Forgotten: The war memorial at Dipatoli in Ranchi. (Prashant Mitra)

Either the capital’s patriotism has taken a dip or civilians don’t feel at ease with the army, but the state’s sole War Memorial at Dipatoli has too few visitors.

Despite the overtures of the Indian Army’s 23 Infantry Division to popularise the War Memorial — even the initial Rs 5 per head entry charge has been scrapped — turnout is low.

A senior army officer said that many residents didn’t even know that the memorial was open to the public, much less that it boasted rare war memorabilia.

“We’d like people to come and know about how Jharkhand’s soldiers fought valiantly for future generations,” he said.

But the single-digit or blank entries on pages in the visitors’ register testify to the low footfall at the two-acre structure built in memory of Jharkhand’s martyrs by the 23 Infantry Division with state funds amounting to Rs 2 crore.

It had a promising beginning, though.

The memorial’s foundation was laid by Paramveer Chakra Albert Ekka’s widow Balamdina in February 2007 and was inaugurated by former Governor Syed Sibtey Razi on October 31, 2008.

True to army standards, the site is maintained impeccably. With manicured greens, a sepoy-turned-guide to show visitors around and a general well-scrubbed air, it has the right ambience. Inside, there are rare war memorabilia, trophies and artefacts.

But the low turnout is a big turnoff for the guards and the guide.

“No one comes to this beautiful place. We wait anxiously for visitors. But somehow, no one is interested although there are no entry charges,” said a sentry.

Disinterest isn’t the only reason. Misgivings regarding the army deter many civilians.

“No one wants to face grilling by the army personnel. The place (War Memorial) looks good from outside, but the army is unpredictable and tight-lipped,” said Manohar, a pedestrian at Dipatoli, on being asked why he had never taken his family for a visit to the memorial.

Army personnel felt otherwise. “The only possible explanation for the low turnout is that people don’t feel the need to give respect to martyrs in whose memory this memorial has been built,” the officer said. “The memorial means a lot to us, but unfortunately, not to civilians,” he rued.

The army is cautious, however, not to brand the memorial a park.

“The sanctity of this site has to be maintained. We don’t want lovebirds flocking the place. But we’d like people, especially youngsters, to come here and know about the courageous sacrifices of state heroes,” the officer said.

Why are war heroes banished to amnesia during peace?

Tell ttkhand@abpmail.com