Fort William in Kolkata Renamed to Vijay Durg
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Synopsis
On February 3, 2023, it was announced that the historic Fort William in Kolkata has been renamed Vijay Durg. Along with this, other structures within the fort, including Kitchener House and St George's Gate, have also received new names to honor significant figures in Indian history.
Key Takeaways
- Fort William renamed Vijay Durg.
- Kitchener House now Manekshaw House.
- St George's Gate renamed to Shivaji Gate.
- Fort covers 177 acres and has 497 cannons.
- Significant historical context behind the name changes.
Kolkata, Feb 3 (NationPress) The nearly 250-year-old Fort William in Kolkata, which serves as the headquarters for the Army's Eastern Command, has officially been renamed Vijay Durg, as announced by Wg Cdr Himanshu Tiwari, the Chief Public Relations Officer of the Ministry of Defence in Kolkata.
Additionally, several other facilities within the Fort have also undergone name changes.
According to Wg Cdr Tiwari, Kitchener House within Fort William has been renamed Manekshaw House, and the South Gate, previously known as St George's Gate, is now referred to as Shivaji Gate.
A senior official from the Eastern Command noted that the current Fort William, which spans over 177 acres, was built to replace the original structure that was destroyed by Siraj-ud-Daula's forces in 1757. The British began constructing the new Fort in 1758, completing the first phase by 1781.
Learning from the failure of the previous fort, they fortified the new structure with enhanced defenses. The ramparts were designed to endure cannon fire of that time. This octagonal fort, surrounded by a moat, featured eight gates. While three gates opened towards the River Hooghly, the remaining ones overlooked a stretch of land known then as the Glacis, which is now recognized as the Kolkata Maidan.
The official further stated that 497 cannons had been placed along the ramparts, yet none were ever fired as the fort remained unchallenged.
The historic Kitchener House was initially constructed in 1771 as a blockhouse for the Fort Assault Company. It was transformed in 1784 into the residence for the commander-in-chief of the British Indian Army, named after Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, who lived there from 1902 to 1910. The renaming to honor Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw is significant; he served as India's Chief of the Army Staff in 1971 during India's pivotal victory over Pakistani forces, leading to the liberation of Bangladesh. Lt Gen AAK Niazi of the Pakistan Army, who surrendered with nearly 90,000 troops in Dhaka on December 16, 1971, was initially held at Kitchener House.
The renaming of St George's Gate to Chhatrapati Shivaji Gate also carries historical weight. Vijay Durg is also the name of the oldest fort on the Sindhudurg coast in Maharashtra, which served as the naval base for the Marathas during Shivaji's era.
