The Mutiny Memorial, Kamala Nehru Ridge (North Ridge), Delhi

The Mutiny Memorial

Kamala Nehru Ridge (North Ridge), Delhi

A strange, displaced Gothic spire, illegitimate first cousin to the Albert Memorial, it still stands today above the swirl of domes, rooftops and bazar sacks that is Old Delhi.

William Dalrymple, City of Djinns

Mutiny Memorial, Kamala Nehru Ridge (North Ridge), Delhi

Delhi Ridge, or simply The Ridge, is a an extension of the ancient Aravalli Range and runs through the heart of the National Capital Territory (NCR) of Delhi.

The Delhi Ridge covers a distance of about 35 km and refereed to as the green lung of Delhi and protects the city from the hot winds of the deserts of Rajasthan. It is divided into four zones.

North Ridge or Kamala Nehru Ridge is one of the four zones. It is a hilly area near the Delhi University. It was declared a Reserve Forest in 1915. It initially covered an area of 170 hectares but have now shrunk to 87 hectares, making it the smallest of the four ridge zones if Delhi. (See also: Historic trail along the North Ridge or Kamala Nehru Ridge)

The North Ridge, officially known as the Kamala Nehru Ridge, houses an interesting mix of monuments. Scattered along the forested region of the ridge are monuments ranging from the Tughlaq era right up to  the days of the Mutiny.

The monument that stands out among the monuments of the ridge is the towering Mutiny Memorial. It is located at the site of Taylor’s Battery during the siege of Delhi in 1857. It was built in 1863. The Gothic styled red sand stone tapering tower rises from a two tired platform and looks totally out of place.

Plan of Mutiny Memorial (Source: ASI)

After the Mutiny of 1857 sites related to the Mutiny were preserved and turned into late Victorian tourist attraction. Monuments were erected all over the sub – continent in memory of the Britishers and Indian soldiers who fought for the British.

The Mutiny Memorial at North Ridge (Kamala Nehru Ridge) Delhi was the most prominent of the mutiny memorials of the sub continent.

Built in Gothic style the Mutiny Memorial is a octagonal tapering tower in red sand stone. It has a richly ornamented faced and is crowned with a marble crucifix.

The four tiered tower stands on a two tiered platform and total height of the tower stands at 33 meters. Flights of stairs on all the four sides of the platform leads to the base of the tower.

Entry inside the tower is through a gateway on its western wall and a flight of spiral stairways leads to the balconies on the four tires.

But sadly the gate is kept under lock and key and thus preventing visitors access inside the tower and robbing them of the grand birds eye view of the lush green Kamala Nehru Ridge (North Ridge).

The commemorative plaque of the siege and capture of Delhi. Mutiny Memorial, North Ridge (Kamla Nehru Ridge), Delhi L: English, M: Urdu, R: Hindi

Apart from the gateway to the inside of the tower the other seven sides contain marble plaques embedded inside decorated sandstone archways. Three of them narrates the event in English, Hindi and Urdu. The English plaques says that the Memorial honours the soldiers of Delhi Field Force who died during the Mutiny of 1857.

The remaining four plaques of Delhi’s Mutiny Memorial

Among the remaining four plaques one lists the regiments present during the siege of Delhi while the second one lists actions fought at or near Delhi. The remaining two plaques list the KILLED, WOUNDED and MISSING soldiers of the mutiny, which is again sub divide into sub categories like Europeans & Natives and Officers & Non Commissioned Officers.

New Plaques of Mutiny Memorial, Delhi

On 15 August 1972 the Delhi’s Mutiny Memorial was renamed Ajitgarh (Place of the Unvanquished) and a plaque was put at its pedestal. Written in four languages Hindi, Urdu, English and Punjabi.

It says that the “enemies” mentioned in the inscription were actually the freedom fighters and martyrs of India, who fought bravely against the repressive colonial rule in the First War of Indian Independence.

Pul Bangash (Red Line) is the nearest metro station. Move northwards from the station and take Dr. Karnwal Road. The narrow road, with an even narrower footpath, passes through the centre of the ridge.

There is not much traffic but cars move fast, so do watch your step. A short walk along the Dr. Karnwal Road leads to the towering Mutiny Memorial, located on the right side of the road.

After the Mutiny Memorial you can continue northwards, along the ridge, past the Ashokan Pillar, Pir Ghaib and the Baoli inside Hindu Rao hospital and finally to the Flag Staff Tower on the highest point of the ridge (See also: Historic trail along the North Ridge or Kamala Nehru Ridge).

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