Away from the hustle-bustle of Lutyens' Delhi exists a space that once witnessed King George V being commemorated as the Emperor of India. Coronation Park near the Nirankari Sarovar on Burari Road in north Delhi is the site where Delhi Durbars were held in 1877, 1903, and 1911. After independence, it was converted to coronation memorial, when statues of former British Kings were moved from various locations in the city to here.
Coronation Park was also considered for the building site for the Viceroy House, but due to its proximity to the Yamuna flood-prone area, Raisina Hill was chosen, where the Rashtrapati Bhawan stands today.
Today, as one walks into the park, which still has the Obelisk constructed to commemorate King George V, who presided at the location as Emperor of India in December, 1911, one can see graffiti on the heritage walls. It is at this spot that the decision of shifting the Capital from Calcutta to Delhi was made. But now, several plinths created for the statues stand vacant and the five with statues do not have anything written under them.
"This is a park from the British Era but we call it the Tagore park. The statue opposite the Obelisk looks like Tagore with a big beard," says Manish Maurya, 19, a Delhi University student. "How would we know who these people were? There is nothing written under them. We come here to relax. We have no idea who these people were," he adds.
The entire park is littered with garbage, broken dustbins, and broken barbed wire, while people have defaced the walls by witing and drawing on them. The spot is mostly frequented by couples, who come here to get away from the prying eyes of their families. The park still has all the grandeur of the past but the royal magic has been marred by neglect for years.
Over the years, the park did see some restoration and conservation work by the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH). First in 2005, INTACH and the Government of India restored the park. Then again in 2015, when the park underwent its second round of restoration, some marbles were placed, walls were painted, gardens were tended to, and lights were put up, but it already looks in a bad shape today.
The park's condition also raises the question that why is Delhi so keen on parting with its British roots — first the roads were renamed, and now this beautiful British-era park lies neglected.
FLOOD-PRONE
- Coronation Park was also considered for the building site for the Viceroy House, but due to its proximity to the Yamuna flood-prone area, Raisina Hill was chosen, where the Rashtrapati Bhawan stands today.
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