA in Southeast Asia for the cause of India’s liberation. Netaji’s achievements as the INA leader are also portrayed excellently in the museum. Battles between the British and the INA forces at Imphal and Kohima have also been well-documented at the museum.
Historians believe that the activities of Netaji and his INA were enough to rattle the British and force them to leave India for good.
As we swelled with pride about the brave sons of the India soil, we came out of the museum and stood at the very spot where the Indian tricolor was hoisted by the INA. It was another emotional moment for us as it reminds us of the immense sacrifices made by Indians for their country’s independence.
Afterward, we also visited the INA Complex Library which is a vast collection of literary works, both fiction and non-fiction, related to Netaji and the INA, India’s struggle for independence, the history of Manipur, and other aspects about Manipur.
We returned to our car feeling very proud and content. For all those who have grown up loving and admiring Netaji, we would suggest at least a one-time visit to this INA Museum in Manipur.
Also, Manipur is full of many other wonders which you can explore as mentioned below:
1. Manipur tour-part 1-Kangla Palace
https://oishimaya.blogspot.com/2019/02/manipur-tour-part-1-visit-to-historic.html
2. Manipur tour-part 2-Shree Govindajee Temple
https://oishimaya.blogspot.com/2019/02/manipur-tour-part-2-visit-to-shree.html
3. Manipur tour-part 3-Sadu Chiru Waterfall
https://oishimaya.blogspot.com/2019/02/manipur-tour-part-3-visit-to-sadu-chiru.html
4. Manipur tour-part 4-Keibul Lamjao National Park, World's Only Floating National Park
5. Manipur Tour Part 6: The Loktak Lake, A True Marvel Of Manipur
6. Manipur Tour-Part 7: Visiting The World's Oldest Living Polo Ground In Imphal
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