The Amritsar Massacre

April 13, 1919 was a horrific day for us civilians. We gathered together at Jallianwala Bagh in Amritsar for the celebration of Baisakhi. This particular Sunday started out beautifully but quickly turned fatal because of General Dyers actions. I am here to tell the story on behalf of all of those who survived.

That morning my mother and father woke me around 5:30 so I could complete my chores before the celebration. I was so excited about the Baisakhi festival I was not bothered by this. I swept the floors, took out the trash, and collected the laundry. I danced and sang with elation; it was going to be the best day ever. After my chores were completed, my mother rushed me to the dressing room excited to see me in my brand new salwar-kamiz.

While I was dressing, I heard a faint knock at the front door. My father opened the door and welcomed the guest. I peaked around the corner to see who it was; it was my mother’s friend, Murree. She signaled my mother and father out the door hastily.  After the door slowly shut behind them, I slipped around the corner and placed my ear against the door. I could faintly hear them talking about General Dyer and a ban on the gathering. I heard my mother and father gasp, which was never good. I ran quickly back to the dressing room before they reentered.  A few moments later I heard the slight creak of the dressing room door as my mother came back to get me.

We walked to the Jallianwala Bagh with my mother’s friend, her husband, and son. In the distance, I could see the massive gathering of people. I could also see some of General Dyer’s men nearby, making me uneasy.

When we reached the gathering, I almost immediately saw Udham, my best friend.  As we all gathered, Udham and I sat down to gossip near two older gentleman playing dice. A few yards away my mother and father were listening to the man speaking about politics. In the opposite direction, another man was sleeping, as he had no interest in politics. As a small group passed us, they asked if we would watch their stuff as they went into the temple. We generously accepted.

I saw General Dyer enter Jallianwala Bagh; he stood next to one of his men holding a rifle. The soldier nodded as the General told him his orders. I slowly rotated on the balls of my feet counting 50 heavily armed soldiers.

Out of the corner of my eye I saw three more armed soldiers stand as the General gave them orders. Once each soldier stood General Dyer nodded. Moments later General Dyer slowly raised his hand. As he did, the soldiers raised their guns. Each soldier, in perfect unison, raised their rifles to their shoulder. As they stared down the barrel of their gun, General Dyer yelled “fire.” A moment later, fifty loud rifles kicked and screamed. The crowed was shocked with fear and started to run frantic. A man standing to my right yelled to the crowd that the soldiers were only firing blanks. A moment later a women and her child at the edge of the crowd fell to the ground. A bullet had pierced the boy’s leg while another bullet pierced his mother’s heart killing her instantly.

I stood in the middle of the crowed while thousands of people pushed passed me. I was stuck looking like a stone statue, the perfect target for a soldier. I turned slowly, taking in the horrific massacre. Each turn I made, another body fell, men, women, and innocent children all dropping to the ground.

I saw the old man that had been playing dice lying dead next to his game board with a bloody hole through his chest. His perfect white clothes were now drenched with dark pouring blood. I stood there watching the blood pool around his lifeless body. I could do nothing but stand and watch. Although my brain was telling me to run, my feet wouldn’t move. I couldn’t see my parents or Udham. I felt alone and helpless.

Another round of shots came minutes later and more people fell. I finally felt the adrenaline push my feet to move. It was my turn to push past thousands of people and to find my family. I ran past crying widows bent over their dead husbands with their children sobbing next to them. I searched the crowd looking for familiar faces.  I ran and ran until I tripped and stumbled into a tall man. He was standing and crying over his wife and child. The father bent down to touch his son and wife one last time before running with the crowd. I turned around to see how many more of my people had fallen. I pivoted on my toes and spotted my mother and father just a few yards ahead.

I ran and pushed until I reached them. I wrapped my arms around my mother when another round of shots came. The sound of the shots didn’t faze me until my mother’s grip became weak. My father screamed my mother’s name as I kept her from falling to the ground. I moved my hands down her back until I could feel the warm blood coming from her small body. Warm tears ran down my cheeks staining my face. I saw my father drop to his knees in agony. He placed his face in his hands and cried my mother’s name. I slowly dropped my mother’s limp, bloody body to the ground. I sat next to her and cried with my father. Another round of shots came and went. I prayed that a bullet would find its way to me. I prayed that it would put me out of my agony that it would take me to my mother. I could see in my father’s face that he felt the same. I reached over and touched his shoulder and told him we had to leave. He nodded his head slowly, as another stream of tears fell from his eyes. I reached over my mother’s body to give her one last hug.

 My father and I got up and backed away. We stepped over all those who were injured and dead. My father and I ran towards the exit as another round of shots were fired. Three people surrounding us were hit and injured; another two were hit and died. As my father and I ran past, I saw my mother’s close friend crying over her son and husband. I stopped my father and pointed at the grieving women. He nodded his approval and we ran to her. She looked up at us with fear and pain in her face. My father hugged her and told her to follow us. She gave her husband and son one last kiss before leaving their side. We started for the exit once again. Another round of shots came only injuring a few.

 We were close to the exit when we were pushed to the edge of the crowd. We could see each soldier reloading his rifle calmly. I saw General Dyer raise his hand, which meant another round would be fired. We were pushing our way back to the center when a piercing pain went through my leg. I fell to the ground tripping two women. I called to my father saying that I had been hit. We both looked at my leg to see that it was leaking blood quicker than my body could supply it. He looked me in the eyes and told me to hang on. Murree ripped off part of her dress to wrap my injured thigh. Once tied and secure my father lifted me off the ground and carried me. As we got closer to the exit, I became lightheaded and unaware. I heard one more round of fire before falling unconscious.

I woke up the next day asking for my mother and soon realized she had died the day before. I asked my father how many innocent people had died. He answered with a tear in his eye, “379.” My eyes filled with tears, because I knew my mother was one of them. My father sat on the side of the cot and held me.

I believe General Dyer is at fault for all 379 deaths on this day. I will take that day to my grave and so should he. He should have to think about each death he caused as he rots in prison. His actions caused hundreds of innocent women and children to be brutally murdered. 

Reviews

[Happy hours]

jallianwala bagh massacre...It brings tear in my eyes...I visit there in 2011..what disappoints me most was the people who were clicking photos..giggling and laughing at the same time...that was a shame...I don't know why I cried at that place for hours and my friends were trying to control my emotion...thank you for sharing.

[Marie]

What a dreadful thing that must have been--to lose your mother in such a way. You tell the story well and excitingly, but it's very sad.