Shahid Minar

Shahid Minar -'tower of the martyrs', one of the most famous landmarks of Kolkata

Category: British Monument
Visiting time: 10am to 6pm, Monday – Friday (But the best times would be in the morning before noon, and again towards the late afternoon, after 4:30pm)
Admission fee: Nil. But a monument pass from the Assistant Commissioner’s Office on the 2nd floor of the Police Headquarters on Lal Bazaar Street is needed to climb the tower.
Photography charges: Photography is restricted inside the monument.
Hit the spot: The nearest Metro Station is the Esplanade metro Station. One can also go there by any of the buses to Esplanade.
Nearest Railway Station: Howrah
Nearest Metro Station: Esplanade
Nearest International Airport: Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport.
Approximate time required for sight seeing: 30 min
Parking: Hourly parking charges applicable.

Traditionally the starting point of the numerous rallies, strikes and processions in Kolkata, this monument, originally known a s the ‘Ochterlony Monument’ was erected in 1828 by the commander of East India Company,  Major-General David Ochterlony, in honour of his victory in the Gurkha War of 1816. It was renamed the Shahid Minar (Martyr’s Column) after Independence, in honour of the martyrs.

48 metres tall, the Minar is an interesting blend of a Syrian column, an Egyptian plinth slightly tapering towards the top, and a Turkish cupola, and was contrived by the famous British architect JP Parker. Earlier, access to the top of the Minar was easily available to visitors, but now permission needs to be taken from the police headquarters on Lal Bazaar Street. This means that the wonderful view of the city from the top of the tower is rather restricted. However one would have to climb 218 steps in order to access it!

Grub Joints

The Chowringhee-Park Street-Esplanade stretch lies nearby, which is a food-lover’s delight in Kolkata. There are numerous restaurants which offer a range of classic Kolkata delights: a blend of the home-feel Bengali cuisines, to the spicy Mughlai; from the sizzling Chinese, to Italian and other Continental spreads.

If one wants to try the flavours of Bengal one should visit Aaheli in the Peerless Inn. For Mughlai freaks, there is Zaranj, Aminia, Rahmania and Shiraz; Bar-b-q, Marco Polo, Chung Wah and Golden Dragon offer delicious Chinese cuisine whereas Fire and Ice on Jawaharlal Nehru Road specialises in Italian cuisine. Mocambo on Mirza Ghalib Street is also a remnant of the Kolkatan past, and offers a good range of Indian and Continental cuisines. Flury's on Park Street is a legendary Kolkata café cum patisserie cum restaurant. One could drop in at One Step up next door for Continental spreads whereas people looking for some cool beverages can drop in at the Barista or the CCD. One can also treat themselves to the mouthwatering puchkas, sherbets, fruit salads and other road side delicacies near the Victoria Memorial though they could be a bit tough on one’s tummy at times!

Shopping Stops Nearby

One could go on a shopping spree and splurge on a huge range of items from Tibetan Thangkas to Ray Ban goggles. The stretch from The Oberoi Grand located in Esplanade to Park Street is one of the most famous places for roadside shopping. The flea market is especially very popular with tourists. Balucheri sarees and Vishnupur clay idols vie for attention alongside up market brands like Nike, Adidas, Westside and Pantaloons. For handloom and handicraft items, The Cottage Industries Emporium at Chowringhee is well worth a visit. The massive covered market called New Market in Chowringhee is another remnant of Kolkata’s past, and is known for selling literally every commodity that one could desire.