A Glimpse of the World at Eco-Park

Anindita Mazumder

It was West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee who originally came up with the idea to create replicas of the Seven Wonders of the World at Eco-Park in New Town Rajarhat with the objective to inspire Calcuttans to travel around the world. Later HIDCO turned this dreams into reality.

Built on a total area of 3.5 acres, the replica of the seven wonders are indeed awe-inspiring works of craftsmanship, reflecting hours of hard work and eye for detail to match the perfection of the original structures.  As the lead architect Rupchand Kundu, a celebrated artist from Calcutta was in charge of supervision and execution of the project.

The replica of Christ – the Redeemer installed on a pedestal reminds you of the iconic sculpture of Brazil;  replica of the Easter Island’s Moai or silent stone figures are a monument to the seafaring skills and unique culture of ancient Polynesian peoples while the replica of the magnificent Taj Mahal is a reminder of abiding love. The replica of oval ampitheatre, the Colosseum stands as evidence of days of gladiator battles; that of Great Wall of China makes you wonder whether it might actually be to be seen from the moon; The replica of Jordan’s Petra is a celebration of the famous rock-cut architecture of the rose city and last but not the least, the replica of The Sphinx stands appearing to be as grand as the original.

All the structures were made with fiber reinforced polymer fixed on RCC and steel frames and are set up near the Gate No. 4 of Eco-Park. Every weekend, the denizens of Calcutta flock to Eco-Park to witness a glimpse of the very best – the Seven Wonders of the World.