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Interesting Readings - Sheopur District, Madhya Pradesh
- Shegaon, Maharashtra.
- Chatra, Jharkhand
- Cuddapah, Andhra Pradesh
- Cuddalore, Pondicherry
- Courtallam, Tamil Nadu
- Charibatia, Orissa
- Bugyal, Uttarakhand
- Bundelkhand, Madhya Pradesh
- Bundi District, Rajasthan
- Bundi , Rajasthan
- Byadgi,Karnataka
- Coochbehar, West Bengal
- Nadia, West Bengal
- Hooghly , West Bengal
- Malda , West Bengal
- Amusements parks in Chennai
- Tirunelveli,Tamil Nadu
- Pulicat, Tamil Nadu
- Connemara Public Library, Chennai
- Indian Cities
- Pilgrimages In India
- Tourism in India
- North East India
- Indian capital cities
- Port cities in India
- Indian Union Territory Capitals
- Metropolitan cities in India
- Ancient Indian Cities
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| Victoria Memorial, Kolkata
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Victoria Memorial was opened to the public on 21st December 1921. It is a stunningly beautiful structure, whose foundation stone was laid by The Prince of Wales on 4th of January 1906. The monument stands on a lush green sprawling land of 26 hectares. The memorial is situated in an embellished garden at the southern side of the Kolkata`s maidan near Jawaharlal Nehru Road. The idea of this huge memorial as a fitting tribute to Queen Victoria germinated in the mind of Lord Curzon. Victoria was the first British queen to be awarded the title of Queen-Empress of India in 1877. Huge amount of funds were required to build this stupendous monument but there were hindrance due to shortage of funds, eventually Lord Curzon raised money from the generous aristocrats and the people of India. The building turned out to be exquisitely beautiful being designed by Sir William Emerson. The then capital was India, and hence this was the only choice to be the destination for this marvelous creation.
Sir William Emerson President of the British Institute of Architects designed the palatial building, while the Vincent J Esch was the superintending architect he was an assistant Engineer in the Bengal Nagpur Railway and Messrs Martin and Co of Kolkata were entrusted with the task of construction.
 The monument looks stunning in white marble, reflecting the serene beauty of the Taj Mahal. The monument is built on the lines of classical European architecture and Mughal motifs. There are 3000 exhibits in 25 galleries in a chamber underneath the dome. It has a vast collection of pictures, manuscripts, letters, statues, etc, that was linked with the times of Nawab and British era in Bengal. Some of the interesting specimens are paintings and images of Queen Mary, King George V, Queen Victoria, Clive, Lord Bentick, General Stringer Lawrence, William Makepeace Thackeray, Florence Nightingale, many of British India`s Governors and Governor Generals like Warren Hastings, Cornwallis, Wellesley, Dalhousie etc.
 The monument is the storehouse of memoirs associated with the Queen`s life as it has the three thousand five hundred articles that remind of the Queen Victoria. All these things are reminiscent of her lifestyle and time. Queen`s dresses are one of the special attractions in the museum. In the display are the Rosewood piano, the Whispering Gallery in the dome and numerous artillery weapons used in the Battle of Plassey. There are numerous galleries apart from the royal gallery, like the Kolkata Gallery displays the historical legacy of Kolkata. From the day when Job Charnock discovered Kolkata till the year 1911, the history is displayed.
 The Nawab`s throne, medals awarded to Prince Dwarkanath Tagore by Queen Victoria, Ivory chair of Warren Hastings and the pistols used by him find a place in the gallery as display. The Victoria Memorial garden is spread on an area of 64 acres and is a very well maintained and much preferred place for spending time. Lord Redesdale and Sir David Prain designed the wonderful lush gardens. It abounds in Raj era statues like statues like the Queen with the star of India, of British luminaries like Lord Bentinck and Lord Ripon. For building the exquisite monument, 196080cft of Makrana marble was brought from far distant places like Jodhpur and Rajasthan.
 The memorial is `H` shaped and it exhibits a blend of several hybrid features like Italian and Mughal. Italian style statues adorn its entrances, while Mughal domes are contained in its corners with tall stylish open curved colonnades close to its sides. The main entrance to the memorial is from the north where a bronze statue of Queen Victoria can be spotted. Queen Victoria`s proclamation speech is contained in the entrance. Famous paintings of Macaulay, Bishop Heber and William Hickey, Verestchagin`s immense depiction of the Prince of Wales on his royal tour of Jaipur in 1876 are displayed. Among the works of the Victorian artists Thomas and William Daniells, paintings of
Robert Clive, marriage of the Prince of Wales with Princess Alexandra are played which attracts the eye. There is a very big painting where King Edward VII can be seen entering Jaipur in a ceremonial procession in 1876. Indian personalities have also been included and these include the paintings of Rabindranath Tagore, Dwarkanath Tagore, Keshab Chandra sen, and Michael Madhusudan Dutt. Some oil paintings depict episodes from Queen Victoria`s eventful life and reign beginning from her coronation in the Westminster Abbey in June 1838, then her marriage with Prince Albert (1840) in the Chapel Royal at St., James` Palace, followed by the baptism of her son, her son`s wedding, her Frogmore residence, her first Jubilee service in Westminster Abbey in 1887 and the Second Jubilee service of at St. Paul`s Cathedral, June 1897 etc. there are also exhibits of scrapbooks and letters written in Hindustani since the Queen was taught in the language by her favorite Indian attendant Abdul Karim.
The Victoria Memorial is a masterpiece in architecture and content. Being a Museum not only it attracts the masses but also the gardens are much loved among the people. Especially on Sundays there is a huge crowd, and on regular basis light shows in English and Bengali are held in the evening. All these make the trip to the Victoria memorial an enjoyable experience.
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