Victoria Memorial - ভিচ্তরিয়া মেমোরিয়াল
|
 More images... |
Built entirely of white marble, Victoria Memorial, one of India's most beautiful monuments, represent a unique combination of classical European architecture and Mughal motifs. The domed and white marble museum sprawls over 64 acres and is set in a landscaped garden at the southern side of the Kolkata's maidan (ground) near Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
Designed after the Taj Mahal in Agra, it has a vast collection of pictures, statues, manuscripts, letters etc, relating to the Nawabi and British times in Bengal. The memorial was the inspiration of Lord Curzon, who in 1901, felt that his recently departed Queen Victoria, required a suitable monument to her memory. She was the first British monarch to be awarded the title of Queen-Empress of India in 1877.
The building was designed by Sir William Emerson President of the British Institute of Architects. Vincent J Esch, an assistant Engineer in the Bengal Nagpur Railway, was the superintending architect and the work of construction was entrusted to Messrs Martin and Co of Kolkata. Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain designed the gardens. Though the construction of the building substructure began in 1904, it was completed only after 20 years at a cost of 10 million rupees. The Prince of Wales formally inaugurated it in 1921.
Set amid 64 acres of lawns, fountains, and herbaceous borders this greatest symbol of the British, houses artifacts illustrating British roots in India. The building covers an area of 103.02m by 69.49m.
196080cft of Makrana marble was brought from Jodhpur, Rajasthan for its construction. It has been calculated that a goods train about 27 km long would be required to bring the entire building materials needed for the memorial. Statues of former British rulers sculpted by Italian craftsmen that used to adorn street corners all the way along Chowringhee and the Maidan, are now scattered around the large garden of the monument.
The 'H' shaped memorial consists of numerous hybrid features; it has Italian-style statues over its entrances, Mughal domes in its corners and tall elegant open curved colonnades along its sides. There are 3000 exhibits in 25 galleries in a chamber beneath the dome. Main entrance is from the north. A bronze statue of Queen Victoria sits enthroned in bronze at the entrance marble staircase wearing the regal Order of the Star of India. Above her, a black bronze angel known as Victory, holding a bugle in her hand was placed at the apex of the dome above the Memorial and has always been regarded as a curious addition to the monument. It is fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings and rotates when the wind is strong enough.
The entrance dome is deeply graven with the text of Queen Victoria's imperial proclamation speech. Inside the memorial there is a remarkable collection of artifacts depicting British Imperialism - statues of famous British figures including Robert Clive, General Stringer Lawrence, Lord Bentick, William Makepeace Thackeray, who was born here, Florence Nightingale, Queen Mary, George V and Queen Victoria etc. Many of British India's Governors and Governor Generals are represented here in stone, dressed in Roman togas, like Clive, Warren Hastings, Cornwallis, Wellesley, Dalhousie etc.
Excellent paintings such as, Burne-Jones's portrait of Rudyard Kipling, Johann Zoffany's portrait of William Hastings and his family, Macaulay, Bishop Heber and William Hickey, Verestchagin's monumental depiction of the Prince of Wales making his grand tour of Jaipur in 1876, the works of the Victorian artists Thomas and William Daniells, paintings of Robert Clive, marriage of the Prince of Wales with Princess Alexandra are exhibited and a huge painting depicts King Edward VII entering Jaipur in a regal procession in 1876. French guns captured at the Battle of Plassey are on exhibit along with the black stone throne of the Nawab whom Clive defeated. Also on display are some Indians without discrimination. Among these are - Keshab Chandra sen, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath tagore and his grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore.
In the Royal Gallery there are many oil paintings illustrating episodes from Queen Victoria's long, eventful life and reign- her coronation in the Westminster Abbey in June 1838; her marriage with Prince Albert (1840) in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace; the baptism of her son, her son's wedding, her residence of Frogmore, Queen Victoria at the first Jubilee service in Westminster Abbey in 1887 and the Second Jubilee service of Queen Victoria at St. Paul's Cathedral, June 1897 etc. Some of her possessions, like the pianoforte, at which she received tuition in childhood, her personal writing desk and chair occupied for daily correspondence at Windsor, scrapbooks of her letters in Hindustani, for Queen was tutored in the language by her favorite Indian attendant Abdul Karim, the last letter she wrote to her people in India etc.
