Nana Rao Park, Kanpur
About Nana Rao Park
History
Bibighar massacre (1857)
The park is of immense historical significance as the location of the massacre of around 200 British women and children, allegedly on the instigation of a courtesan in Nana Sahib's court, followed by the punitive actions by British soldiers of the East India Company during the 1857 Indian rebellion.
Memorial Well (1858 to 1947)
The location was originally called Memorial Well after the memorial was raised to commemorate the dead. The memorial had a large railing, a marble gothic screen with "mournful seraph" and a cross at the site of the well. The inhabitants of Cawnpore were forced to pay £30,000 for the creation of the memorial; this was partially their punishment for not coming to the aid of the women and children.
Post Indian independence in 1947
After Indian independence in 1947 the memorial was demolished. A park was built in its place with statues of leaders of the Indian freedom struggle, and named in honor of Nana Sahib for his role in the Indian freedom struggle. The marble gothic screen was transferred to the churchyard of the All Souls Memorial Church. The remains of a circular ridge of the well can still be seen in the park today.