Shaheed Minar, Kolkata

Shahid Minar
শহীদ মিনার
শহীদ মিনার
Former names	Ochterlony Monument অক্টারলোনি মনুমেন্ট
General information
Type	Monument
Architectural style	Egyptian, Syrian and Turkish
Location	Kolkata Maidan
Town or city	Kolkata, West Bengal
Country	India
Construction started	1848
Height	48 m (157 ft)
Design and construction
Main contractor	David Ochterlony

For the other monunment in Dhaka known as Shaheed Minar, see Shaheed Minar

The Shaheed Minar (Bengali: শহীদ মিনার), formerly known as the Ochterlony Monument (Bengali: অক্টারলোনি মনুমেন্ট), is a monument in Kolkata originally built in 1848 by Major-general David Ochterlony, commander of the British East India Company's main force to commemorate his victory in Gurkha War (1814-16).^[1] In 1969, it was dedicated to the memory of the martyrs of the Indian freedom movement and hence renamed as "Shahid Minar" which means "martyrs monument" in both Bengali and Hindi.^[2][1]

Shaheed Minar Maidan.

Commonly referred as the Monument, the Shahid Minar is located at Esplanade in central Kolkata and is 48 m (157 ft) high. It has a foundation based on the Egyptian style, a column of Syrian architecture and a copula of Turkish design.^[2][1]

The vast field south of Shahid Minar, known as the Shahid Minar Maidan, is used for political rallies and fairs. The first political meeting at this ground, presided by Rabindranath Tagore, was held in 1931.^[2] The central bus terminus of the city is around the monument.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Heritage Tour: Shaheed Minar at WebCite (archived 15 June 2011)
2. ^ ^{a b c} Kolkata.org: Shaheed Minar at WebCite (archived 15 June 2011)

See also

• Gurkha War