The memorial is famous for its exhibits of Indian and Western Paintings, manuscripts, postage stamps, Mughal miniatures, books that dates back to the 1870's, statues and sculptures, arms and armaments, sketches and other objects of historic value in its Museum and Art Gallery. Today it is one of the main attraction for tourists in Kolkatta. Here, on weekends, people picnic, families meet, and transiting pilgrims bring flowers to the statue of "Maharani Victoria". Two regular sound and light shows both in English and Bengali are held in the evening. The memorial is open from 1000 am to 1700pm on all weekdays except on Mondays and public holidays. For Indians the entry fee to the museum is Rs.10/-For all foreigners the entry fee to the museum is Rs.150/-. The Memorial is an autonomous body governed by a Board of Trustees with the Governor of West Bengal as the Chairperson, and is under the 'administrative control' of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
Built entirely of white marble, Victoria Memorial, one of India's most beautiful monuments, represent a unique combination of classical European architecture and Mughal motifs. The domed and white marble museum sprawls over 64 acres and is set in a landscaped garden at the southern side of the Kolkata's maidan (ground) near Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
Designed after the Taj Mahal in Agra, it has a vast collection of pictures, statues, manuscripts, letters etc, relating to the Nawabi and British times in Bengal. The memorial was the inspiration of Lord Curzon, who in 1901, felt that his recently departed Queen Victoria, required a suitable monument to her memory. She was the first British monarch to be awarded the title of Queen-Empress of India in 1877.
The building was designed by Sir William Emerson President of the British Institute of Architects. Vincent J Esch, an assistant Engineer in the Bengal Nagpur Railway, was the superintending architect and the work of construction was entrusted to Messrs Martin and Co of Kolkata. Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain designed the gardens. Though the construction of the building substructure began in 1904, it was completed only after 20 years at a cost of 10 million rupees. The Prince of Wales formally inaugurated it in 1921.
Set amid 64 acres of lawns, fountains, and herbaceous borders this greatest symbol of the British, houses artifacts illustrating British roots in India. The building covers an area of 103.02m by 69.49m.
196080cft of Makrana marble was brought from Jodhpur, Rajasthan for its construction. It has been calculated that a goods train about 27 km long would be required to bring the entire building materials needed for the memorial. Statues of former British rulers sculpted by Italian craftsmen that used to adorn street corners all the way along Chowringhee and the Maidan, are now scattered around the large garden of the monument.
The 'H' shaped memorial consists of numerous hybrid features; it has Italian-style statues over its entrances, Mughal domes in its corners and tall elegant open curved colonnades along its sides. There are 3000 exhibits in 25 galleries in a chamber beneath the dome. Main entrance is from the north. A bronze statue of Queen Victoria sits enthroned in bronze at the entrance marble staircase wearing the regal Order of the Star of India. Above her, a black bronze angel known as Victory, holding a bugle in her hand was placed at the apex of the dome above the Memorial and has always been regarded as a curious addition to the monument. It is fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings and rotates when the wind is strong enough.
The entrance dome is deeply graven with the text of Queen Victoria's imperial proclamation speech. Inside the memorial there is a remarkable collection of artifacts depicting British Imperialism - statues of famous British figures including Robert Clive, General Stringer Lawrence, Lord Bentick, William Makepeace Thackeray, who was born here, Florence Nightingale, Queen Mary, George V and Queen Victoria etc. Many of British India's Governors and Governor Generals are represented here in stone, dressed in Roman togas, like Clive, Warren Hastings, Cornwallis, Wellesley, Dalhousie etc.
