Delhi took over as the capital of India from Calcutta in 1911. The British spent about 20 years to build the city which was designed at the hands of the remarkable architects of those times, Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker. The result of their persevering hard work is seen even today. The outstanding spacious avenues lined by trees and the remarkable government buildings speak volumes about the innovative architectural skills of the Brits. Many of these buildings are used in an official capacity by the Government of India. Some of these colonial monuments are:

India Gate:

Designed by Sir Edwin Lutyers, India Gate was built to commemorate 70,000 Indian soldiers who were part of the British Army and died in fighting during the First World War. Currently it serves as a tomb for unknown soldiers of the Indian Armed Forces who have lost their lives in wars. An eternal flame known as ‘Amar JawanJyothi’ is kept burning for these brave hearts.

Secretariat Building:

With influences of Mughal and Rajasthani styles, the Secretariat Building displays Indo-Saracenic revival architecture. It has two blocks of proportioned buildings which border the Rashtrapathi Bhavan.

Rashtrapathi Bhavan:

This building is a massive construction with 340 rooms and four floors. Residence of the British Viceroy it now serves as the official home to the President of India. The house has a beautiful Mughal Garden in its backyard.

Parliament House:

Accommodating the two houses of parliament, the Parliament House is a striking circular building. It also houses several committee rooms, ministerial offices and a magnificent library. Built in 1921 in a circular shape resembling the Ashoka Chakra, the Sansad Bhavan is the house of the Parliament of India. Another architectural wonder by Sir Edwin Lutyens and Herbert Baker, the SansadBhavan has a large garden bordered with sandstone railings that is designed to replicate the Stupa of Sanchi.

Teen Murthi Bhavan:

Currently sheltering a number of institutions, the Teen MurthiBhavan first served the British as the residence of the Commander-in-chief of the British Indian Army and then was the residence of Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru for 16 years.

These living testaments to the colonial architecture skills continue to impress and awe.

Ever since he had studied about caves in his higher secondary, Roshan had his interest in caves fanned. Now studying in a college in Hyderabad, he convinced four of his friends to join him on an exploration of caves in Andhra Pradesh during their vacation. Andhra Pradesh is geographically inclined towards caves. Formed over centuries, these natural formations are spread all over AP.

The five friends first visited Yaganti Caves in Kurnool district. This natural cave encompasses several other caves like Sanka Cave, Rokalla Cave, Veera Brahman Cave and Venkateshwara Cave. The famous Kalagnanam by Potuluri Veera Brahmam was written in the Yaganti Caves. With so many deities present, the Yaganti Caves has become a popular pilgrimage site. The surrounding scenery and lovely landscape adds to the divine feeling.

Close by in the same Kurnool district, was the famous Belum Caves, so that figured next on their list. Belum caves holds the number one position for the largest and longest cave in India. The roomy chambers, lengthy passages and fresh water pockets in the caves make it a popular tourist destination.

Next cave on their check-listwas Undavalli Caves in Guntur district. These monolithic caves are rock-cut and belong to the 4th century. The caves house four stories. A wonder of the cave is the magnificent reclining statue of Lord Vishnu sculpted from a single granite block. The other shrines to be seen in Undavalli Caves are of Trimurti, Shiva and Brahma. The friends enjoyed the views of the Krishna River and the vast expanse of picturesque landscape around the caves.

Their next headed to nearby Vijayawada for the Mogalarajapuram Caves. It is popular for three cave temples dating back to the 5th century. The friends discovered that only one of the three temples inside the cave was in fairly good condition. The deities found here were of Nataraja and Vinayaka. They were impressed by the architecture of the temples.

The five friends had reserved the best cave for the last visit. Located around 90 kilometres from the port city of Vishakapatnam, the Borra Caves stretch over the Eastern Ghats. These caves are the second largest natural caves in India and occupy about two square kilometres. They are located high up at a height of 1400 feet. What the friends liked best about the Borra Caves was that they were naturally formed limestone caves out of deposits of the Gosthani River. This river when flowing through the solidified stalagmites and stalactites in the caves caused many structures of shapes which resemble idols, things or any other subject. The friends had an amusing time interpreting the shapes as temple, church, Shiva, Parvathi, human brain, crocodile and whatever their wild imaginations let them.

Having completed their ‘cave trip’ satisfactorily the five friends returned to their respective homes to spend what was left of their vacations.

Read our blog post on Caves of Maharashtra

The British always thought ahead. This fact comes across in the use of modern techniques and science in the architecture of all the buildings designed by them. They were rather extravagant too in the use of metals including gold and in the size of their adornments like statues, shields, swords and pillars. Some of the British monuments that have stood the test of time and continue to impress modern day Kolkata are:

Raj Bhavan:

With a majestic outlook, the Raj Bhavan is now the residence of the Governor of West Bengal. Constructed during the governance of Marquess Wellesley, the building has the distinction of having the very first elevator of Kolkata.

Kolkata Town Hall:

Constructed in the Roman Doric style, the Town Hall was built with funds raised through a lottery. It was used for social gatherings.

Howrah Station:

Constructed first in the British period, the Howrah Station housed the second railway line linking Calcutta with Bardhaman coal fields. The first track essentially built for transporting goods eventually evolved into many platforms. Howrah Station is now one of the largest railway terminals of our country.

Writers Building:

Built in a beautiful European style by the British, Writers Building is today the secretariat of the West Bengal State Government. It also incorporates various departments of the state government.

St. Paul’s Cathedral:

This church, built by Bishop Daniel Wilson, showcases the Gothic Revival style of architecture. The beautiful church with its pristine exterior, stained glass windows and murals makes it one of the important attractions of Kolkata.

Victoria Memorial:

Built in the memory of Queen Victoria, the Victoria Memorial is a fine example of both British and Mughal architecture. Conceived by Lord Curzon and designed by Sir William Emerson, the building is built with white Makrana marble. Best at night with its many lights giving it a fairy tale appearance the Victoria Memorial with its lovely gardens standing on the banks of the Hooghly River, is one of the most visited monuments of the British period.

Stamps of the colonial era are left everywhere in our country. Kolkata has a whole chapter to itself.