IndUsually, as dusk falls, this monument in Palayam remains invisible to people speeding home from work. But on Wednesday night, it was lit up with candlelight as military veterans gathered around the ‘War Memorial’ to pay tributes to the lives lost during Operation Sindoor.
“We wanted to convey a strong message to the nation that the veterans can still fight for the country if the situation demands,” says Indian Naval Veterans Society secretary Sunil Kumar S.
Air Force and Army veterans also had joined in the show of solidarity at the stoic War Memorial, stationed in a location that was once the headquarters of the Nair Pattalam (battalion) of the Army of the erstwhile state of Travancore. The steely silence of the surroundings was shattered as the veterans spoke of their resolve.
The War Memorial is one of the military-related monuments in Thiruvananthapuram that has drawn renewed attention since Operation Sindoor began. Previously, its location — opposite the Fine Arts College — was known more as a geographical landmark than as a monument honouring the soldiers from the region who participated in World War I.
“The story behind monuments such as these is forgotten over the years,” says Diksha Kaladhar, a member of the nearby State Central Library, who was inspired to look up the history of the War Memorial following the launch of Operation Sindoor.
“The memorial bears the inscription marking the period during which the soldiers served in the ‘Great War’ (as the First World War was known): 1914 to 1921. Though the war officially ended in 1918, the extended period accounts for the time taken by soldiers to return home.”
It was in 1914, when the war broke out, that the British colonial administration sought assistance from the princely states. Travancore’s Maharaja Sree Moolam Thirunal was the first to send troops. According to historians, Travancore’s support was offered in the hope of securing a more influential voice for India.
Interestingly, men from Travancore were also sent to fight in the Crimean War (1853–1856) on behalf of the British, though this remains a lesser-known fact, with no memorials commemorating it.
As the soldiers returned after WW I, a monument was erected at the army headquarters — but it was later effaced for “reasons that remain unclear”.
During the reign of Sri Chithira Thirunal Balarama Varma, C P Ramaswami Iyer, the diwan of Travancore from 1936 to 1947, reconstructed the memorial.
The inscription on the monument reads: “To the memory of the men of the Indian Army recruited from the State of Travancore who lost their lives in the service of the Empire during the Great War 1914 – 1921.”
In later years, due to lack of space, the Army cantonment was shifted to Pangode, where the main war monuments of Travancore are now housed. The War Memorial, however, remained where it was originally built.
Until a few years ago, Army personnel would march up to the memorial to pay their respects on designated dates — a practice that was eventually discontinued.
The monument was later renovated, with restoration works, including the installation of a protective wall and lighting. Its upkeep is now overseen by the Kerala State Ex-Servicemen’s League and visiting officers.
Now, following persistent demands, a post-Independence war memorial is being constructed at Akkulam, where the Southern Air Command is based. “Work began last year. Despite some delays in funding, the second phase is expected to be completed within the December 7 deadline,” says Paul A T, assistant director, Department of Sainik Welfare.
Historian M G Sasibhooshan notes that such “war memorials stand as symbols of sacrifice by defence personnel, and as reminders of the pain and loss war creates”.
However, veterans who gathered at the War Memorial on Wednesday believe that symbolism alone is not enough. “We are remembered only during times of conflict,” says Sunil Kumar, a former Navy petty officer.
“We have lived a disciplined life, putting our nation first before everything else. And this stays with us throughout, making our productivity high. We are ever-ready to serve the nation. Are we being utilised enough?”