Rajabai Clock Tower

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Clock tower in Mumbai, India

Rajabai Tower

Rajabai Clock Tower in 2009

General information
Type| Clock tower
Architectural style| Venetian and Gothic
Town or city| Mumbai
Country| India
Coordinates| 18°55′47″N 72°49′48″E﻿ / ﻿18.92964°N 72.82999°E﻿ / 18.92964; 72.82999
Construction started| 1 March 1869; 155 years ago (1869-03-01)
Completed| November 1878; 146 years ago (1878-11)
Cost| ₹ 550,000
Client| Maharashtra
Height| 280 feet (85 m)
Technical details
Structural system| Buff coloured Kurla stone
Design and construction
Architect(s)| Sir George Gilbert Scott
Other information
Public transit access|  Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus; Churchgate

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Criteria| Cultural: (ii) (iv)
Designated| 2018 (43rd session)
Part of| Victorian Gothic and Art Deco Ensembles of Mumbai
Reference no.| 1480

The Rajabai Tower is a clock tower in Mumbai India. It is in the confines of the Fort campus of the University of Mumbai. It stands at a height of 85 m (280 ft or 25 storeys). The tower is part of The Victorian and Art Deco Ensemble of Mumbai, which was added to the list of World Heritage Sites in 2018.[1]

## History

[edit]

The Rajabai Clock Tower was designed by Sir George Gilbert Scott, an English architect.[2] He modeled it on Big Ben in London. The foundation stone was laid on 1 March 1869 and construction was completed in November 1878. The total cost of construction came to ₹550,000, a large amount of money for the time period. A portion of the total cost of construction was donated by Premchand Roychand Jain, a wealthy broker who founded the Bombay Stock Exchange on the condition that the tower be named after his mother Rajabai.[3]

Premchand Roychand's mother was blind and as a staunch follower of Jain religion, she was supposed to consume her dinner before the evening. Legend says that the evening bell of the tower helped her to know the time without anyone's help.[citation needed]

The tower was closed to the public after it became a frequent spot for those attempting suicide.

## Structure

[edit]

The tower was built in a fusion of Venetian and Gothic styles. It is built out of the locally available buff coloured Kurla stone. The tower has one of the best stained glass windows in the city.[4]

Council Building of the University of Mumbai in India, around 1905

The ground floor has two side rooms, each measuring 56 ft × 27.5 ft (17.1 m × 8.4 m). The tower forms a carriage porch 2.4 m2 (26 sq ft), and a spiral staircase vestibule of 2.6 m2 (28 sq ft). The Tower, over the carriage porch, has a square form up to the gallery at the top of the first level which is at a height of 68 feet (21 m) from the ground. The form changes from a square to an octagon and the height from this gallery to the top of the tower is 118 feet (36 m) and the third stage to the top of the finial is 94 feet (29 m), thus making a total height of 280 feet (85 m).

During its time, it was the tallest structure in the city of Mumbai.

* A file photo of University of Mumbai taken in the 1870s. Rajabai Clock Tower here seen shrouded in scaffolding was completed in 1878

## Chimes

[edit]

Rajabai Clock Tower, brightly lit during the night.

During the 19th century it played the tunes of "Home! Sweet Home!" and "A Handel Symphony", out of a total of sixteen tunes, which changed four times a day. It currently chimes only one tune every 15 minutes.

## Restoration

[edit]

From October 2013 to 11 May 2015, the tower underwent restoration work under the observation of Anita Garware (Heritage Society), Rajan Welukar (Vice-Chancellor; University of Mumbai) and N Chandrasekar (CEO, Tata Consultancy Services). It reopened in March 2015 after renovation.[5]

The restoration efforts were recognised by UNESCO in 2018 when the Library and the Rajabai Clock Tower received the UNESCO Asia-Pacific Award for Cultural Heritage Conservation.[6]

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rajabai Clock Tower.

1. ^ Team, BS Web (30 June 2018). "Mumbai's Victorian Gothic and Art Deco buildings enter Unesco Heritage list". Business Standard India.
2. ^ "Re-setting the time". The Hindu. Mumbai. 3 January 2012. Retrieved 22 July 2012.
3. ^ Rakesh Kumar Bhatt (1 January 1995). History and Development of Libraries in India. Mittal Publications. pp. 39–40\. ISBN 978-81-7099-582-1.39-40&rft.pub=Mittal+Publications&rft.date=1995-01-01&rft.isbn=978-81-7099-582-1&rft.au=Rakesh+Kumar+Bhatt&rft_id=https://books.google.com/books?id=Jbmdowzuv0QC&pg;=PA39&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Rajabai+Clock+Tower" class="Z3988">
4. ^ Insiders guide to Rajabai clock Tower:https://www.hindustantimes.com/art-and-culture/insider-s-guide-to-rajabai-clock-tower/story-9Y1gNvrd1Yj1ormNC2DegL.html
5. ^ Mumbai's Rajabai Clock tower reopens after renovation:https://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report-mumbai-s-iconic-rajabai-clock-tower-reopens-after-renovation-2085267
6. ^ "Mumbai's urban heritage conservation movement is winning accolades". www.hindustantimes.com. 11 November 2018. Retrieved 14 December 2018.

