The fabulous Queen Victoria Memorial Hall in Calcutta

On the death of Queen Victoria in January 1901, Lord Curzon, who was then Viceroy of India, placed before the public the question of setting up a fitting memorial to the Queen. He suggested that the most suitable memorial would be a "stately", spacious, monumental and grand building surrounded by an exquisite garden.
This was to be a historical museum where people could see before them pictures and statues of men who played a prominent part in the history of this country and develop a pride in their past.

The princes and people of India responded generously to his appeal for funds and the total cost of construction of this monument amounting to one crore, five lakhs of rupees, was entirely derived from their voluntary subscriptions.

 

Sir William Emerson, President of the British Institute of Architects, designed and drew up the plan of this building, while the work of construction was entrusted to Messrs. Martin & Co. of Calcutta. Vincent J. Esch was the superintending architect.

 King George V, then the Prince of Wales, laid the foundation stone on January 4, 1906 and it was formally opened to the public in 1921.

It is a fantastic place that will take you into the world of past history, where you can view the photos and effigies of prominent personalities, who made an incredible contribution in the glory of India. Today, Victoria memorial is one of the finest art museums in Kolkata. It is a 184 ft tall edifice that was constructed on 64 acres of land. The museum houses a group of mind-blowing figures above the north porch that epitomize prudence, learning and motherhood.

There is a sound and light show in the evening, one in Bengali at around 6:30Pm and another in English around 7:30PM.

The best time to visit is from December to February. The Garden is open on all days only the Museum is closed on Mondays.

Keywords – Sir William Emerson, King George V, Victoria memorial, Lord Curzon, monument.

Taj Mahal the monument of love

             The TajMahal which is one of the Seven Wonders of the World is located on the banks of river Yamuna in Agra India. It was built by the mughal emperor shah jahan.  The TajMahal is a monument of immeasurable beauty. The beauty of it is beyond the scope of the words. The monument is constructed in the memory of his beloved wife Mumtaz Mahal. 

            TajMahal stands majestically on the banks of river Yamuna. It is the love behind this monument that has given life to it. The construction of this monument started in the year 1631AD and took almost 22 years to complete.

       A total of 20,000 laborers from across the world were employed to work for 22 years continuously to build the monument. Precious and semi precious stone were brought from far off places. The monument was built of white marble which was brought from all over India and central Asia. 

     The word TajMahal when translated meant Crown Palace. The Taj is pinkish in the morning, milky white in the evening and golden when the moon shines. Eating and Smoking is prohibited inside TajMahal. Visitors are requested to make less noise inside. Some think that the changing colors of the tomb depict the different moods of a woman.

      The time when shah jahan thought of building another mahal in black marble across the river he got house arrested by his own son Aurangzeb in the near by Agra Fort.

         

        This monument has touched the hearts of lovers from the years past. Shooting was not allowed within the monument. People are allowed to take photographs outside the monument.

         Many precious stones from the tomb were stolen by british officers during their rule.This place is one such which has to be visited at least once in lifetime.

Keywords : TajMahal, laborers, white marble, monument.