This Structure Played A Pivotal Role In The 1857 Sepoy Mutiny: The Iconic Telegraph Memorial

The Telegraph Memorial is something only a few people have heard of. Also, due to its not-so-big size, it’s easy to miss. The structure in itself may not be awe inspiring but the story behind it is surely engaging and pertains to one of the most important periods of Delhi’s history. Now it stands just a few yards away from another structure reminiscent of that era, called the British Magazine, in the middle of the busy Netaji Subhash Road between the Red Fort and the Kashmere Gate.

Saviour Of An Empire

The Telegraph Memorial commemorates the role this new technology played during the mutiny of 1857. The mutiny happened suddenly and there were not enough company loyalists remaining to protect the city of Delhi. Many of the soldiers also changed sides and joined the mutineers so the resistance broke quickly, and a lot of Europeans were massacred in this process. Whoever survived this onslaught had to beat a hasty retreat to safer places not yet touched by the mutiny.

In order to control the situation and retaliate, quick action was needed. But the only hope was to spread the news quickly and alert other settlements, and the telegraph was the most efficient means back then. But even the telegraph post was under attack and was not going to last long. However, before abandoning it, some of the British soldiers managed to send a telegram to Ambala with the pertinent details. This message was later relayed to Lahore and other stations as well. 

The retaliation began soon afterwards, as the Company forces came from different directions to retake Delhi. It was still going to be a long war but eventually, the mutiny was crushed. A few years later, the British government decided to erect a memorial, not only as a celebration of the role this technology had played but also as a political tool to remind people of its triumph.

Then And Now

So this chiselled obelisk-like structure stands now in the midst of the road. It’s not very tall and often gets obscured by the trees and thick grass around it. The inscription on it celebrates the service of the telegraph department, however, there are doubts about the authenticity of the accounts provided. It’s speculated that some of the events might have been exaggerated by the British later on, to create a halo around the Empire. Other memorials and inscriptions scattered around the Kashmiri Gate area also probably served the same purpose.

A Different Location

However, the memorial is not located in the original location of the combat. During the mutiny, the Telegraph Office was located somewhere near the Flagstaff Tower inside what is now known as the Kamala Nehru Ridge near Delhi University. The Telegraph Office was later moved to the location where the General Post Office in Kashmiri Gate is located now. So, the memorial was also built in front of the new office which is still in a prominent location and hence easy to find.

If you call yourself a true-blue history buff and haven’t yet paid this memorial a visit - you’re missing out big time!

Location | GPO, Kashmere Gate