The granite obelisk, approximately 40 feet (12 m) tall, stands on a rocky prominence overlooking the Grand Trunk Road connecting Islamabad with Peshawar.

John Nicholson became the Victorian "Hero of Delhi" and inspired several books, ballads and generations of young boys to join the army.

He also appears as one of the main characters in James Leasor's novel about the Indian Mutiny, Follow the Drum, describing his death in some detail.

A famous biography was also written about him by Lionel J Trotter (1897) and he comes in for conspicuous mention in the book Soldier-Sahibs:The Men who made the North-West Frontier (2001) by British author Charles Allen.

The snows of Ghazni attest his youthful fortitude; the songs of the Punjab his manly deeds; the peace of this frontier his strong rule.