padmanabha
14th August 2006, 10:18 PM
[tscii:f91d66c0f1]Time belongs to the Creator’s plan. It cannot be stopped, hurried or delayed. But man has found a method to measure it which is universally accepted. His earlier experiments to measure time lead to the discovery of water clock, sun dial, pendulum clock, and now quartz.
Centuries ago when clock was invented, he installed it atop huge towers for the public to view and conscious of time. In this city of Ananthapuri too we have many such towers the oldest and the captivating one being Methan mani adorning the karivelappura kottaram facing Padmatheertham.
It was installed 173 years ago during the reign of Maharaja Swati Tirunal. The proposal was made by the then commercial agent of Travancore, John Caldecott. He bought two clocks from madarassi pattanam one, was installed at Padmanabhapuram Palace and the other at Thiruvananthapuram. Kulathuran also known as Soothram Asari, designed a unique innovation, that is, the face of a Muslim in Mahogany, with two rams on either side of his face. When the clock strikes the rams hit against the sides of his smiling face. Servants in shifts were appointed to strike a huge metal bell installed in the ground floor after the each chime.
Crowds irrespective of the age group assemble beneath this clock tower to gaze at the funny mechanism, to catch a glimpse of the pair of goats ramming into the face.
How does it work?
It is an old mechanism which consists of two boulder weights attached to the needles. They are in turn connected to a rod behind the clock. There is a lever mechanism to trigger the goats to collide with the funny face every hour, equal to the number of chimes.
The other clock towers in the city are the Secretariat tower, University Office tower and the M G College tower. These towers are different in the sense that they are all four sided. At times no two sides would shoe the same time. The Secretariat was constructed during the reign of Ayilyam Tiruna. The building was designed by the then chief engineer of Travancore BARTON and the foundation was laid by Sir T Madhava Rao. University College was designed by Barton. Although all these clock towers are admired for their aesthetics, Methan Mani is the pride of the city. Though its chime is audible for miles, in the busy traffic one has to listen carefully.
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Centuries ago when clock was invented, he installed it atop huge towers for the public to view and conscious of time. In this city of Ananthapuri too we have many such towers the oldest and the captivating one being Methan mani adorning the karivelappura kottaram facing Padmatheertham.
It was installed 173 years ago during the reign of Maharaja Swati Tirunal. The proposal was made by the then commercial agent of Travancore, John Caldecott. He bought two clocks from madarassi pattanam one, was installed at Padmanabhapuram Palace and the other at Thiruvananthapuram. Kulathuran also known as Soothram Asari, designed a unique innovation, that is, the face of a Muslim in Mahogany, with two rams on either side of his face. When the clock strikes the rams hit against the sides of his smiling face. Servants in shifts were appointed to strike a huge metal bell installed in the ground floor after the each chime.
Crowds irrespective of the age group assemble beneath this clock tower to gaze at the funny mechanism, to catch a glimpse of the pair of goats ramming into the face.
How does it work?
It is an old mechanism which consists of two boulder weights attached to the needles. They are in turn connected to a rod behind the clock. There is a lever mechanism to trigger the goats to collide with the funny face every hour, equal to the number of chimes.
The other clock towers in the city are the Secretariat tower, University Office tower and the M G College tower. These towers are different in the sense that they are all four sided. At times no two sides would shoe the same time. The Secretariat was constructed during the reign of Ayilyam Tiruna. The building was designed by the then chief engineer of Travancore BARTON and the foundation was laid by Sir T Madhava Rao. University College was designed by Barton. Although all these clock towers are admired for their aesthetics, Methan Mani is the pride of the city. Though its chime is audible for miles, in the busy traffic one has to listen carefully.
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