Page 279 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - India

K OLK A T A  277

7 Maidan Monument. It was named
after Sir David Ochterlony, one
Bounded by Strand Rd, AJC Bose Rd,
Cathedral Rd & Eden Gardens Rd. of the Raj’s daredevil soldiers,
St Paul’s Cathedral: Open daily. who had led the British armies
5 7:30am, 8:30am, 10:30am to victory in the Anglo-Nepal
& 6pm Sun. War in 1816. The monument
is a fluted Doric column, 48 m
In the heart of the city, this (157 ft) high with a cupola for a
400-ha (988-acre) park stretches roof. To its south is the Maidan’s
from the Hooghly river in the most impressive building, the
west to Chow ringhee in Victoria Memorial (see pp278–9).
the east, and contains several A short distance from the
interesting areas and buildings. Memorial is St Paul’s Cathedral.
In the early 18th century, It was designed by Major WN
a dense jungle was Forbes in 1847, and
cut down to build its spire, modelled on
Fort William, after Britain’s Canterbury
Detail of the ornamental entrance of the earlier mud fort Cathedral, was added
Nakhoda Mosque was destroyed in after the earlier one
1756. The present was destroyed in the
5 Nakhoda Mosque fort, a squat, irregular 1934 earthquake.
octagon, was Its grounds are lined
1, Zakaria St. Tel 990 370 8808.
Open daily. with permission. completed in 1781. with trees, and the
Today, it is the interior is notable
The city’s largest mosque, headquarters of for a superb stained-
Nakhoda Mosque is based on the Indian Army’s glass window,
the design of Akbar’s tomb at Eastern Command designed by Edward
Sikandra (see p182). Built in 1926, and not usually Burne-Jones in
it is surmounted by a dome and open to the public. memory of the
faced with red sandstone, with To the north of the viceroy, Lord Mayo.
minarets that rise to a height of fort are the pleasantly The Race Course is
46 m (151 ft). It can accommodate laid out Eden Gardens, on the southwestern
over 10,000 people for prayer, where international corner of the Maidan.
but on major religious occasions, cricket matches are Racing is popular in
people spill out on to the street. held. They were Kolkata and races are
Nearby is the Hotel Royal, famous conceived and Stained glass, held throughout the
for its rich biryani and chaanp designed in 1841 St Paul’s Cathedral year. Polo is played
(goat’s ribs cooked in spiced by Emily and Fanny here for a few weeks
gravy). This is a fascinating Eden, the sisters of the governor in the winter season. The city’s
neigh bourhood with 19th- general, Lord Auckland. At the two famous football clubs,
cen tury mansions, old bazaars northern corner of the Maidan Mohun Bagan and East Bengal,
and temples. is the Burmese Pavilion set in are based in the Maidan.
a small lake. This was brought On Sunday afternoons,
6 Armenian Church here by Lord Dalhousie from a lively fair with acrobats,
mag icians and jugglers takes
Prome in Myanmar in 1854.
of St Nazareth To its east is the Shahid Minar, place at the northern end of
literally “Martyrs’ Memorial”, the Maidan. This is also the
Armenian St, near Brabourne Rd.
Open daily. originally called Ochterlony venue for large political rallies.
Built by Armenian traders in
1724, the Armenian Church
of St Nazareth stands on the
site of the original 1688 wooden
church, which burnt down
in 1707. Immigrants from
Isfahan in Persia, the Armenians
were among the earliest foreign
traders to settle in Kolkata.
Once a thriving community,
today their numbers have
dwindled. The church has a
unique rounded spire, and its
grounds house several graves
with ornate tombstones. Eden Gardens, the site of many cricket matches

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