There stands just a ramshackle board that reads, '48/63 Niwas Narayani Devi'. Neither does the locality carry any mention of Shyam Lal Gupta, nor any signboards or memorials.
The locality that deserved heritage status was, however, never recognised for its importance. Jagannath lane in the General Ganj area, where Shyam Lal Gupta lived many years of his life, used to be an important centre for freedom fighters. "The song was sung for the first time on the occasion of the Jaliyanwala Bagh Diwas on April 13, 1924, amidst a huge gathering in the presence of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru at Phoolbagh ground," says Rajesh Gupta, another grandson. The 'Jhanda Geet' got recognition the same year from the 'Akhil Bharatiya Congress Committee'. "The popularity of the Jhanda song can be gauged from the fact that among the several other patriotic songs written in those times, it was honoured with the title of 'Jhanda Geet'," said Sanjay Gupta, another grandson. When the song was composed, the city's Khanna Press, published nearly 5,000 copies of the 'Jhanda.song, said Saket Gupta. The song was first sung on the occasion of Jaliyanwala Bag Diwas on April 13, 1924, at a huge gathering in the presence of Pt Jawahar Lal Nehru at the city's historical Phoolbagh ground.
The third and youngest son of Viseshwar Prasad and Kaushalya Devi, Shyam Lal Gupta penned the famous 'Jhanda. Shyam Lal Gupta was, however, fined Rs 500 and sent to jail for composing the song, says Saket Gupta, grandson of Shyam Lal Gupta 'Parshad'. People from all backgrounds and ages adored the flag song and it became an integral and inseparable part of the freedom movement. The song evoked passion among the revolutionaries, spurring them on to rebel against the British. Kanpur: After Gandhiji assumed leadership of the Indian freedom movement and the Tri-colour became the symbol of independence, Shyam Lal Gupta, born on September 8, 1885, in the Narwal area of Kanpur in a Dosar Vaishya family, composed a motivating song 'Vijayi vishwa tiranga pyara, Jhanda uncha rahe hamara.' eulogising the flag.