Victoria Memorial

Victoria Memorial: A grand tribute to the Empress of India

Memorials have always assumed an important place in the history of Indian architecture and Victoria Memorial of Kolkata has followed the same legacy. This colossal white mausoleum is among the few edifices that have a winning concoction of different styles. As the name suggests, this massive architecture was built in memorial of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom who was also revered as the Empress of India. Built between 1906 and 1921, the memorial offers lot to the enthusiasts to explore and cherish.

Those who were behind the making of Victoria Memorial

The concept was perceived and later designed by Sir William Emerson, President of the British Institute of Architects. He drew up the plan of this massive mausoleum and appointed Vincent J Esch, an assistant Engineer in the Bengal Nagpur Railway to supervise the construction of the building on site. The memorial was designed by Sir William Emerson in an architectural style resembling that of Belfast City Hall. In 1902, a sketch was prepared from the original design and Messrs Martin & Co of Calcutta was entrusted with the work of construction.

Although he was asked to implement Italian Renaissance style to design the building, Emerson wanted to avoid using European styles and resorted to an essentially Mughal style. While Vincent Esch was the superintending architect, Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain were under the charge of designing the gardens. Mr. A. C. Mitra, alumni of Bengal Engineering and Science University, was the Engineer-in-Charge in the construction project of the Victoria.

Architectural style of Victoria Memorial & its resemblance with the Taj Mahal

Sir William Emerson was credited for drafting his plan of Victoria Memorial on the tradition of the Italian renaissance architecture and Lord Curzon wanted the memorial should be of white marble. There is a gaping resemblance of Victoria Memorial with the Taj Mahal in its form with a great dome, high portals, four subsidiary octagonal domed chattris, the domed corner towers and the terrace. It is striking to note that this massive building is a collage of various styles having Italian-style statues along with Mughal domes. This combination of European style and the Indo-Islamic style has created a distinct identity. The uniqueness of Victoria Memorial lies in the fact that it has maintained a fine balance despite being influenced by a potpourri of styles. European style of architecture is reflected through the churches, forts, residential quarters, barracks and administrative quarters of this elegant building.

What to look out for in the Victoria Memorial?

Before you walk inside the hall, you will encounter a black bronze Angel of Victory at the top of the dome above the Memorial. The statue welcomes you holding a bugle in her hand. Victoria Memorial houses 25 galleries in the chamber beneath the dome. The main attraction remains the Queen's Hall where you get to see paintings of several events of her life including her marriage, accession to throne, her residence of Frogmore and others. The hall safeguards her valuable possessions like the pianoforte she used to play during her childhood, the last letter she penned for her people in India and the writing desk and chair she used to occupy.

Besides these priceless assets, the galleries are also adorned with realistic portraits of the Britons including Macaulay, Kipling and William Hickey, who were in Kolkata at some point in the past. You also find exclusive portraits of eminent Indians like, Keshab Chandra Sen, Michael Madhusudan Dutt and Rabindranath Tagore. The list of attractions does not end here since these galleries have lot more to offer including the statues and bust of Queen Mary and Geroge V along with the other mementoes. The solemn statue of the queen is really a commendable work accompanied by two ornamental tanks. You will find most of the old rulers of India in stone, quite often dressed in Roman togas, like Clive, Warren Hastings, Cornwallis, Wellesley and Dalhousie.

Facts and figures worth noting

Located at the southern end of the Maidan, Victoria Memorial covers an area of 64 acres of lawns, ponds, bushes and shrubs. The building stands at a height of 56.08m with the length and breadth of this edifice measuring 103.02m and 69.49m respectively. The total weight of the building is estimated to be around 80,300 ton with 450.24 cubic meters of marble used for its construction. The marble was brought from the quarries of Makrana in Rajasthan. It is commonly believed that a goods train about 27 km long would have been needed to carry all the building materials required for the memorial. The statue of black bronze angel on top of the dome above the Memorial is five meters tall weighing around 3,500 kg. This heavy statue is fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings so that it rotates when the wind speed is high. Total cost incurred for the construction of this structure amounts to Rs 1,05,00,000. Formal inauguration of the building took place on December 28, 1921.

Victoria Memorial has stood the taste of time and paying a visit to this stunning architecture offers you a rendezvous with the glorious yesteryears. This grandiose artistic creation triggers your urge to know more about it and unearth its hidden charm.

Kolkata City

No city in the world is quite like Kolkata or Calcutta. At once historic and modern, stately and extreme, the teeming capital of West Bengal has such a multifaceted personality that it almost defies description. Dominique Lapierre’s City of Joy can come as a revelation. There's a depth of history here, and a sense of community.

History
Although Kalikata, a variant of Kolkata finds mention in the rent-roll of the Mughal emperor Akbar and also in Manasa-Mangal, it was in 1690 that Job Charnock of the East India Company came to the bank of the river Hooghly and was granted in 1698 the lease of the three villages- Sutanuti, Govindapur and Kolikata (Kolkata) on payment of Rs. 1200 as a trading post of British East India Company. The importance of Kolkata increased with lightening rapidity so that it came to have a population of 100,000 by 1735. Siraj-Ud-Dawlah, the Nawab of Bengal, captured the city in 1756. but it was lost to the British under Robert Clive. in the following year. Warren Hastings, the first Governor-General of India, made it the seat of the supreme courts of justice and the supreme revenue administration, and Kolkata became the capital of British India in 1772. By 1800 Kolkata had the distinction of being a busy and flourishing town, the nerve centre of the cultural as well as the political and economic life of Bengal.