Excellent paintings such as, Burne-Jones's portrait of Rudyard Kipling, Johann Zoffany's portrait of William Hastings and his family, Macaulay, Bishop Heber and William Hickey, Verestchagin's monumental depiction of the Prince of Wales making his grand tour of Jaipur in 1876, the works of the Victorian artists Thomas and William Daniells, paintings of Robert Clive, marriage of the Prince of Wales with Princess Alexandra are exhibited and a huge painting depicts King Edward VII entering Jaipur in a regal procession in 1876. French guns captured at the Battle of Plassey are on exhibit along with the black stone throne of the Nawab whom Clive defeated. Also on display are some Indians without discrimination. Among these are - Keshab Chandra sen, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath tagore and his grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore.
In the Royal Gallery there are many oil paintings illustrating episodes from Queen Victoria's long, eventful life and reign- her coronation in the Westminster Abbey in June 1838; her marriage with Prince Albert (1840) in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace; the baptism of her son, her son's wedding, her residence of Frogmore, Queen Victoria at the first Jubilee service in Westminster Abbey in 1887 and the Second Jubilee service of Queen Victoria at St. Paul's Cathedral, June 1897 etc. Some of her possessions, like the pianoforte, at which she received tuition in childhood, her personal writing desk and chair occupied for daily correspondence at Windsor, scrapbooks of her letters in Hindustani, for Queen was tutored in the language by her favorite Indian attendant Abdul Karim, the last letter she wrote to her people in India etc.
The memorial is famous for its exhibits of Indian and Western Paintings, manuscripts, postage stamps, Mughal miniatures, books that dates back to the 1870's, statues and sculptures, arms and armaments, sketches and other objects of historic value in its Museum and Art Gallery. Today it is one of the main attraction for tourists in Kolkatta. Here, on weekends, people picnic, families meet, and transiting pilgrims bring flowers to the statue of "Maharani Victoria". Two regular sound and light shows both in English and Bengali are held in the evening. The memorial is open from 1000 am to 1700pm on all weekdays except on Mondays and public holidays. For Indians the entry fee to the museum is Rs.10/-For all foreigners the entry fee to the museum is Rs.150/-. The Memorial is an autonomous body governed by a Board of Trustees with the Governor of West Bengal as the Chairperson, and is under the 'administrative control' of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
The colonial style of architecture was a combination of the British/European style and the Indo-Islamic style, which was in itself a unique combination of the Hindu and Islamic styles. This also paved the way for modern architectural styles to develop in the post-independent India. The world famous Victoria Memorial in Calcutta is one of the finest examples of the European (western) style of architecture found in India.
After the death of the popular British monarch, Queen Victoria at the age of 94, Lord Curzon got the chance to build the monument of his dreams. Lord Curzon then proposed the construction of a mausoleum in the center of a garden in her memory. He also proposed a museum in the same complex, which would house artifacts pertaining to the British rule in India. Curzon, who preferred to abide by democratic norms, sought advice from various quarters regarding the probable site and the nature of construction.
Curzon appealed for funds and he received ample funds for his dream project from the upcoming mercantile class in India and also from a number of princely states. He did not have to ask for any financial assistance for the monument from anyone outside the Indian subcontinent. The construction work proceeded in the absence of the chief architect who provided guidance from Britain. Since Curzon would have nothing short of the best, the job was entrusted to Sir William Empson, president of the British Institute of Architects. He drafted his plan, modeling the building on the tradition of the Italian renaissance architecture, though its resemblance to the Taj Mahal is unmistakable. Still, Sir William described his model as an occidental design. It was decided that he would visit the work site annually if necessary. Robert Lyons Serenoaks, the superintending architect, oversaw the day to-day functioning. He was responsible for the execution of the project and sent photographs of the progress made in the construction work to Sir Williams every month. The initial estimated expenditure was 300,000 dollars.
