Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage writes to BTP over disfigurement of Mysore Lancers Haifa Memorial

The department, in its letter dated October 29, has requested Bengaluru traffic police to shift a CCTV camera pole at least 100 meters away from the memorial

The Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage has written a letter to the Bengaluru Traffic Police (BTP), requesting it to shift a CCTV pole installed near the Mysore Lancers Haifa Memorial in RT Nagar recently.

The department, in its letter dated October 29, has requested the traffic police to shift the CCTV camera pole at least 100 meters away from the memorial.

The Mysore Lancers Haifa Memorial is a landmark in the city which was commissioned by the then Maharaja of Mysore Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar. "The Mysore Lancers were a personal force of the Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar and played a key role in the liberation of Haifa," the letter stated.

Two Indian cavalry brigades fought under British General Edmund Allenby to liberate the Israeli city Haifa from the Turkish–German forces in 1918, during World War I. According to the Department of Archaeology, Museums and Heritage, every September 23 is observed as Haifa Day by the Indian Army at this memorial.

Mysore Lancers War memorial on RT Nagar main road near the entrance of Doordarshan Kendra epitomises the Haifa episode in the history of our armed forces. Haifa war fought on September 22 and 23 of 1918, is considered to be the fiercest and bravely contested battle in World War-1.

"Some soldiers from the Mysore Lancers died in the battle while several others came back victorious in 1920 after the war was over. The Lancers finally merged with the Indian army in 1950. Mysore lancers excelled in every campaign they fought and it is said that even Napolean had shown admiration for their bravery," said an official from the department.

The memorial was erected near the entrance to Doordarshan Kendra on the main road going to RT Nagar as the army was based in Bengaluru and several soldiers from here laid down their life in the war. The tall and artistically carved obelisk is placed on a pedestal. The four sides of the pedestal give the details of Mysore Lancers and the wars in which they took part.