## External links

[edit]

* Rajabai Tower

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Tourist attractions in Mumbai (list)

Pre-colonial|

* Elephanta Caves
* Kanheri Caves
* Worli Fort
* Mahim Fort

Colonial|

* Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus
* BMC Headquarters
* Hutatma Chowk
* Worli Fort
* David Sassoon Library
* Gateway of India
* Rajabai Tower
* Mount Mary's Church
* Bombay High Court
* Ballard Bunder Gatehouse
* South Mumbai
* St. Thomas Cathedral

Beaches|

* Aksa Beach
* Dadar Chowpatty
* Girgaum Chowpatty
* Juhu Beach
* Kalamb Beach
* Madh Island
* Marvé Beach
* Powai Lake
* Versova

Places of
worship|

* Babulnath
* Cathedral of the Holy Name
* Haji Ali
* Jama Masjid
* Mahalaxmi Temple
* Mumba Devi Mandir
* Our Lady of the Mount
* Knesset Eliyahoo
* Magen David Synagogue
* Parsi Fire Temple
* Portuguese Church
* Mahim Church
* Shrine Of Don Bosco's Madonna
* St Peter's Church, Bandra
* St. Andrew's Church
* Siddhivinayak Temple
* Shitala Devi Temple
* Swaminarayan Mandir
* Walkeshwar Temple

Cultural|

* National Centre for the Performing Arts
* Experimental Theatre (NCPA)
* Jehangir Art Gallery
* Taraporewala Aquarium
* Asiatic Society of Mumbai
* Marine Drive
* Royal Opera House
* Regal Cinema
* Eros Cinema
* Metro Adlabs
* Nehru Science Centre
* Film City
* Capitol Cinema
* Liberty Cinema
* Kamalnayan Bajaj Hall and Art Gallery

Boulevards|

* Marine Drive
* Fashion Street
* Linking Road
* Nepean Sea Road
* Breach Candy
* Bandstand Promenade
* Worli Seaface
* Bandra-Worli Sea Link
* Carter Road Promenade

Districts|

* Western Suburbs
* Nariman Point
* Malabar Hill
* Kala Ghoda
* Colaba
* Bandra Kurla Complex

Shopping|

* Chor Bazaar
* Fashion Street
* Colaba Causeway
* Lamington Road
* Linking Road

Buildings|

* Bombay Stock Exchange
* Hutatma Chowk
* David Sassoon Library
* Taj Mahal Palace & Tower
* Nehru Planetarium
* India Government Mint

Parks, zoos
and stadia|

* Bandra Kurla Complex Ground
* Brabourne Stadium
* Cross Maidan
* Essel World
* Gowalia Tank
* Hanging Gardens
* Horniman Circle Gardens
* Jijamata Udyaan
* Kamala Nehru Park
* Mahalaxmi Racecourse
* Middle Income Group Club Ground
* Sanjay Gandhi National Park
* Shivaji Park
* Wankhede Stadium

Museums|

* Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya
* Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum
* Mani Bhavan
* National Gallery of Modern Art

Forts|

* Bassein Fort
* Belapur Fort
* Bombay Castle
* Castella de Aguada
* Dongri Fort
* Fort George
* Madh Fort
* Mahim Fort
* Mazagon Fort
* Riwa Fort
* Sewri Fort
* Sion Hillock Fort
* Worli Fort

Restaurants
& bars|

* Café Mondegar
* Leopold Cafe

* v
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Skyscrapers in Mumbai

List of tallest buildings in Mumbai

>250m|

* Palais Royale (320 m)
* Lokhandwala Minerva (301 m)
* World One (280.2 m)
* World View (277.6 m)
* Lodha Trump Tower (268 m)
* Lodha Marquise (268 m)
* Lodha Allura (268 m)
* Lodha Parkside (268 m)
* Lodha Kiara (268 m)
* Omkar 1973 A & B (267 m)
* Nathani Heights (262 m)
* Three Sixty West Tower B (260 m)
* One Avighna Park (260 m)
* Imperial Towers (256 m)
* Three Sixty West Tower A (255.6 m)
* Four Seasons Private Residences Mumbai (250 m)

150-250m|

* World Crest (223 m)
* Lodha Bellissimo (222 m)
* Lodha Altamount (195 m)
* Orchid Enclave (190 m)
* Planet Godrej (181 m)
* Antilia (174 m)
* World Trade Centre (156 m)
* Hotel Four Seasons (154 m)
* Shreepati Arcade (154 m)

Proposed|

* Namaste Tower (310 m)
* Marathon Futurex (170 m)

Tallest timeline|

* Rajabai Clock Tower (1878–1961)
* Usha Kiran Building (1961–1963)
* Matru Mandir (1963–1970)
* World Trade Centre (1970–2009)
* Planet Godrej (2009–2010)
* Lodha Bellissimo (2010)
* Imperial Towers (2010–2020)
* World One (2020–2022)
* Palais Royale (2022–present)

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