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| Curzon Gate, 1942, Bardhaman, WB, pinrest.com |
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| Viceroy, India Lord Curzon (1859 -1925), prints-online.com |
The 119-year-old Curzon Gate in Bardhaman, in Purba Bardhaman.District West Bengal, is at the center of a political row after the Trinamool Congress (TMC)-run Bardhaman municipality decided to erect statues of Maharaja Bijay Chand Mahatab and his wife Radharani in front of the city’s prominent landmark.
Politicians, historians, and heritage experts have questioned the ruling party’s decision, claiming that the statues would block the view of the structure, which was built by Mahatab in 1903 when Lord Curzon, then Viceroy of India, visited Bardhaman.
To honor Lord Curzon's visit, Maharaja Bijoy Chand Mahatab had a majestic archway built in 1903. This towering archway, located one kilometer from the royal palace, stands at the junction of Bijoy Chand Road and Grand Trunk Road and remains a central attraction in the town. Originally named Curzon Gate, it was renamed Bijoy Toran in 1974, although it is still commonly referred to as Curzon Gate (Karjon Gate in Bengali).
West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar recently faced widespread condemnation after tweeting about a table, apparently used by Lord Curzon to sign papers pertaining to the Partition of Bengal in 1905, calling it “iconic.” Dhankhar later deleted the tweet.
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| 1905 questionable division of Bengga by Curzon lmage.prepladder.com |
Lord Curzon, India’s Viceroy between 1899 and 1905, was a significant yet controversial figure. His decision to partition the Bengal Presidency in 1905 into two parts - East Bengal, dominated by Muslims, and West Bengal, dominated by Hindus met with intense opposition. It was aimed to break the unity and growing freedom movement against the British. This move angered prominent Indian leaders, triggering widespread condemnation and accelerating the Indian freedom movement.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1RYOQoCtsY