It is said that a goods train 17 miles long would have been required to bring the entire building material needed for the Memorial. The total weight of the building has been calculated to be around 80,300 ton and the quantity of marble for it measured 16,080 cubic feet. The same quarries of Makrana in Rajasthan, from where Shah Jahan had obtained marble for the Taj Mahal, were excavated. The cost of marble, including freight charges, was initially estimated to be around Rs. 2.5 million. Later, the expenses were reduced by Rs. 200, 000, when the Indian Railways waived the transport costs and offered free carriage. In the later part of 1917, construction was temporarily brought to a halt as heavy rains flooded the Makrana region. New quarries were opened in the adjoining areas to maintain an uninterrupted supply of marble for the edifice. The construction, which began after laying of the foundation stone in 1906, took 15 years in completion. The building was formally inaugurated on December 28,1921.
A black bronze angel holding a bugle in her hand was placed at the apex of the dome above the Memorial and has always been regarded as a curious addition to the monument. The statue, five meters tall and weighing 3,500 kg is fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings and can rotate when the wind speed is high enough. Italian craftsmen sculpted the various statues that adorn the large garden of this monument.
Both the laying of the foundation stone and the inaugural function were grand and colorful events with a curious blend of pomp and solemnity. King George V laid the foundation stone in1906, while Kind Edward VIII, who was still a prince then, inaugurated the completed structure in 1921. However, Lord Curzon, the mind behind the Victoria Memorial, could not see its completion, as he had to leave for Britain soon after construction work began.
Designed after the Taj Mahal in Agra, it has a vast collection of pictures, statues, manuscripts, letters etc, relating to the Nawabi and British times in Bengal. The memorial was the inspiration of Lord Curzon, who in 1901, felt that his recently departed Queen Victoria, required a suitable monument to her memory. She was the first British monarch to be awarded the title of Queen-Empress of India in 1877.
The building was designed by Sir William Emerson President of the British Institute of Architects. Vincent J Esch, an assistant Engineer in the Bengal Nagpur Railway, was the superintending architect and the work of construction was entrusted to Messrs Martin and Co of Kolkata. Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain designed the gardens. Though the construction of the building substructure began in 1904, it was completed only after 20 years at a cost of 10 million rupees. The Prince of Wales formally inaugurated it in 1921.
Set amid 64 acres of lawns, fountains, and herbaceous borders this greatest symbol of the British, houses artifacts illustrating British roots in India. The building covers an area of 103.02m by 69.49m.
196080cft of Makrana marble was brought from Jodhpur, Rajasthan for its construction. It has been calculated that a goods train about 27 km long would be required to bring the entire building materials needed for the memorial. Statues of former British rulers sculpted by Italian craftsmen that used to adorn street corners all the way along Chowringhee and the Maidan, are now scattered around the large garden of the monument.
The 'H' shaped memorial consists of numerous hybrid features; it has Italian-style statues over its entrances, Mughal domes in its corners and tall elegant open curved colonnades along its sides. There are 3000 exhibits in 25 galleries in a chamber beneath the dome. Main entrance is from the north. A bronze statue of Queen Victoria sits enthroned in bronze at the entrance marble staircase wearing the regal Order of the Star of India. Above her, a black bronze angel known as Victory, holding a bugle in her hand was placed at the apex of the dome above the Memorial and has always been regarded as a curious addition to the monument. It is fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings and rotates when the wind is strong enough.
The entrance dome is deeply graven with the text of Queen Victoria's imperial proclamation speech. Inside the memorial there is a remarkable collection of artifacts depicting British Imperialism - statues of famous British figures including Robert Clive, General Stringer Lawrence, Lord Bentick, William Makepeace Thackeray, who was born here, Florence Nightingale, Queen Mary, George V and Queen Victoria etc. Many of British India's Governors and Governor Generals are represented here in stone, dressed in Roman togas, like Clive, Warren Hastings, Cornwallis, Wellesley, Dalhousie etc.
Excellent paintings such as, Burne-Jones's portrait of Rudyard Kipling, Johann Zoffany's portrait of William Hastings and his family, Macaulay, Bishop Heber and William Hickey, Verestchagin's monumental depiction of the Prince of Wales making his grand tour of Jaipur in 1876, the works of the Victorian artists Thomas and William Daniells, paintings of Robert Clive, marriage of the Prince of Wales with Princess Alexandra are exhibited and a huge painting depicts King Edward VII entering Jaipur in a regal procession in 1876. French guns captured at the Battle of Plassey are on exhibit along with the black stone throne of the Nawab whom Clive defeated. Also on display are some Indians without discrimination. Among these are - Keshab Chandra sen, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath tagore and his grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore.
