Patiala’s iconic 67-years old clock resumes ticking
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ May 18,2023
The clock tower of the Musafir Memorial Central Library, a cherished heritage site located on Mall Road in Patiala, has once again become a timekeeper. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann allocated special funds for the restoration and beautification of this historic Central State Library, as well as its digitization. The district administration took on the responsibility of renovating the entire library.
D C Patiala Sakshi Sawhney, recognizing the disappointment felt by heritage enthusiasts due to the closure of the library’s clock tower, took a special interest in reviving it and transforming it into a functioning timepiece. Sawhney personally became a member of the library and, with meticulous attention, oversaw its renovation through the Electricity Wing of the Public Works Department. The clock tower was equipped with a cutting-edge GPS-based electronic system and adorned with LEDs provided by a firm based in Delhi. These LEDs automatically illuminate the tower at dusk.
The Deputy commissioner mentioned that getting the long-dormant clock tower up and running posed a challenge, as it was no longer possible to find mechanics skilled in repairing its old machinery. It was also crucial to preserve its heritage appearance. Hence, the executive engineer Rajesh Channa and the team from the Electricity Wing of the Public Works Department were entrusted with the responsibility of keeping the clock tower functional.
During the Patiala Heritage Festival, Cabinet Ministers Chetan Singh Jouramajra and Dr Balbir Singh, along with MLA Ajitpal Singh Kohli, paid special attention to the library’s restoration and allocated additional funds from Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Engineer Rajesh Chanana and Chief Librarian Prabhjot Kaur expressed that the Punjab government had made significant efforts to preserve the heritage of Patiala, and the clock tower’s transformation into a contemporary structure was a testament to this commitment. They emphasized that it was now their responsibility to maintain and preserve this valuable heritage.
It is worth mentioning that the library was established in 1956 during the Pepsu era, and the clock tower was installed at that time. Initially, it ran on batteries, and in 1995, a winding clock was installed, requiring recharging every 72 hours. However, the winding mechanism had long since ceased to function, rendering it irreparable. The clock tower has now been transformed into an analogue clock, integrated with an electronic system, LEDs, and GPS, enabling it to accurately set its own time.
