<p>Existence of British empire over India has always been identified in one way or another.</p>.<p>Similarly, the fight to free the nation from Colonial rule has also left its footprints. Lost in the desert of time, the history of our revolutionaries stands largely ignored today. Take for instance, Kamla Nehru Ridge, located in the North Campus which houses a lot of monuments marking different eras of the freedom struggle but is rarely found on the tourist map of Delhi.<br /><br />Built in 1857, the Flagstaff Tower is the highest point of Delhi Ridge (renamed Kamla Nehru Ridge) and was a focal point during the Mutiny of 1857. During British times, the Union Jack was proudly hoisted on this spire. The British built the tower to commemorate the site where British women and children had gathered during the First War of Indian Independence on 11th May 1857 before escaping to Karnal. The tower is believed to be a part of the military cantonment, which lay to the West of the Ridge. The entrance of the tower is now closed to public but one can still take a close look.<br /><br />The Ashoka Pillar which stands right across the main entrance of Bara Hindu Rao Hospital on the ridge, dates back to 3rd century BC and was relocated to Delhi from Meerut in the 14th century by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. A protected monument under the ASI, the pillar stands about 10 meters high and has Asoka’s teachings and instructions inscribed on it written in Prakrit and Brahmi scripts. The history of the pillar has been etched in a stone here.<br /><br />Walk down a little further and you reach the Mutiny Memorial erected by Britishers in memory of British soldiers who lost their lives in 1857. An interesting fact about this memorial is that even enemies have been mentioned in the inscriptions. Assumed to be a church by many, the Mutiny Memorial today stands serene, calm and ignored.<br /><br />When visiting the Ridge don’t forget to visit the Khooni Khan jheel. The water body is so named because bodies of the British killed by the rebels and rebels slayed by the British were dumped into this pond. It is also said that thousands of men and women committed suicide in this 80 feet deep jheel while soldiers were escaping the British.<br /><br />One of the few pockets to remain untouched in Delhi, the Ridge is a must visit for those interested not only in history but also in the greenery for the Ridge has some beautiful walkways inside, often used by morning walkers from around the area. <br /></p>
<p>Existence of British empire over India has always been identified in one way or another.</p>.<p>Similarly, the fight to free the nation from Colonial rule has also left its footprints. Lost in the desert of time, the history of our revolutionaries stands largely ignored today. Take for instance, Kamla Nehru Ridge, located in the North Campus which houses a lot of monuments marking different eras of the freedom struggle but is rarely found on the tourist map of Delhi.<br /><br />Built in 1857, the Flagstaff Tower is the highest point of Delhi Ridge (renamed Kamla Nehru Ridge) and was a focal point during the Mutiny of 1857. During British times, the Union Jack was proudly hoisted on this spire. The British built the tower to commemorate the site where British women and children had gathered during the First War of Indian Independence on 11th May 1857 before escaping to Karnal. The tower is believed to be a part of the military cantonment, which lay to the West of the Ridge. The entrance of the tower is now closed to public but one can still take a close look.<br /><br />The Ashoka Pillar which stands right across the main entrance of Bara Hindu Rao Hospital on the ridge, dates back to 3rd century BC and was relocated to Delhi from Meerut in the 14th century by Firoz Shah Tughlaq. A protected monument under the ASI, the pillar stands about 10 meters high and has Asoka’s teachings and instructions inscribed on it written in Prakrit and Brahmi scripts. The history of the pillar has been etched in a stone here.<br /><br />Walk down a little further and you reach the Mutiny Memorial erected by Britishers in memory of British soldiers who lost their lives in 1857. An interesting fact about this memorial is that even enemies have been mentioned in the inscriptions. Assumed to be a church by many, the Mutiny Memorial today stands serene, calm and ignored.<br /><br />When visiting the Ridge don’t forget to visit the Khooni Khan jheel. The water body is so named because bodies of the British killed by the rebels and rebels slayed by the British were dumped into this pond. It is also said that thousands of men and women committed suicide in this 80 feet deep jheel while soldiers were escaping the British.<br /><br />One of the few pockets to remain untouched in Delhi, the Ridge is a must visit for those interested not only in history but also in the greenery for the Ridge has some beautiful walkways inside, often used by morning walkers from around the area. <br /></p>
