Statue of Edward VII, Bangalore facts for kids

Edward VII Front, Bangalore

Edward VII Front Full, Bangalore

Edward VII Statue, Bangalore

Edward VII Canopy, Bangalore

Studio photo of the Marble Statue of King Edward VII for Bangalore, Mysore. By Leonard Jennings, Sculptor (1914)

The Statue of Edward VII stands in Queen's Park, Bangalore, India. It is located near Cubbon Park, where Queen's Road and Cubbon Road meet. This statue honors Edward VII, who was a king.

The statue was officially revealed in November 1919. It was unveiled by Frederic John Napier, Baron Chelmsford. He was the Viceroy and Governor-General of India at that time. People living in the Bangalore Civil and Military Station helped raise money for the statue.

This statue is special because it is one of the few original statues from British India that is still in its first spot. It stands tall near a beautiful flowering frangipani tree. At the other end of Queen's Park, you can find the Statue of Queen Victoria, Bangalore. Leonard Jennings, a sculptor from London, designed and created this statue.

Who was King Edward VII?

Edward VII was the King of the United Kingdom from 1901 to 1910. He also held the title of Emperor of India. He became king after his mother, Queen Victoria, passed away in 1901.

In 1875, when he was the Prince of Wales, he visited British India. However, he never returned to India as Emperor. His time as king was short, ending with his death in 1910. His son, George V, then became the new king.

About the Sculptor, Leonard Jennings

Leonard Jennings (1877–1956) was the artist who designed and sculpted the Statue of King Edward VII in Bangalore. He was born in London. Jennings studied art at several famous schools, including the Glasgow School of Art.

He worked for the government in India and also taught at the Calcutta School of Art. Many of his public artworks are found in India. Besides the Edward VII statue, he created other important sculptures. These include memorials and statues of other famous people in different Indian cities.

What the Statue Says

The statue has words carved into it. These words tell us about King Edward VII.

EDWARD VII

KING OF GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND

AND

EMPEROR OF INDIA

1901–1910

ERECTED BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION

1914

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  Edward VII English Inscription (Front)

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  Edward VII Kannada Inscription (Left)

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  Edward VII Tamil Inscription (Right)

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  Edward VII Urdu Inscription (Back)

There is another message at the bottom of the statue's base. It tells us who unveiled the statue.

UNVEILED BY

HIS EXCELLENCY THE RIGHT HONOURABLE

FREDERICK JOHN NAPIER BARON CHELMSFORD

VICEROY AND GOVERNOR GENERAL OF INDIA

P.C.G.M.S.I., G.C.M.G., G.M.I.E., O.B.E.

ON THE 28TH DAY OF NOVEMBER 1919

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  Edward VII English Inscription (Front)

You can also find these messages in other languages. There are inscriptions in Kannada on the left side. On the right, you'll see words in Tamil. The back of the statue has inscriptions in Urdu. These are all translations of the English text.

The Statue Today

The Statue of King Edward VII sometimes gets covered in dirt and dust. This is partly due to the construction of the Bangalore Metro nearby.

The Horticulture Department, which is part of the Government of Karnataka, wants to restore the statue. They are asking for expert advice on how to clean and fix it. They also want to restore the Statue of Queen Victoria, Bangalore and the statue of Chamaraja Wodeyar IV. They suggested cleaning the Edward VII statue and trimming the trees around it. This would make the statue easier to see.

For many years, some groups have wanted to remove this statue. They also want to remove the statues of Queen Victoria and Mark Cubbon. In the 1970s, the government even agreed to remove them, but it never happened. However, many historians and people who love Bangalore's heritage disagree. They believe these statues are important parts of history and should stay. Recently, a group called the Cubbon Park Walkers’ Association showed their support for the statues. They placed garlands on the statue of Mark Cubbon.

See also

• Statue of Queen Victoria, Bangalore
• Cubbon Park