Sights
The bohemian city of Kolkata is a great metropolis inextricably linked with its colonial past, with its skyline of gothic spires and narrow cobbled streets. Perfect for a romantic city break, Kolkata brims with stunning attractions to see and offers many cultural hotspots, including Indian Museum.

Most parts of Kolkata that you are likely to visit lie to the west of the Hooghly River and its classic colonial riverfront. The Hoogly River is spanned by the unique cantilever bridge Howrah Bridge, which is by far the most easily recognizable landmark in the city. Considered to be an engineering marvel, the bridge also called 'Rabindra Setu' took six years to construct in the 1940s. One of the busiest bridges in the world, it has around 2 million people crossing over it daily.

The best way to check out both banks of the river and their sights is to take the splendid Hooghly River Tour.

Running through the heart of the city, Chowringhee is reputedly the busiest shopping street in Kolkata.

Nothing defines a city's character quite as well as its architecture. One of Kolkata’s most striking architectural landmarks is the Victoria Memorial. Located on the southern side of the Maidan, the edifice is built of white marble from Rajasthan. A brainchild of Lord Curzon, the imposing structure, built in memory of Queen Empress, took 20 years to build at a cost of 10 million rupees.

The gothic St Paul's Cathedral is another grand edifice, located 3 km from BBD Bagh (also called Dalhousie Square, the administrative hub of both Calcutta and West Bengal). The interior of the church is encrusted with exquisite scriptural scenes. Immediately north of the cathedral is located the Birla Planetarium, one of the largest in the world. The Planetarium holds several shows every day.

2 km from BBD Bagh, the eclectic Indian Museum is a splendid example of Italian architecture. One of the largest museums in Asia, it ranges from natural history to art and archeology. Built in 1875, the museum is popularly known as Jadu Ghar (Magic House) and ideal place to look at the antiquities.

Admire the Writers' Building, now the seat of federal government of West Bengal. A reminder of the heyday of the British Raj, the Gothic structure is located at the northern end of Dalhousie Square.

Amble through labyrinthine markets of Barabazaar, a seething mass of hooting and pushing automotives. The famous temple of Kalighat attracts visitors and worshippers in hordes.

Situated near Victoria Memorial, the Academy of Fine Arts on Cathedral Road is a showcase for contemporary arts of Bengal. Established in 1933, it holds temporary as well as permanent displays of the work of renowned artists such as Jamini Roy and Rabindranath Tagore. You can view Desmond Doig's pen and ink sketches of Kolkata's nostalgic landmark.
Rabindra Sadan, the large auditorium close by, contains paintings and manuscripts of the Nobel Laureate. Within a stone throw is Nadan, designed by renowned filmmaker Satyajit Ray. It is a large and lively film centre where you can find archives, library and auditoria.
Situated on Jawaharlal Nehru Road, the Nehru Children's Museum, places a strong emphasis on the Hindu classics, depicting scenes from the Ramayana and the Mahabharata.

For the sports lovers Eden Gardens, site of the huge world-famous cricket ground, presents an unforgettable ambience. Officially known as the Ranji Stadium, the stadium, with a capacity of more than lakh audience, resounds to the roar of the spectators and the sound of crackers.

The imposing white domed General Post Office is an architecturally alluring. Another place of interest in Kolkata is Fort William located on the east bank of the river Hooghly. Named after King William III of England, it was built in 1757 after Robert Clive's victory over the last independent nawab of Bengal Siraj ud-Daula at the battle of Plassey

Another places of tourists interests in and around Kolakata are Nakhoda Mosque, the onion - shaped domed mosque built in 1926; Ochterlony Monument, built to commemorate the victory of Sir David Ochterlony in Nepal; Nirmal Hirday (Pure Heart), the headquarters of the Missionaries of Charity, Science City, located on Kolkata's Eastern Metropolitan By Pass; Raj Bhawan (the official residence of the Governor of Bengal), modelled on Kedleston Hall in Derbyshire; Saheed Minar, an important landmark erected by in 1828, to honour Sir David Ochter Lony, a one- time resident of Malwa & Rajputana; Vidyasagar Setu, an engineering marvel, Birla Mandir, Dhakuria Lake, New Market and Gurusaday Museum.

Several venerable Raj institutions have survived in Kolkata. Noteworthy among them are the polo ground, the racecourse and many exclusive gentlemen's clubs.

SHOPPING
Though not a good place as Delhi to go shopping, Calcutta has many splendid markets, including the all embracing New Market, and local institutions such as Barabazaar to the north and Gariahat in the south.

The Emami Shoppers City at Lord Sinha Road, the brand new Metro Shopping Centre at 1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani sell items aimed at tourists. The Shree Ram Arcade, opposite the Lighthouse cinema, is worth a visit.
For souvenirs , there are items worth considering, including metal dokra items from the Shantiniketan region northwest of the city. Also popular are the long-necked, pointy-eared terracotta horses from Bankura district of West Bengal. Of particular interest is Kantha fabrics that display delicate line stitching in decorative patterns.

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