101 Facts About Jallianwala Bagh Massacre

Here are 101 facts about the Jallianwala Bagh Massacre, which occurred on April 13, 1919, in Amritsar, Punjab — a defining event in Indian history that deeply impacted the freedom movement:

🟥 Basic Facts

1. The massacre took place on 13 April 1919.
2. It happened at Jallianwala Bagh, a public garden in Amritsar, Punjab.
3. The date coincided with Baisakhi, a major Sikh festival.
4. Thousands of men, women, and children were gathered at the Bagh.
5. The gathering was mostly peaceful, protesting against the Rowlatt Act.
6. The Rowlatt Act allowed detention without trial.
7. The gathering also sought the release of Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew and Dr. Satyapal, two nationalist leaders.
8. General Reginald Dyer ordered the firing on the crowd.
9. Dyer entered the Bagh with 90 soldiers.
10. He blocked the main entrance before opening fire.

🔫 About the Massacre

11. The troops were mostly Gurkha and Baluchi soldiers.
12. The firing lasted for about 10 minutes.
13. Approximately 1,650 rounds were fired.
14. There were no warnings issued before the firing.
15. People had no escape route due to blocked exits.
16. The walls around the Bagh were high and made escape difficult.
17. Many people jumped into a well to escape bullets.
18. The well, now called Martyrs’ Well, is a memorial site.
19. Over 120 bodies were recovered from the well.
20. Official British reports claimed 379 people were killed.
21. Indian sources estimate over 1,000 deaths.
22. More than 1,200 people were injured.

🇮🇳 Impact on Indian Freedom Struggle

23. The massacre shocked the entire nation.
24. It marked a turning point in India’s freedom struggle.
25. Rabindranath Tagore renounced his knighthood in protest.
26. Mahatma Gandhi called it a monstrous event.
27. Gandhi later launched the Non-Cooperation Movement in 1920.
28. It fueled anti-British sentiment across India.
29. Even moderate leaders began supporting complete independence.
30. The incident united Indians across religions and regions.

🔍 Aftermath and Reactions

31. General Dyer reported the firing as a necessary measure.
32. He believed he had prevented a rebellion.
33. The Hunter Commission was set up to investigate.
34. The commission condemned Dyer’s actions.
35. However, Dyer was not prosecuted.
36. He was relieved of duty but honorably retired.
37. Many in Britain hailed him as a hero.
38. The Morning Post raised over £26,000 for Dyer as a reward.
39. Winston Churchill, then Secretary of State for War, condemned Dyer.
40. The massacre became a symbol of colonial brutality.

🏛️ Jallianwala Bagh Memorial

41. A memorial was built at the site in 1951.
42. It was inaugurated by Dr. Rajendra Prasad, India’s first President.
43. The bullet holes on the walls have been preserved.
44. The Martyrs’ Well is enclosed with a protective structure.
45. A flame-shaped memorial was later erected.
46. The site is now under the Jallianwala Bagh National Memorial Trust.
47. It attracts millions of visitors each year.
48. A light and sound show narrates the events of that day.
49. In 2019, the memorial was renovated, sparking mixed reactions.
50. Some historians criticized the changes for modernizing a place of mourning.

📜 Key Personalities Involved

51. General Reginald Dyer – Ordered the firing.
52. Sir Michael O’Dwyer – Lieutenant Governor of Punjab, supported Dyer.
53. Dr. Saifuddin Kitchlew – Arrested leader, Kashmiri origin.
54. Dr. Satyapal – Co-arrested leader, prominent activist.
55. Udham Singh – Avenged the massacre.
56. Udham Singh assassinated O’Dwyer in 1940 in London.
57. Singh was later hanged by the British government.
58. He is regarded as a martyr in Indian history.
59. Winston Churchill, though critical, stopped short of punishing Dyer.
60. Mahatma Gandhi, though non-violent, was radicalized by the incident.

📚 Cultural & Historical Representation

61. The massacre has been portrayed in many films and documentaries.
62. The 1982 movie Gandhi features a detailed reenactment.
63. Shaheed Udham Singh (2000) tells the story of Udham Singh.
64. The 2021 film Sardar Udham starring Vicky Kaushal brought new attention to it.
65. Multiple books and memoirs document the incident.
66. “Jallianwala Bagh” by H.S. Brar is a notable book on the massacre.
67. British authors have also written critiques on the event.
68. The massacre is taught in Indian history textbooks.
69. It is considered one of the darkest chapters of British colonial rule.
70. British governments have never formally apologized, only expressed “regret”.

🇬🇧 British Reaction and Legacy

71. Some in the UK viewed Dyer as a savior.
72. Others, like Edwin Montagu, condemned the massacre as inhumane.
73. The Amritsar Massacre became a debate in the British Parliament.
74. Dyer was questioned for over an hour during the inquiry.
75. He stated he would have fired again if needed.
76. The British press was divided over the issue.
77. It created a rift between liberal and conservative factions in Britain.
78. No British officer faced criminal charges.
79. Dyer died in 1927 from natural causes.
80. The UK has repeatedly declined to issue an official apology.

📅 Events Leading to the Massacre

81. The Rowlatt Act was passed in March 1919.
82. It was also called the Black Act.
83. The act extended wartime emergency powers.
84. Indians protested its repressive nature.
85. Gandhi called for a nationwide hartal (strike).
86. Protests turned violent in Amritsar, prompting arrests.
87. Curfew was imposed on the city.
88. Public gatherings were banned.
89. Despite this, a crowd gathered at Jallianwala Bagh on Baisakhi.
90. Many were unaware of the ban on assembly.

🧠 Miscellaneous Facts

91. The Bagh was originally a private garden.
92. The massacre also affected people in Lahore and Delhi.
93. The well was later declared a martyr’s site.
94. The event is sometimes referred to as the Amritsar Massacre.
95. A plaque now marks the exact spot where Dyer’s troops stood.
96. Schools in Punjab often hold memorial activities on April 13.
97. The massacre is mentioned in UK colonial archives.
98. Indian leaders carried the memory of the massacre to the Round Table Conferences.
99. British India saw increased unrest post-1919.
100. Many young Indians joined revolutionary movements after this event.
101. The massacre remains a powerful symbol of resistance and sacrifice in India.