Shaheed Minar or Ochterlony Monument: The Qutub Minar of Kolkata

Shaheed Minar,Kolkata
Shaheed Minar,Kolkata
Shaheed Minar,Kolkata
Shaheed Minar, Kolkata

Location:  11, Rani Rashmoni Avenue, Kolkata Maidaan, West Bengal

Built in the year 1828, Shaheed Minar or Ochterlony Monument happens to be one of the oldest monuments in Kolkata. This magnificent structure was originally constructed to commemorate the achievements of Major-General Sir David Ochterlony, the Commander of the British East India Company. A heroic victory in the Anglo-Nepalese War and the defence of Delhi from the Marathas were the two main reasons for honoring Sir David Ochterlony.

In the year 1969, this splendid monument was rechristened as Shaheed Minar or the “Martyr’s Tower”. This was done to glorify the brave martyrs of the Indian Freedom Struggle. Since then, this symbol of peace has been gazetted as the Shaheed Minar of Kolkata.

Standing tall with a height of 48 meters, Shaheed Minar provides a mesmeric panorama of the beautiful city of Kolkata. You need to climb more than 200 steps to reach to the two balconies at the top. An impressive blend of Egyptian, Syrian and Turkish style of designing has been used in the architecture.

To the south of the Shaheed Minar, a vast field called Shaheed Minar Maidan occupies the space. This ground has been known for hosting a number of political rallies and morchas. The first political meeting at this ground was organized by Rabindranath Tagore.

The Government has now taken up the work of refurbishment of the tower for making it easily accessible to the public. Entitled as the cloud-kissing monument by Mark Twain, Shaheed Minar is the pride of Kolkata!

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