
Iconic clock towers of India
A view of the clock tower at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. | Photo Credit: SAJJAD HUSSAIN
Ghantaghar in Udaipur
A view of Ghantaghar in Udaipur. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Serving as Udaipur’s first public clock-tower, this ghantaghar (also referred to as the clock-tower) is a historic landmark and a well-liked vacationer attraction, inbuilt 1887. A dispute between two communities led to each being fined ₹500. However, the Pradhan (president) intervened and urged that as a substitute of paying fines, a clock tower needs to be constructed as a logo of peace and concord. The tower additionally serves as a tribute to the Royal Family of Mewar.
Trivia: Before its building, individuals relied on jal ghadis (water clocks) to inform time.
Hussainabad clock tower, Lucknow
A view of Hussainabad clock tower, Lucknow | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Located within the Hussainabad space of Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, this 221-foot-tall clock tower stands as a marvel of British structure, adorned with intricate and delightful designs. It is believed that at any time when an earthquake strikes the town, the highest of the tower — a dome-shaped construction with a finial fabricated from a golden ball and full of mercury — rotates. This clock tower was constructed within the late nineteenth Century in the course of the rule of Nawab Nasir-ud-Din Haider, the third Nawab of Awadh. Construction started in 1880 and was accomplished in 1881 to commemorate the arrival of Sir George Cooper, the Lieutenant Governor of the United Provinces of Avadh and Oudh. The tower superbly blends Mughal and Victorian architectural kinds. However, the clock stopped functioning in 1984. A serious change occurred in 2010 when Paritosh Chauhan and Akhilesh Agarwal restored the clock, and the town as soon as once more heard its bells chime.
Trivia: It is the tallest clock tower within the nation and is impressed by London’s Big Ben.
Secunderabad clock tower
A view of Secunderabad clock tower. | Photo Credit: Wikimedia commons
Located in Secunderabad, this centuries-old clock-tower as soon as served as a timekeeper for the town when private watches have been unusual. This 120-foot-high clock tower was constructed round 1860 and commissioned by the British. Its building was accomplished in 1896. It is claimed that the clock on the tower was donated by Dewan Bahadur Seth Lachmi Narayan Ramgopal, a businessman.
Trivia: The clock tower was proposed for demolition in 2003 to make manner for site visitors however was finally renovated in 2006.
Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai
A view of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Mumbai. | Photo Credit: Getty Images
Built between 1887 and 1888, this clock tower in Mumbai, initially generally known as Victoria Terminus in honour of Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee, is a shocking instance of Victorian Gothic Revival structure blended with Indian conventional parts. Its design options towering turrets and pointed arches, making it a defining image of Mumbai because the “Gothic City” and a key worldwide mercantile port. A real pillar of timekeeping, the clock stays illuminated even at evening, because of its entrance panel fabricated from acrylic sheeting and 5 mercury mild bulbs. Designed by British architect Frederick William Stevens, this clock tower performed a major position in shaping Mumbai’s architectural identification.
Trivia: In 2004, the clock tower was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Royapettah Clock Tower, Chennai
A view of Royapettah clock tower in Chennai. | Photo Credit: Wikimedia commons
Standing tall amid the bustling site visitors and sultry warmth of Chennai is the Royapettah Clock Tower. Built in 1930 within the Art Deco fashion, it’s one among 4 standalone clock towers within the metropolis — the others are positioned in Mint, Doveton, and Pulianthope. Once an important timekeeper for residents and commuters, it now stands as a nostalgic reminder of the town’s colonial previous and architectural heritage. For those that pause to note, it provides a glimpse into an period when public clocks have been part of on a regular basis life, not merely relics of historical past.
Trivia: A century in the past, it’s mentioned that British officers would fireplace cannonballs exactly at 8 p.m. to mark the time.
Published – June 13, 2025 10:00 am IST
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