Phool Bagh, Kanpur Overview

Situated on the Mall Road, Phool Bagh is a gorgeous urban park in the city of Kanpur. Also known as Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Udyan, the park was originally called as the Queen’s Park. This park is not only one of the oldest gardens in Kanpur but it also holds historical legacy. It used to be the venue for relevant political rallies and public meetings.

Besides being a popular recreational spot and a space for morning and evening walks, this pretty park also has the Kanpur Museum (Kanpur Sanghralaya), a library and the Cawnpore Union Club on its premises.

There are also numerous statues of prominent freedom fighters including BR Ambedkar, Mahatma Gandhi and Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi. The park grounds also sites a huge hoisted Indian flag which is about 150 feet tall. Many Indian festivals including Diwali, Holi and some Poojas or religious ceremonies are held here.

Attraction Within the Garden

Phool Bagh houses some of the most significant attractions of Kanpur on and around its grounds. They are:

The Kanpur Museum - Also known as the Kanpur Sangrahalaya, the Kanpur Museum is the city's official museum.
The Nana Rao Park is located quite close to Phool Bagh.
The garden also houses the Kanpur (Cawnpore) Union Club.
The reserve of the city's supply of drinking water is found here as well.
There is also a 150 feet tall national flag flying high on the premises of the Phool Bagh.
The park also has a massive banyan tree that is said to have been around for a long time now.

History of Phool Bagh

Phool Bagh has been through decades of naming and renaming. It was known as the Queen Victoria Garden during the Queen Victoria's reign. However, it soon came to be known as the King Edward Memorial (KEM), post King Edward's Kanpur trip.

Soon after, the Phool Bagh played a vital role in supporting ailing British soldiers. The KEM hall, also known as the Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Udyan is the structure bracketed by the Phool Bagh on all four sides. Besides, this place also cites a Summer House and a public library.

How to Reach Phool Bagh

Phool Bagh can be reached through roadways, railways and airways. It is about 4.6 to 6 km from the Kanpur city centre, which can be covered through an 11 to 15-minute drive. The Kanpur Airport is nearly 10 to 12 km from Phool Bagh and can be accessed via a 20 to 30-minute drive.

The garden is just about 3 km from the Kanpur Railway Station and can be reached with a 10-minute taxi or self-drive. The Kanpur Interstate Bus Station is also quite close to Phool Bagh. The 3 to 4.7-km distance can be covered with a 10-minute drive.