In the Royal Gallery there are many oil paintings illustrating episodes from Queen Victoria's long, eventful life and reign- her coronation in the Westminster Abbey in June 1838; her marriage with Prince Albert (1840) in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace; the baptism of her son, her son's wedding, her residence of Frogmore, Queen Victoria at the first Jubilee service in Westminster Abbey in 1887 and the Second Jubilee service of Queen Victoria at St. Paul's Cathedral, June 1897 etc. Some of her possessions, like the pianoforte, at which she received tuition in childhood, her personal writing desk and chair occupied for daily correspondence at Windsor, scrapbooks of her letters in Hindustani, for Queen was tutored in the language by her favorite Indian attendant Abdul Karim, the last letter she wrote to her people in India etc.
The memorial is famous for its exhibits of Indian and Western Paintings, manuscripts, postage stamps, Mughal miniatures, books that dates back to the 1870's, statues and sculptures, arms and armaments, sketches and other objects of historic value in its Museum and Art Gallery. Today it is one of the main attraction for tourists in Kolkatta. Here, on weekends, people picnic, families meet, and transiting pilgrims bring flowers to the statue of "Maharani Victoria". Two regular sound and light shows both in English and Bengali are held in the evening. The memorial is open from 1000 am to 1700pm on all weekdays except on Mondays and public holidays. For Indians the entry fee to the museum is Rs.10/-For all foreigners the entry fee to the museum is Rs.150/-. The Memorial is an autonomous body governed by a Board of Trustees with the Governor of West Bengal as the Chairperson, and is under the 'administrative control' of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
Built entirely of white marble, Victoria Memorial, one of India's most beautiful monuments, represent a unique combination of classical European architecture and Mughal motifs. The domed and white marble museum sprawls over 64 acres and is set in a landscaped garden at the southern side of the Kolkata's maidan (ground) near Jawaharlal Nehru Road.
Designed after the Taj Mahal in Agra, it has a vast collection of pictures, statues, manuscripts, letters etc, relating to the Nawabi and British times in Bengal. The memorial was the inspiration of Lord Curzon, who in 1901, felt that his recently departed Queen Victoria, required a suitable monument to her memory. She was the first British monarch to be awarded the title of Queen-Empress of India in 1877.
The building was designed by Sir William Emerson President of the British Institute of Architects. Vincent J Esch, an assistant Engineer in the Bengal Nagpur Railway, was the superintending architect and the work of construction was entrusted to Messrs Martin and Co of Kolkata. Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain designed the gardens. Though the construction of the building substructure began in 1904, it was completed only after 20 years at a cost of 10 million rupees. The Prince of Wales formally inaugurated it in 1921.
Set amid 64 acres of lawns, fountains, and herbaceous borders this greatest symbol of the British, houses artifacts illustrating British roots in India. The building covers an area of 103.02m by 69.49m.
196080cft of Makrana marble was brought from Jodhpur, Rajasthan for its construction. It has been calculated that a goods train about 27 km long would be required to bring the entire building materials needed for the memorial. Statues of former British rulers sculpted by Italian craftsmen that used to adorn street corners all the way along Chowringhee and the Maidan, are now scattered around the large garden of the monument.
The 'H' shaped memorial consists of numerous hybrid features; it has Italian-style statues over its entrances, Mughal domes in its corners and tall elegant open curved colonnades along its sides. There are 3000 exhibits in 25 galleries in a chamber beneath the dome. Main entrance is from the north. A bronze statue of Queen Victoria sits enthroned in bronze at the entrance marble staircase wearing the regal Order of the Star of India. Above her, a black bronze angel known as Victory, holding a bugle in her hand was placed at the apex of the dome above the Memorial and has always been regarded as a curious addition to the monument. It is fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings and rotates when the wind is strong enough.
