Description
An artificial plain of roughly two square miles between Fort William and Chowringhee, kept clear because a fort needs a field of fire. The jungle and the village of Gobindapur were removed to make it. It is not a park that happens to be near a fort. It is a glacis that people ride on.
Riding, drill and promenade at both ends of the day, and nobody on it at noon.
Notable Features
- Sophia rides alone in the early morning. The timeline puts Freddy’s first encounter with her here on Day 3. Easy conversation, no names exchanged, thought about once and forgotten. Play it that light.
- In October it is waterlogged in patches and violently green, and it steams once the sun is on it.
- Everything is visible on it. Two people talking in the middle of the Maidan cannot be overheard and cannot avoid being seen, which is an unusual and useful combination.
The Senses
- Smell. Wet earth, cut grass, horses, and coal smoke drifting off the barrack fires.
- Sound. A bugle from the fort, and under it the flat irregular knocking of a hundred men working on something.
- Colour. Saturated green standing in silver sheets of water, the low green ramparts on one side, a white line of classical frontage on the other.
Connections
- Fort William on its west side
- Chowringhee to the east
- Government House to the north
In Play
Chapter 4, Session 10 (9–10 October 1814) — the steeplechase and the tilts. On Monday morning Pratap Singh had sepoys from Fort William lay out a steeplechase course and tilting rings, with a canopy, refreshments and cucumber sandwiches with the crusts cut off. The race ended with Adrien and Thomas in a heap at the fences and Freddy dragged over the line by a stirrup. Sophia Surlish rode up, joined the tilting and outclassed the field in the first pass; Thomas won after three rounds (Maidan Steeplechase and Tilts).
Appearances
Connections
People
Visited by
- Freddy Cavendish Player character neutralDragged over the line by a stirrup in the steeplechase3 sessions, The Magistrate's Table to The River of Rites and Ruin
- Havildar Pratap Singh Player character3 sessions, The Magistrate's Table to The River of Rites and Ruin
- Sophia Surlish NPC3 sessions, The Magistrate's Table to The River of Rites and Ruin
- Thomas Wyndham NPC3 sessions, The Magistrate's Table to The River of Rites and Ruin
- Adrien de Montferrand Player character neutralEnded the steeplechase in a heap at the fences with Thomas2 sessions, The Magistrate's Table to The Third Course
- Arabella Fitch NPC2 sessions, The Magistrate's Table to The Third Course
Places
Borders
- Fort William Location neutralCleared as the fort's field of fire1 session: The Magistrate's Table
Part of
- Calcutta 1814 Location neutralThe open ground at the city's heart
Events
Location of
- Maidan Steeplechase and Tilts Event neutralA course of fences and a line of tilting rings, with a canopy and cucumber sandwiches
Papers
Location of
- Sophia Note in the Glove Document neutralThe rings on the Maidan, first light on Wednesday: the meeting the note proposes