Ghats of Kolkata… Revisited: Judges Ghat & The Gwalior Monument

Left: Sir Elijah Impey; Right: Gwalior Monument

The promulgation of Regulating Act of 1773 by the King of England paved the way for establishment of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Calcutta. The Letters of Patent was issued on 26 March 1774 to establish the Supreme Court of Judicature at Calcutta, as a Court of Record, with ‘full power and authority’ to ‘hear and determine all complaints for any crimes’ and also ‘to entertain, hear and determine any suits or actions against any of His Majesty’s subjects in Bengal, Bihar and Orissa’.

            Sir Elijah Impey (13 June 1732 – 1 October 1809) was appointed as the first chief justice of the Supreme Court of Judicature at Fort William in Bengal, Chief Justice of the Sadr Diwani Adalat. His presence at the Court ensured a few notable cases. In 1775 he presided at the trial of Maharaja Nandakumar, who was accused of forging a bond in an attempt to deprive a widow of more than half her inheritance. 

             It was at the insistence of Impey that a new Ghat was constructed a few yards to the north of Prinsep Ghat. This Ghat was specifically designated for the use of ‘high ranking’ British officials, especially Judges who were posted in India by the Empire to step on the Indian soil. The Ghat, therefore, was christened as the Judges Ghat. Interestingly, it is also referred to as the Gwalior Ghat, perhaps because of its proximity to the Gwalior Monument that is located a few paces away from the Ghat.

Judges Ghat

            Gwalior Monument, also known as Ellenborough’s Folly, or, The Pepperpot, is an octagonal cenotaph about 60 feet high, crowned with a bronze dome. It was erected in 1847 by Lord Ellenborough, the Governor-General of India, as a memorial to the officers and men who fell during the Gwalior War in 1843.

It was designed by Colonel H Goodwyn of the Bengal Engineers and constructed by Jessop and Company. The base is a single storied white marble structure with a spiral staircase leading to a marble cenotaph on the upper floor from the inside. The top of the monument is built like a Mughal ‘chhatri’ or umbrella supported by 8 bronze pillars. 

The dome of the cenotaph is crowned with a bronze dome cast from guns captured from the Marathas during the Gwalior War. One can enjoy the majestic Hooghly River seen along with the full view of the Howrah Bridge as well as the Vidyasagar Setu from the Gwalior Monument.

Gwalior Monument: A view of the dome