Standalone clock tower in Kathivakkam ‘comes to light’

Hidden behind a spinney of trees, it had been staying out of the view of most heritage watchers in Chennai

With smartphones becoming extensions of our hand, standalone clock towers appear anachronistic. Reportedly, clock towers in some small towns in Tamil Nadu find some patronage — even this is not much to write home about.

Against the backdrop of their dwindling relevance, there is still strong reasons to preserve these standalone clock towers, as they alone can present “times” gone by. They are markers of architectural and even social history.

Called “Mani Koondu” in Tamil, a clock tower was an essential part of the lives of the people living and working in areas surrounding it. With such significance, a clock-tower would define development, as institutions, markets and bus stands would come up in areas immediately around them. There is little information about the early years of clock towers in Chennai. Reportedly, there was time when the city had 14 clock towers. Now we are left with only the clock towers at Mint Street, Doveton (Vepery), Pattalam, Tondiarpet and Royapettah.

The Thiruvanmiyur Clock Tower was the latest to join in the recent years. It may be noted that the imposing Thiruvottiyur Clock Tower that perished in the last decade. That makes it just six clock towers in Chennai — so it was erroneously believed until recently when the Kathivakkam-Ennore Standalone Clock Tower came to light for heritage watchers.

The number now stands at seven. Like the standalone clock tower at Thiruvanmiyur, this one was evading notice all these years as it was hidden behind a spinney of trees, and a building.

The clock tower had been inaugurated on 29 November 1967 by then Chief Minister of Madras State Shri. M. Bhaktavatsalam. Fortunately, the inauguration plaque has survived, while the clock on the tower is not functional, and the structure seems to be weakening due to growth of vegetation on one side, but this problem has not turned critical yet.

Trust a day comes when all these seven standalone clock towers are restored to their past glory and become fully operational, and we can take pride in them.

(Heritage Spotting is a column where residents can talk about old government-established public structures that hark back to a different era, and have now fallen into disuse)