The entrance dome is deeply graven with the text of Queen Victoria's imperial proclamation speech. Inside the memorial there is a remarkable collection of artifacts depicting British Imperialism - statues of famous British figures including Robert Clive, General Stringer Lawrence, Lord Bentick, William Makepeace Thackeray, who was born here, Florence Nightingale, Queen Mary, George V and Queen Victoria etc. Many of British India's Governors and Governor Generals are represented here in stone, dressed in Roman togas, like Clive, Warren Hastings, Cornwallis, Wellesley, Dalhousie etc.
Excellent paintings such as, Burne-Jones's portrait of Rudyard Kipling, Johann Zoffany's portrait of William Hastings and his family, Macaulay, Bishop Heber and William Hickey, Verestchagin's monumental depiction of the Prince of Wales making his grand tour of Jaipur in 1876, the works of the Victorian artists Thomas and William Daniells, paintings of Robert Clive, marriage of the Prince of Wales with Princess Alexandra are exhibited and a huge painting depicts King Edward VII entering Jaipur in a regal procession in 1876. French guns captured at the Battle of Plassey are on exhibit along with the black stone throne of the Nawab whom Clive defeated. Also on display are some Indians without discrimination. Among these are - Keshab Chandra sen, Michael Madhusudan Dutt, Rabindranath tagore and his grandfather Dwarkanath Tagore.
In the Royal Gallery there are many oil paintings illustrating episodes from Queen Victoria's long, eventful life and reign- her coronation in the Westminster Abbey in June 1838; her marriage with Prince Albert (1840) in the Chapel Royal at St. James' Palace; the baptism of her son, her son's wedding, her residence of Frogmore, Queen Victoria at the first Jubilee service in Westminster Abbey in 1887 and the Second Jubilee service of Queen Victoria at St. Paul's Cathedral, June 1897 etc. Some of her possessions, like the pianoforte, at which she received tuition in childhood, her personal writing desk and chair occupied for daily correspondence at Windsor, scrapbooks of her letters in Hindustani, for Queen was tutored in the language by her favorite Indian attendant Abdul Karim, the last letter she wrote to her people in India etc.
The memorial is famous for its exhibits of Indian and Western Paintings, manuscripts, postage stamps, Mughal miniatures, books that dates back to the 1870's, statues and sculptures, arms and armaments, sketches and other objects of historic value in its Museum and Art Gallery. Today it is one of the main attraction for tourists in Kolkatta. Here, on weekends, people picnic, families meet, and transiting pilgrims bring flowers to the statue of "Maharani Victoria". Two regular sound and light shows both in English and Bengali are held in the evening. The memorial is open from 1000 am to 1700pm on all weekdays except on Mondays and public holidays. For Indians the entry fee to the museum is Rs.10/-For all foreigners the entry fee to the museum is Rs.150/-. The Memorial is an autonomous body governed by a Board of Trustees with the Governor of West Bengal as the Chairperson, and is under the 'administrative control' of the Ministry of Culture, Government of India.
An Imperial Legacy
The Victoria Memorial in Calcutta is a wonderful example of the western style of architecture. The monument, built by Lord Curzon, the erstwhile Viceroy of British India, not only pays homage to a legendary British monarch but also reflects the memories of the British rule in India. The museum within the Victoria Memorial, houses one of the best collection of artifacts to be found in any museum in India.British (European)
Architecture
The period of European colonization and the subsequent British rule in India had its impact on Indian architecture too. The main manifestations of this style of architecture were churches, barracks, forts, residential quarters, administrative quarters etc. The British also introduced new techniques in the construction of buildings, which were different from the ones used by the indigenous people of India at that time. The buildings, like the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta, and the Rashtrapati Bhavan, which were built between 1857, when the reins of India passed into the hands of the British Crown and 1947, when India gained independence, are good examples of the colonial style of architecture.The colonial style of architecture was a combination of the British/European style and the Indo-Islamic style, which was in itself a unique combination of the Hindu and Islamic styles. This also paved the way for modern architectural styles to develop in the post-independent India. The world famous Victoria Memorial in Calcutta is one of the finest examples of the European (western) style of architecture found in India.
