"The monument should be the face of the city, and for every visitor the first port of call. It should be synonymous with Calcutta".
This was easily the most ambitious mandate ever set for a project and it was with such a mission that the Victoria Memorial was built.

Why am I writing about it? Because it’s just turned 100! And completed a century of being all that its original builder, Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India, set out to do.
Surprisingly, the memorial was erected in Calcutta although the capital of British India had shifted to Delhi in 1911. Though the British adorned Delhi with many massive buildings, Calcutta saw its last great imperial government building being built only after it had become a provincial capital.

Location
The vast open space beyond Fort William comprised narrow tracks and bare, unmotorable ground all the way from the governor's house to P.G. Hospital.
The Victoria Memorial gave it direction and purpose, and led to the laying out of the wide ceremonial roads we see today.
 The monument made driving within the city a pleasure, creating a promenade and becoming the anchor point of a network of avenues.
It was from there that roads branched off north to Esplanade, south to Bhowanipore and Alipore, east to Park Circus Circle, and west to the river Ganga. It was the heart of the motoring district, the reference point for the best car showrooms, service stations - and driving lessons for learners!

Motoring Venue
When built, the Victoria Memorial was a drivable zone, with silk smooth roads repaved in fresh fine gravel regularly.
Cars could enter from gates placed in the north (Maidan), east (St. Paul's cathedral) and south (PG Hospital).
There was a car ramp for getting off at the higher level in the south, and a street level drop off point on the north at the base of the great steps.
The north end had a very impressive divided approach road and a very wide turning area for the even largest vintage limousines.

Then in the 1970s, the fine driving surface was covered with the large pebbles we see today. They are harmful to both tyres and suspension. It is not clear who or why decided on this change. In fact the exact date of this changeover is lost somewhere in government files.

In recent years, judicial orders have all but prohibited the entry of motor vehicles into the complex. Only government cars can enter and the general public has to walk it. During rain or in peak summer heat, visitors suffer immensely. Challenged individuals find it virtually impossible to enjoy the Memorial. It's indeed unfortunate.

Victoria Memorial remains the face of Calcutta, its symbol of pride and beauty. Its builders - Martin & Co., designer William Emerson, superintendent architect Vincent Esch - are still remembered for their marvellous achievement. And while we can't drive through the gates of the monument, all of us do still enjoy driving to this enduring image of city's heritage and architectural excellence.