The war memorial reveals interesting facts about Chennai’s history.
What’s it about? Many cities across the country have tributes to the Indian soldiers who served the British military during World War I. Chennai has the Victory War Memorial at the southeastern corner of Fort St. George. Before this, the roundabout where the memorial is located was a meeting point for British officers.
- It came up in 1936 in honour of the fallen soldiers of the Madras presidency. Later, it served as a memorial for soldiers who died in both world wars.
- It has inscriptions in English, Arabic, Tamil, and Telegu. The upper portion has a plaque with the word ‘Victory’ and the years 1914 and 1918. The below one has 1939 and 1945 on it.
Paying homage: The memorial stands at the centre, surrounded by a lawn with flower beds. Every year, on the second Sunday of November, wreaths are laid to honour the fallen soldiers, as November 11 is celebrated as Remembrance Day or Remembrance Sunday to mark the end of World War I in 1918.
(Image credits: User:PlaneMad, CC BY-SA 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons)
