The long-pending work to restore the 96-year-old silver jubilee clock tower, an iconic heritage structure situated in front of the northern gate of Mysuru palace, began on Wednesday.
The ground-breaking ceremony for the restoration work was held on Wednesday in the presence by Chamaraja MLA K. Harish Gowda, Mayor Shivakumar, Deputy Mayor G. Roopa, Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Ashaad Ur Rahman, and heritage expert N.S. Rangaraju.
A detailed project report (DPR) for the restoration of the clock tower had been prepared by Department of Archaeology, Museums, and Heritage while the MCC will take up the work at a cost of ₹41 lakh under the supervision of Rangaraju, retired professor in the Department of Ancient History and Archaeology, University of Mysore, and a member of the Mysuru District Heritage Conservation Committee.
Mr. Rangaraju said the 75-feet-tall structure, overlooking the Rangacharlu Memorial Hall, had developed cracks in the dome while the decorative features in the canopy atop the structure had fallen off.
The steps inside the structure leading to the dome too had been damaged. At the foot the structure, which is surrounded by a circle of fencing, the decorative balustrades had been damaged. The presence of rodents within the fence was also a source of concern regarding the strength of the structure’s foundation.
Though the clock was ticking, the bell had fallen silent since the last 15 to 20 years. Restoration of the bell, which is French origin, is also expected to be taken up with experts though its unique mechanism may pose a challenge.
Built during the tenure of Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar, the silver jubilee clock served as “time keeper” of Mysuru as many people in the city did not have wristwatches or clocks at home.
Old-timers recall that the sound of the bell would reach as far as 5 to 6 km away. With the passage of time, the sound of the bell drowned in the sound of automobiles and other noises. Since a long time, the heritage committee had been seeking restoration of the bell.
The work is expected to be completed in eight months’ time, but could be delayed by a few weeks on account of Dasara festivities.
