The Heartbeat of Mumbai: Rajabai Clock Tower’s Timeless Chime

In a city that never slows down, where the rush of trains, honking of traffic, and glow of mobile screens dominate daily life, some sounds quietly endure. One such sound is the deep, steady chime of the Rajabai Clock Tower. Rising gracefully over the Oval Maidan and the University of Mumbai’s Fort campus, the tower’s bells have marked time for generations of Mumbaikars. They echo through cricket matches on the Maidan, the bustle of Churchgate station, and the colonial lanes of Fort like the city’s own heartbeat, steady and familiar. The Rajabai Tower is not just an ornament of the skyline; it is a functioning timekeeper, and remarkably, still powered not by electricity but by human effort.The Tower’s Origins: Gothic Grandeur of the 19th CenturyBuilt in 1878, the Rajabai Clock Tower was once the tallest structure in Mumbai. Designed in the Gothic Revival style by British architect Sir George Gilbert Scott and funded by stockbroker Premchand Roychand, it is as much a symbol of Victorian Bombay as the Gateway of India or CST. Named after Roychand’s mother, Rajabai, the tower was not just a personal tribute but also a public monument. Its stained-glass windows, ornate carvings, and soaring spire reflect the grandeur of colonial architecture. Today, it stands proudly as part of the UNESCO-recognized Victorian Gothic and Art Deco ensemble of Mumbai, a global acknowledgment of the city’s rich cultural heritage.A Clock That Runs Without ElectricityWhat makes the Rajabai Tower truly unique is that it is not merely a historic structure frozen in time. The clock within it still functions the old-fashioned way—entirely mechanical, wound by hand, and kept alive through dedication. For the past ten years, this responsibility has fallen to Mahendra Prasad Gupta, an electrician from King’s Circle and an employee of VS Time Services. Every day, Gupta climbs 238 steep steps inside the tower to reach the machinery room and bell system. There, he spends 15–20 minutes winding the heavy mechanisms, oiling gears, and ensuring all parts are in perfect condition. Above him lie 14 massive metal bells of different sizes, which ring every 15 minutes and strike the hour with a sonorous boom that rolls across South Mumbai.The Guardians of TimeThe Rajabai Clock Tower has not always ticked seamlessly. By the late 1980s, both its bells and clock had stopped working. In 1990, a specialist firm, VS Time Services, was entrusted with the monumental task of restoring it. Led by A.N. Venkateshwar Rao, a second-generation clockmaker, the firm took nearly a year and a half to bring the clock back to life.Today, the firm maintains several other British-era clocks in Mumbai, including those at CST, the Western Railway building, and Bora Bazar. Yet, the Rajabai Tower holds a special place in their hearts and in the city’s history.More Than Bells: A Living HeritageFor most Mumbaikars, the chimes of Rajabai are woven into memory. For college students attending lectures in Fort, for children playing cricket at Oval Maidan, or for office-goers rushing past Churchgate, the bells form part of their everyday soundtrack. Older generations remember the tower’s punctual strikes long before smartphones and digital clocks became ubiquitous. The tower is not just about telling time; it tells the story of a city itself. Its bells have chimed through colonial rule, independence, economic booms, and modern urban chaos. For many, hearing them is like touching history, a connection to grandparents and childhoods that unfolded to the rhythm of Rajabai’s clock.Why It Still Matters TodayIn today’s digital age, it may seem unnecessary to preserve a manually operated clock tower. But heritage is not about utility; it’s about identity. The Rajabai Tower is a reminder that Mumbai’s character is layered, not just of glass towers and flyovers but also of traditions and history that still breathe. As a UNESCO-recognized landmark, it has global importance, but its truest value lies closer to home. It is an emblem of continuity and cultural proof that old doesn’t mean irrelevant. Its survival reinforces that progress doesn’t always replace tradition; sometimes, it preserves it. The Rajabai Clock Tower is more than 147 years old, yet it remains a symbol of timelessness. In a city where everything moves fast, this clock slows us down, asking us to listen, to remember, and to connect with the past even as we rush into the future.