Nana Rao Park, Kanpur: History, highlights and visitor guide

History and context

The story behind Nana Rao Park

The park stands on the site of the killing of about 200 British women and children in the 1857 uprising. A memorial was built over the Memorial Well between 1858 and 1947, and after independence it was demolished and the park laid out. The marble screen was moved to the Kanpur Memorial Church churchyard.

The park is run by the Kanpur Municipal Corporation, and was renovated in 2022.

Useful facts

Nana Rao Park facts at a glance

Location

Central Kanpur, close to Phool Bagh

Experience type

Public park and memorial site

Known for

Memorial Well ridge, statues, Boodhha Bargad banyan

Also called

Company Bagh

Time or schedule

Daily; early morning is best

Operator

Kanpur Municipal Corporation

Why it matters

Why Nana Rao Park is worth your time

Nana Rao Park is where Kanpur's two memories of 1857 meet. Under British rule, the site was a memorial garden around the Memorial Well, paid for in part by local residents as a punishment. After independence in 1947, the memorial was demolished and the site became a public park named after Nana Sahib, who is remembered in India as a freedom fighter.

That change tells you something about how history is told. Today the park is a place for exercise and rest as well as memory, and you can still see the remains of the well's circular ridge. For a visitor, it is the easiest way to connect the church and the ghat to the city that lives around them.

Highlights

What not to miss

1. 01

   The Memorial Well site

   Part of the well's circular ridge remains visible in the park.

2. 02

   Freedom-fighter statues

   Statues include Rani Lakshmi Bai, Lala Lajpat Rai, Ajizan Bai and Tatya Tope.

3. 03

   Boodhha Bargad and the akhara

   An old banyan tree and a traditional vyayamshala are part of the grounds.

Plan your visit

How to experience it

Go early, when local walkers and wrestlers use the park. Enter from the main gate and walk first to the older part of the park, where part of the circular ridge of the Memorial Well is still visible. Know that this was the site of the killing of about 200 British women and children during the 1857 uprising, and treat it with respect.

Then walk through the rest of the park. There are statues of freedom fighters including Rani Lakshmi Bai, Lala Lajpat Rai, Ajizan Bai and Tatya Tope, and an old banyan tree known as Boodhha Bargad. A traditional vyayamshala, a wrestling and exercise gym, is part of the grounds, and so are a plant nursery, a swimming pool and, after a 2022 renovation, a garden and playground.

Allow time to sit under the trees. If you have children with you, the playground gives them a break from heritage. Move on to Phool Bagh, which is close by, or to the Memorial Church for the other side of the story.

Know before you go

Timing, access and comfort

Area

Central Kanpur, near Phool Bagh and Kanpur Central

Time needed

1 hour

Best time

Early morning or late afternoon; October to March

Walking level

Easy

Senior comfort

The park is level with paved paths and shade, which makes it comfortable for older visitors. We could not verify benches or toilets, so bring water and ask on arrival.

Tickets and access

Small entry fee reported; check at the gate. Hours vary, so go in the morning when it is quiet.

Plan it with

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