Ambala: The historical clock, which was stuck at 10:08 for decades, has now started telling time again. But, until recently, millions of people visiting Sri Darbar Sahib in Amritsar did not even look at this broken, dented clock, and even fewer people realized that this is not an ordinary clock but a symbol of history. Yes…now this clock is ticking again. The special thing about this watch is that it was specially made by the British Viceroy Lord Curzon about 100 years ago.
According to TOI reports, this watch was repaired for about 2 years in the same city (Birmingham, UK) where it was made on order. After the clock is restarted this will now be installed again in the Golden Temple.
History is related to Lord Curzon’s journey
Lord Curzon, Viceroy of India from 1899 to 1905, visited the Golden Temple with his wife on 9 April 1900. At that time, seeing an ordinary wall clock installed in the temple, he found it not in keeping with the dignity of the Gurudwara. After this he expressed his desire to make a clock which would be in accordance with the sanctity and architecture of the Sikh shrine.
Special clock was made in Birmingham
Lord Curzon had ordered the famous Birmingham based company Elkington & Co to make watches. After which it took about two years for this watch to be made and reach India. The famous Birmingham-based company Elkington & Company made special brass watches to order. This watch was presented to Sri Darbar Sahib through the then Lahore Commissioner on the occasion of Diwali and Bandi Chhor Day on 31 October 1902.
It was written on the watch…
This clock was presented to the Golden Temple at Amritsar by Lord Curzon, Viceroy & Governor General of India, on the occasion of his first official visit, April 1900.
This inscription later became the biggest proof of its historical identity.
The watch was badly damaged over time
Over time the watch suffered heavy damage. It is believed that the 10 kg brass structure was broken due to an accident, fall and improper repair. Cracks, scratches and decorative parts had disappeared. The original mechanical system was replaced with a cheaper quartz mechanism. A simple aluminum dial was installed. Due to this the historical identity of the watch was almost lost.
In the year 2023, when the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) handed over the responsibility of conservation work of the Golden Temple to the UK-based Guru Nanak Nishkam Sevak Jatha (GNNSJ), this historical clock was found hidden behind a modern clock at the north-eastern entrance. With the permission of SGPC, the clock was sent to Britain, where Birmingham resident Bhupinder Singh Minhas took the responsibility of its restoration.
Restoration done by spending Rs 96 lakh
According to GNNSJ representative Inderjit Singh, the clock has been repaired by spending about 80 thousand pounds (about Rs 96 lakh). It is now completely ready and will be installed again in the Golden Temple in January. He said that in the restoration:
– Aluminum dial was removed and brass dial was installed.
– Roman numericals were used in place of Punjabi numerals.
– Mechanical systems were restored.
– Special brushes were also provided for cleaning.
Will be held again in the Golden Temple in January
The watch was brought back to India after restoration in November 2024. With the help of SGPC, it will be reinstalled at the same place where it was installed earlier. SGPC President Harjinder Singh Dhami said, ‘Preservation of historical heritage is our duty. This clock is an important part of Sikh history and GNNSJ has done a commendable job.
