PM Modi to inaugurate Smriti Van: Know about Bhuj memorial based on seven themes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today inaugurate Smriti Van Memorial in the Bhuj district of Gujarat which celebrates the resilience shown by people during the devastating 2001 earthquake in the Kutch region.

Bhuj was the epicentre of the high-magnitude earthquake that claimed thousands of lives in the state. Sharing the pictures of the memorial, PM Modi said that Smriti Van is a tribute to the lost lives and the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch.

“In Kutch tomorrow, I will inaugurate Smriti Van Memorial. This Memorial is associated with the tragic Earthquake of 2001 in which several people lost their lives. Smriti Van is a tribute to those we lost and also a tribute to the remarkable fighting spirit of the people of Kutch,” the prime minister said in a tweet.

Here’s all you need to know about Smriti Van Memorial:

The sprawling memorial has been built on 470-acre area and carries the names of around 13,000 people who had lost their lives during the earthquake.

Smriti Van Memorial has the state-of-the-art Smriti Van Earthquake Museum which has been segregated into seven blocks based on seven themes: Rebirth, Rediscover, Restore, Rebuild, Rethink, Relive and Renew.

The first block depicts Earth’s evolution and its ability to overcome every time.

The second block, based on the theme Rediscover, showcases Gujarat’s topography and various natural disasters that the state is vulnerable to.

The third block shows the immediate aftermath of the earthquake, with galleries addressing the massive relief effort undertaken by individuals as well as organisations.

The fourth block will showcase Gujarat’s rebuilding initiatives and the success stories post the 2001 earthquake.

The fifth block, based on the Rebuild theme, will prompt the visitor to think and learn about different types of disasters and future readiness to minimise damage and loss of lives.

The sixth block has a 5D simulator using which the visitors can relive the experience of an earthquake and know the ground reality of an event at this scale.

The seventh and the final block provides people with a space for remembrance where they can pay homage to the lost souls.