History of Eden Gardens

Hi Readers,

myself Sayantan Datta. Today I am going to discuss about the history of Eden Gardens. I think you are well aware of that Eden Gardens is an international level in Kolkata in India. But do you know why this is named as garden. Do you know that is a masterpiece of history specimen of Kolkata also. Today I am going to describe about this here. 

History of Eden Gardens...

Eden Gardens is not only a stadium it's also a  garden itself.

The Gardens came into being when the Governor-General, Lord Auckland desired to create a circus and a garden. Apleasure ground with an oblong tank in centre was laid out on a site generally resorted to for riding and recreation. The site was initially named Auckland Circus Gardens'. The inception of the garden is usually attributed to the Misses Emily and Fanny Eden, sisters of the Governor-General Lord Auckland. In 1856, a Burmese Pagoda was added to the Gardens. This Pagoda has an interesting history t was built in 1852 in Prome by Ma Kin, wife of Moung Honon, Governor of Prome. Within the Pagoda there was an image of Gautama Buddha with its forehead set with precious stones. The Pagoda belongs to the class of buildings called Tazoungs or Thein Tazoungs, used by Buddhist priests for worship. It was Lord Dalhousie, who on his visit to Prome in 1853, decided on the removal of the Tazoung to Calcutta. It was dismantled by his order and shipped to Calcutta reaching there on 29 September, 1854 to be deposited first in Fort William and then later in 1856, placed in Eden Gardens.

                         The Pagoda

This is a picture from bird eye position it is showing the River Ganges

This is an old picture of Eden Gardens. 

The stadium was established in 1864. The origins of its name are uncertain. According to some, the stadium is named after the Eden Gardens park where it is located, itself named after the Eden sisters, Emily and Fanny, of Lord Auckland, the Governor-General of India (1836–1842). Initially named the 'Auckland Circus Gardens', the park was renamed to the 'Eden Gardens' in 1841. 

However, according to popular culture, Babu Rajchandra Das, the zamindar (landlord) of Kolkata, gifted one of his biggest gardens, Mar Bagan, besides the river Hooghly, to Lord Auckland and his sister Emily Eden in gratitude for their help in saving his third daughter from a fatal disease. The garden was then renamed to the Eden Gardens.

The cricket grounds were built between Babughat and Fort William. The stadium is in the B. B. D. Bagh area of the city, near the State Secretariat and across the Calcutta High Court.

The first Test match at the venue was held in 1934 between England and India, its first One Day International in 1987 between India and Pakistan and its first T20 international in 2011 between India and England. The 1993 Hero Cup semi-final featuring India and South Africa was the first day/night match.

The stadium also hosted matches of the inaugural edition of Nehru Cup in 1982.

In 1980, 16 people were killed in a stampede and riot inside Eden Gardens during a Mohun Bagan-East Bengal Calcutta Football League (CFL) match on 16 August 1980.

This is the entry gate of the famous Club House of Eden. Office of CAB is also located here.

This is the largest cricket stadium in India and 3rd largest cricket stadium in our world. It is widely acknowledged to be one of the most iconic cricket stadiums in the world. It has been called “cricket’s answer to the Coliseum. It has a reputation of staging the most passionate and vocal crowd and has almost become like a place of pilgrimage for most international cricketers. It played host to the iconic India-Australia Test series in 2001 wherein VVS Laxman scored a glorious 281 which remains the highest score at the ground. The pitch at Eden Gardens has traditionally been on the slower side and good for batting, assisting spin bowlers very early.

 

Regards

Sayantan Datta