1857 Mutiny Memorial — Attraction in Fruit Market

One tower is in south Delhi. It came up in early 13th century. The whole world knows of it. After all, Qutub Minar is an UNESCO World Heritage monument, the first great experiment in Indo-Islamic architecture.

The other red sandstone tower came up 600 years later, in north Delhi. The world doesn’t know it that well. Originally called the Mutiny Memorial, the neo-Gothic minar is tall, tapering, speckled with long, lancet windows.

The British-era red sandstone tower stands atop a hilly ridge dense with trees and bushes. It is arrayed on all sides with marble plaques. The inscriptions on the white slabs summon up a significant segment of recent Indian history. One plaque commemorates “the memory of the officers and soldiers of British and Native of the Delhi Field Force who were killed in action or died of wounds or diseases between the 30th of May and 20th September 1857.”

This sunny noon, the tower is deserted except for a lone visitor. The desolate landmark is surrounded by a sweeping vista of treetops, which are surrounded by the vistas of an endless Delhi. Loitering around the stone edifice gives a bird’s eye perspective of the megacity’s daily life: the millions of roofs, the steel-grey metro trains sliding along the overland tracks, the many national flags hoisted across the landscape, the serpentine roads shimmering river-like under the noon sunlight. A devotional bhajan is playing somewhere on a speaker, probably far away. But it is being carried along to this remote tower on the day’s strong breeze.

Some of the tower’s arched plaques distinguish certain British fighters by invoking their names: Brigadier General J. Nicholson, Colonel C. Chester, Captain R.C. Facan, Lieutenant F.S. Tandy, etc. One plaque lists the numbers of “killed,” “wounded,” and “missing,” with separate entries for “British” and “Native.” Then there’s a tall plaque listing the “actions fought at or near Delhi.” That includes “Battle of Nujufgurh,’ “Capture of the Palace,” and “Action of the Subzee Mundi.” The last line on the plaque says: “City finally evacuated by the enemy.”

The “city” was certainly our Delhi. But who was the “enemy”?

A stand-alone plaque outside the tower responds to this curiosity: “The ‘enemy’ of the inscriptions on this monument were those who rose against colonial rule and fought bravely for national...

Delhi—the city of Djinns, teeming with a rich historical legacy is peppered with majestic monuments that have long stood the test of time. Situated in front of the Old Telegraph Building, the Mutiny Memorial is reminiscent of India’s Sepoy Mutiny (First War of Independence) in 1857 against the British rule. The monument was constructed in 1863 by the Public Works Department at government expenses, during British-ruled India. It was erected by the British to commemorate the lives lost during the First War of Indian Independence. On the 25th anniversary of India’s independence in 1972, the monument was hailed as a tribute to all the martyrs of India’s freedom struggle and was rechristened as Ajitgarh by the then government. During the First War of Independence, a large number of soldiers belonging to the Delhi Field Force sacrificed their lives to win back freedom for their country. Apart from soldiers, people from all other walks of life fought fearlessly. The names of thousands such martyrs whose existence is symbolic of their invincible spirit are etched in the walls of the Mutiny Memorial. The use of Victorian Gothic architecture spells magnificence. The tower is of octagonal shape on the exterior and circular in shape from the interior. The plaques on the surrounding walls and the red sandstone base are engraved with the names of soldiers and their ranks. Within 200 metres from the Mutiny Memorial lies the Ashokan Pillar.

Just like any other Ashokan edict, even this pillar was sandstone rocks. Standing tall opposite the entrance of the Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, close to the Delhi University Campus, the pillar is often termed as the Delhi-Meerut Pillar. It was built by emperor Ashoka but transported to Delhi by Feroze Shah. The second such Ashokan Pillar is at the Feroze Shah Kotla grounds. The pillar has many inscriptions on it, since these have not been deciphered, one can aver that these contain Ashoka’s message of Buddhism and dhamma.

You can reach the mutiny memorial either from the side of Bara Hindu Rao or Kamla Nagar, the Ridge road from Raj Pur Road or the...

The Mutiny Memorial in Delhi is a four-tiered Gothic-style sandstone spire that was built in 1863 to commemorate the British and Indian soldiers who died during the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The memorial is located on the Northern Ridge, about 2.4 kilometers from the Kashmiri Gate metro station.

The memorial is a relatively small structure, but it is well-maintained and easy to find. The base of the memorial is octagonal, and each of the eight faces is inscribed with the names of the soldiers who died in the rebellion. The top of the memorial is a tapering spire, which is topped with a cross.

The Mutiny Memorial is a quiet and peaceful place to reflect on the events of 1857. The memorial is also a reminder of the sacrifices that were made by both British and Indian soldiers during the rebellion.

Here are some of the pros and cons of visiting the Mutiny Memorial:

Pros:

The memorial is well-maintained and easy to find. The inscriptions on the base of the memorial provide a sobering reminder of the events of 1857. The memorial is a quiet and peaceful place to reflect.

Cons:

The memorial is relatively small and may not be of interest to everyone. There is no admission fee, but there is a small donation box at the entrance.

Overall, I would recommend visiting the Mutiny Memorial if you are interested in learning about the Indian Rebellion of 1857. The memorial is a small but significant historical site, and it is a quiet and peaceful place to reflect.

Here are some tips for visiting the Mutiny Memorial:

The memorial is open from 9am to 5pm, seven days a week. There is no admission fee. The memorial is located on the Northern Ridge, about 2.4 kilometers from the Kashmiri Gate metro station. There is a small donation box at the entrance.

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