Victoria Memorial
The history of the Victoria Memorial in Calcutta has its roots in the colonial period of Indian history. Lord Curzon was the Viceroy or the person who ruled India in the name of the British Crown in India from 1899 to 1905. He secretly nurtured the vision of building a magnificent edifice that would not only be a tribute to his English masters, but would also get him a place in the annals of Indian architectural history.After the death of the popular British monarch, Queen Victoria at the age of 94, Lord Curzon got the chance to build the monument of his dreams. Lord Curzon then proposed the construction of a mausoleum in the center of a garden in her memory. He also proposed a museum in the same complex, which would house artifacts pertaining to the British rule in India. Curzon, who preferred to abide by democratic norms, sought advice from various quarters regarding the probable site and the nature of construction.
Curzon appealed for funds and he received ample funds for his dream project from the upcoming mercantile class in India and also from a number of princely states. He did not have to ask for any financial assistance for the monument from anyone outside the Indian subcontinent. The construction work proceeded in the absence of the chief architect who provided guidance from Britain. Since Curzon would have nothing short of the best, the job was entrusted to Sir William Empson, president of the British Institute of Architects. He drafted his plan, modeling the building on the tradition of the Italian renaissance architecture, though its resemblance to the Taj Mahal is unmistakable. Still, Sir William described his model as an occidental design. It was decided that he would visit the work site annually if necessary. Robert Lyons Serenoaks, the superintending architect, oversaw the day to-day functioning. He was responsible for the execution of the project and sent photographs of the progress made in the construction work to Sir Williams every month. The initial estimated expenditure was 300,000 dollars.
It is said that a goods train 17 miles long would have been required to bring the entire building material needed for the Memorial. The total weight of the building has been calculated to be around 80,300 ton and the quantity of marble for it measured 16,080 cubic feet. The same quarries of Makrana in Rajasthan, from where Shah Jahan had obtained marble for the Taj Mahal, were excavated. The cost of marble, including freight charges, was initially estimated to be around Rs. 2.5 million. Later, the expenses were reduced by Rs. 200, 000, when the Indian Railways waived the transport costs and offered free carriage. In the later part of 1917, construction was temporarily brought to a halt as heavy rains flooded the Makrana region. New quarries were opened in the adjoining areas to maintain an uninterrupted supply of marble for the edifice. The construction, which began after laying of the foundation stone in 1906, took 15 years in completion. The building was formally inaugurated on December 28,1921.
A black bronze angel holding a bugle in her hand was placed at the apex of the dome above the Memorial and has always been regarded as a curious addition to the monument. The statue, five meters tall and weighing 3,500 kg is fixed to its pedestal with ball bearings and can rotate when the wind speed is high enough. Italian craftsmen sculpted the various statues that adorn the large garden of this monument.
Both the laying of the foundation stone and the inaugural function were grand and colorful events with a curious blend of pomp and solemnity. King George V laid the foundation stone in1906, while Kind Edward VIII, who was still a prince then, inaugurated the completed structure in 1921. However, Lord Curzon, the mind behind the Victoria Memorial, could not see its completion, as he had to leave for Britain soon after construction work began.
How To Reach
The Victoria Memorial is located in the heart of Calcutta city, which is the capital of West Bengal. Calcutta is well connected by air, rail, and road to most of the important centers in India. Travelers can reach this monument either by availing the services of the local means of transport like buses, taxis or cycle rickshaws. Other means of travel within Calcutta are the ferry, tram, and the underground metro rail service.
 Photo by : Anubrata Karmakar in Flickr |
 Photo by : Mandar Sengupta in Flickr |
|
|
|
 Photo by : ButterStones in Flickr |
 Photo by : abhisheknk in Flickr |
|
|
|
 Photo by : Avi$ekphotography in Flickr |
|
|
|
|
 Photo by : msfriend81 in webshots |
 Photo by : kuntalb in webshots |
|
|
|