Indian Memorial Gateway

Unlike the Chattri Memorial which commemorates the service and sacrifice of the Indian soldiers in the Great War, the Indian Memorial Gateway was meant as a gift and a ‘thank you’ from the people of India to the town of Brighton and its people for their care of the wounded Indian soldiers and their hospitality during the war. While the Chattri Memorial was funded by the town of Brighton and the India Office of the British government, the Indian Memorial Gatewayway was privately funded. Chief fundraising in India was carried out by Sirdar Daljit Singh [1], and Maharajas like Bhupinder Singh of Patiala contributed handsomely towards the cause.

Manchester Guardian, Sept 28 1916
A movement is now afoot, supported by many prominent Indians in this country and in India, for erecting a monument in the town of Brighton in commemoration of the coming of the Indians to fight for the empire in Europe, and also in recognition of the hospitality of Brighton people to many thousands of wounded Indians who were honoured guests in their town. The Maharajah of Patiala has given a thousand pounds to the fund. The memorial may be in the form of a chatra - an umbrella-shaped monument.

The original South Gate to the Royal Pavilion had been built in 1850 by the town of Brighton upon its purchase of the Pavilion. An older structure called the South Lodge which had been greatly criticized was taken down and a new southern gateway built in its place [2] With it’s two intricate and exotic looking domes the South Gate matched the Pavilion architecture.

The south gate was replaced with the construction of the new Indian Memorial Gateway in 1921. Designed by Thomas Tyrwhitt (1874 – 1956) a member of the Royal Institute of British Architects [3] in the style of 16th century Gujerati buildings and made of Bath stone. [4]. The structure is both imposing and majestic but does not fit in with the lighter, more imaginary and fanciful architecture of the Pavilion complex or the original gateway it replaced.

Watch film footage of Maharaja of Patiala Bhupinder Singh
leading the opening ceremonies of the new gateway.

The gate bears the following two inscriptions:

The opening ceremonies officially presenting the gift of the new gateway to the people of Brighton were conduced on October 26, 1921 with Bhupinder Singh, the Maharaja of Patiala as the chief guest. Other guests included past mayors and city officials led by the Mayor B. N. Southall. The Maharaja of Patiala and his high ranking Sikh military officers inspected the honour guard and the Maharaja then ceremonially opened the gate. The Mayor presented the Maharaja with a gold key as a gift which was a copy of the original key to the Royal Pavilion. [5]

In his speech during the ceremonies, the Maharaja humorously coined the term ‘Doctor Brighton’

Footnotes

1. “Indian Memorial Gateway”, Public Sculptures of Sussex Database, www.publicsculpturesofsussex.co.uk

2. Clifford Musgrave, The Royal Pavilion, (Royal Pavilion Committee, 1954) 18

3. The Hong Kong Institute of Architects (Journal Issue 45-3) 46

4. “Indian Memorial Gateway”, Public Sculptures of Sussex Database, www.publicsculpturesofsussex.co.uk

5. “The Indian Gateway to the Royal Pavilion Brighton”, Brighton and Hove Black History, www.black-history.org.uk

6. Brighton Herald, October 29, 1921