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VICTORIA MEMORIAL
A Story at each nook
Locality – Jawaharlal Nehru Road, Kolkata, West Bengal
14/09/2021
The beautiful white construction, status amidst lush gardens, is a nice sight to behold, “Victoria Memorial” is a reminder of the metropolis’s architectural and colonial heritage. Located withinside the coronary heart of the City of Joy, Kolkata in West Bengal, India is one of the maximum well-known monuments in West Bengal that has come to be a museum and famous visitor spot of the state.
This monument’s epitomizing splendor and beauty changed into committed to the reminiscence of Queen Victoria (1819–1901). This grand and terrific memorial now no longer best stands as a memory to the guideline of thumb of the British Crown withinside the Indian subcontinent however additionally stands proud as a fantastic architectural gem withinside the Indo-Saracenic revivalist fashion. It is ought to be a visitor vacation spot to enjoy the essence of the Victorian generation withinside the midst of the bustling metro metropolis of Kolkata. The record is simply as charming as its shape. When Queen Victoria, the Empress of British India, handed away in 1901, the then Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, advised the development of a grand memorial in her honor. Its basis changed into laid in 1906 through the Prince of Charles, who later have become King George V, and the construction changed into officially opened for the general public in 1921. It showcases Indo-Saracenic revivalist architectural fashion with clean Mughal, Egyptian, Islamic, Venetian, Deccani, and British elements.
Made of excellent white Markana marble, the shape soars to a top of fifty-six meters. The constructing seems to be stimulated through the world-well-known Taj Mahal, proposing a primary dome, 4 smaller domes, domed chhatris, domed towers, and a terrace. Standing atop the primary dome is a nearly five meters tall transferring discern of Angel of Victory. Numerous allegorical sculptures may be determined all around the edifice.
The out of doors has a lustrous lawn protecting 64-acres of land with a fluorescent blanket of vegetation and fountains. Hand-treated through 21 gardeners, this area is usually packed with the candy scent and sound of nature. The bronze statue of Queen Victoria is one of the maximum photographed points of interest right here. Apart from Queen Victoria, this palace additionally commemorates James Broun-Ramsay, the first Marquess of Dalhousie, Charles Cornwallis the first Marquess Cornwallis. You also can witness the statue of Curzon, the then Viceroy of India who advised Queen Victoria have a becoming memorial. Other outstanding figures withinside the lawn tiers are Robert Clive, Arthur Wellesley, Edward VII, Lord William Bentinck, George Robinson, and Rajendra Nath Mookerjee.
There are 25 galleries withinside the memorial inclusive of the royal gallery, the sculpture gallery, and the Calcutta gallery amongst others. Several pics of Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and oil artwork portraying special moments in their lives are displayed withinside the royal gallery. The more modern addition changed into the Calcutta gallery, the idea of which changed into encouraged withinside the mid-Nineteen Seventies through the then minister for education, Saiyid Nurul Hasan. He had become Governor of Bengal and Odisha as additionally Chairman of the memorial’s Board of Trustees in 1986 and through 1992 the Calcutta gallery changed into opened. One could have a sneak peek of the yesteryear Calcutta and its slow improvement thru the visible shows of the gallery beginning from the times of Job Charnock all through the seventeenth century to 1911 whilst New Delhi changed Calcutta as India’s capital. In addition, the National Leader’s gallery shows relics and pics related to Indian independence.
It is a residence of high-quality collections of artwork, artifacts, weapons, textiles, coins, and stamps amongst others, and keeps few possessions of the Queen like her writing table and chair and scrapbooks. An uncommon series of books is preserved right here just like the Rubaiyat through Omar Khayyam and masterpieces of William Shakespeare.
The mild and sound display, which takes vicinity withinside the evening, is one of the nice highlights of Victoria Memorial Hall. It takes one thru the records of Kolkata, telling approximately the diverse important activities which have taken area. Known as Son-et-Lumiere, this illuminating night-time display at Victoria Memorial Hall frequently begins offevolved from 18:45 to 19:30 in Bengali and 19:45 to 20:30 in English among March to June. Followed through 18:15 to 19:00 in Bengali and 19:15 to 20:00 in English from October to February. The Light and Sound display are entitled ‘Pride and Glory – The Story of Calcutta’.
In addition to this one also can set out for a buggy experience by hiring one of the colorful buggies which can be parked out of doors at the gates. Otherwise taking a walk alongside the stretch of Maiden may be an awesome option. Paying a go to to the close by St. Paul’s Cathedral, Nandan, Rabindra Sadan, Birla Planetarium also can be a further addition to an experience or truly strolling right all the way down to Park Street for an awesome lunch in one of the many multi-delicacies or possible revel in the roadside eateries bring contrary to the memorial. All this may without a doubt upload pleasure to the ever-glamorous Victoria Memorial.
INFORMATION
- Tickets for Victoria Memorial Hall
Museum Entry Fee for Indians : Rs.30, for Foreigners from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri-Lanka (on production of Passport) : Rs.100 & for Nationals from other countries : Rs. 500
- Timings and Opening Days for Victoria Memorial Hall
Victoria Memorial Halls are open from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM and its miles are closed each Monday and all countrywide holidays.
- Tickets for the Garden
Daily Ticket: Rs. 20, Yearly Ticket: Rs.1000 (for morning walkers) for senior citizens above 60 years of age and for others Rs. 2000. It remains open from 6:00 AM TO 6:00 PM all throughout the year even in holidays.
- Tickets of Light and Sound
Show For children underneath three years antique INR 10 and adults INR 20. The Light and Sound Show is closed from July – September and on each countrywide excursion and Monday.
HOW TO REACH THIS WONDERFUL TRAVEL DESTINATION
Being a metropolitan metropolis, you’re certain to get home and worldwide flights each hour, for that matter, even railway is well-related with different states of India. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport is the best primary airport in Kolkata and Kolkata Railway Station additionally previously called Chitpur.
It won’t be trouble so one can discover taxis in Kolkata, appearance out for yellow-colored vehicles honking out of doors the airport and railway parking lots. Else there may be usually the choice of selecting Ubers, Olas, Metros, and Tram. Distance from Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport to Victoria Memorial is around 22 km, from Kolkata Railway Station is around eight to 9.4 km.
Compiled and Edited by – Debdyuti Sanyal Biswas, 5th sem student IHM Bbsr.
Guided by – Pritilata Acharya , Lecturer IHM Bhubaneswar
IHM Bhubaneswar Tourism Blog 