The National Military Memorial
The National Military Memorial is one of Bengaluru’s hidden gems. Situated adjacent to Indira Gandhi Musical Fountain Park in the heart of Bengaluru and conceived in the early 2000s and formally established in 2013, the National Military Memorial (also known as Rashtriya Sainika Smaraka) was initiated by the Government of Karnataka as a tribute to the armed forces and their families who sacrificed for the nation.
What you can expect
The Memorial spans 7.5 acres of urban green space (thoughtfully preserved during construction) and was designed by Bengaluru’s Mathew and Ghosh Architects, the Memorial is structured along a ceremonial ‘ritual path’ of angled granite plaques, each bearing etched names of over 22,000 martyrs..
A towering 65-metre flagpole (approximately 207 ft) stands nearby, intended to fly the country’s largest flag. Also situated nearby is the Veeragallu or hero-stone, monumental in both scale and significance, 75 ft tall and weighing 700 tonnes.
To enrich the Memorial’s narrative, various military artifacts and models are displayed across the grounds. Some examples of the exhibits are:
- A MiG-23 BN aircraft (donated by the Indian Air Force) mounted in a climbing posture
- An Arjun Main Battle Tank, and a model of INS Mysore (naval ship)
- Mobile bridging equipment from Tatra and scaled models of missiles (Agni, Prithvi, BrahMos, Akash) from DRDO.
Sketching at the Military Memorial
The National Military Memorial offers plenty of subjects for those who wish to draw there. The park, lawns and pathways contrast with the geometry of the granite plaques provide interesting compositional ideas. The flagpole and the monumental Veeragallu hero-stone, in particular, invite dramatic perspectives and studies of scale.
The Memorial is a public park, so artists are free to sit and draw, but it is worth remembering that this is also a site of remembrance to fallen soldiers. So respectful behaviour is important.
Since this is a public space, you can carry a slighly more elaborate setup than you would to a museum. Watercolourists in particular love this venue because if the greenery and the soft play of light on stone. Early mornings and evenings are especially rewarding for artists because of fewer people at this park.
Indian Military Memorial: Address and MAP
2 Millers Road, Vasanth Nagar, Bengaluru, Karnataka 560051
The Memorial is well-connected by bus, auto rickshaw, taxi, and is a short walk from Cubbon Park metro station (~15 min) and the GPO bus stand (~10 min)
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