India's freedom struggle is intertwined with Meerut city of Utter Pradesh which had the second largest East India Company garrison. it was in this city the first freedom struggle took a big leap (it began in Barrackpore, WB in March 1857) and got the attention of the western countries. In 1803, after the fall of Delhi, Daulat Rao Scindia of the Marathas had np choice except to cede the territory to the British East India Company (EIC) that was on a land-grabbing binge. EIC wanted to have a strong military base in the center part of India and in 1806 the cantonment of Meerut came into being along with a garrison. Strategically an important place close to Delhi and inside the rich Ganges – Yamuna fertile place the cantonment grew in size and became most vital military stations of India. Meerut became the headquarters the eponymous district in 1818 and the English prior to that had been developing town to be self-contained in all aspects. Europeans of many different nationalities other than the British moved in and made Meerut their home.
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| Ghantaghar or clock house, Meerut threebestrated.in |
The Ghantaghar, as the name implies, is a clock house in the busy place of the city and is a silent remainder of early colonial period under the East India company. During the early colonial period under the English company several ghanta houses or clock houses came up in northern states and they not only served an important land mark of the town but also helped the common people to know the name of the day. It also stoically served as a symbol of their authority and dominance in that area.
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| Meerut city, Uttar Pradesh. britannica.com |
The big clock imported from England was mounted on a red-brick colored tower built in 1814 in colonial architecture. The tower that carries the clock was known as Kamboh Darwaza and the chowk as Ghantaghar Chowk; the place was known as Zero Mile Point. The origin of the latter name is not clear. The gate is now renamed as Subbash Chandra Dwar The railway station and Modi Nagar can be accessed through this place. The tower and the clock are not well maintained and the tower and the defective clock were fixed and brought back to old glory in the recent past.
Tit-bits:
Portuguese cemetery and British, Meerut:
A brief note:
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| Portuguese cemetery,Meerut,studiodharma.in |
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Portuguese cemetery, Meerut, studiodharma.in
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The oldest existing monument of Meerut cantonment at Army golf course was in use between the year of it’s establishment and 1810. It was in the 19th century it came to be known as the Portuguese Cemetery including a Greek grave that was reported existing in 1898.
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| St. Johns church, Meerut, graveyard pinrest.com |
The largest one is the cemetery at St. Johns which is more than 200 years old. It is an English cemetery where there are thousands of graves. Of the 32 British soldiers buried here only nine graves are left behind. Other British who were in service between 188s and 1910 were buried here. There is a large grave stone with hundreds of names carved on it.
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