Heritage Dodda Gadiyara facelift process begins

• Conservation experts collect masonry material, lime mortar used to build Silver Jubilee Clock Tower 
• Samples to be sent to Regional Conservation Laboratory in Mysuru and Pune Lab for tests 

Mysore/Mysuru: The process to conserve and repair Dodda Gadiyara or Silver Jubilee Clock Tower built in 1927 near Rangacharlu Town Hall in city has begun with members of the District Heritage Expert Committee collecting samples of the construction materials used to build the iconic structure that is 75 feet in height. 

The Committee members visited the heritage structure last Saturday and collected the masonry material, lime mortar, a few iron pieces that have been rusted and samples of the construction material that has been chipped off over the years. These samples will be sent to Regional Conservation Laboratory (RCL), branch of National Research Laboratory for Conservation of Cultural Property for tests. 

The RCL is located in Mysuru at Giriyabovipalya near the Mysuru Zoo and is well-equipped with adequate infrastructure and laboratories for material analysis and testing, developing sustainable conservation solutions. Some of the samples of the 93-year-old structure will be sent to a Laboratory in Pune too for analysis. 

Cracks have developed in the area where the bell is situated at the top portion. There is a 5.5 feet bell on top of the tower and it has stopped ringing since the last 30 years. The weight of the French-made bell is around 920 kg. The arch of the structure has cracks owing to rusting of the iron used in the construction process.

Conservation Committee

An exclusive Conservation of Heritage Clock Tower Committee has been formed under the Chairmanship of Mysuru Deputy Commissioner Abhiram G. Sankar and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) Commissioner Gurudatta Hegde is the Member-Secretary. The Committee has heritage experts and Structural Engineers including Member, Expert Committee for Development and Protection of Mysore Heritage Region and Convenor, INTACH (Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage) Prof. N.S. Rangaraju, N.R. Ashok, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) Sudhir G. Vombatkere and heritage expert Raghunath from Bengaluru. 

This Committee and other officials in the MCC including Superintending Engineer Biligiri, Executive Engineer Nagaraju, Assistant Executive Engineer Nagaraju and Engineer Kavitha visited the heritage structure and collected the samples. Further action like the Detailed Project Report will be prepared once the RCL test report and the Pune Lab reports are out.

MCC has to take the blame

Giving details about the heritage structure, city-based Horologist M.S. Chandrasekhara Iyer told ‘Star of Mysore’ this morning that way back in 2005 when A.B. Ibrahim was the MCC Commissioner, a four-member committee was formed to restore the heritage monument that included Mysore Agenda Task Force (MATF) member M. Lakshman, Maj. Gen. (Retd.) S.G. Vombatkere, former SJCE Principal Dr. Syed Shakeeb Ur Rehman and Chandrasekhara Iyer. “More than 25 Commissioners have come and gone since 2005 and sadly nothing was done to restore the structure,” he said. 

“Because of sheer negligence of the MCC, the heritage Vani Vilas Market Clock near Agrahara fell years ago. Fortunately it fell in the night. If the Dodda Gadiyara falls, it will cause a major damage as it stands in a busy area,” 88-year-old Chandrasekhara Iyer said. 

“I have done in-depth research on the Dodda Gadiyara and I am a leading Horologist. Sadly, the MCC has not even bothered to consult me on the restoration work. For 25 years I have been involved myself in research and the lack of concern by the MCC deeply pains me,” he said and added that he was not expecting any money from the MCC but a chance to do social service. 

The clock tower is called Dodda Gadiyara that means big clock tower. There is the small clock tower or Chikka Gadiyara or Dufferin Clock Tower located next to Devaraja Market near K.R. Circle. 

The beautiful Dodda Gadiyara was installed by Nalwadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar in 1927 after completing 25 years of his rule and hence in its memory the structure was named Silver Jubilee Clock Tower. The entire premises of the tower is in a state of neglect and the boards installed providing detailed information has faded and rusted and needs restoration. 

Scant concern for history

The tower was installed on August 8, 1927 and the construction expense of this historical Clock Tower (Dodda Gadiyara) was Rs. 7,500, which was built in just six months. On four sides at the tower, the clock establishment, date, month, year and other details were engraved in Sanskrit, Kannada, English and Persian languages in marble stone in golden letters. 

The sign boards or plaques are now in a pathetic condition with fading letters. When the clock was striking, the sound could be heard from a distance of nearly two kms. However, the chiming of the clock has stopped from over 30 years. “The clock’s chiming waves were a time keeper for many people then as most of the houses did not have clocks. Now things have changed and people, officials and elected representatives have scant concern and respect for history,” Chandrasekhara Iyer regretted.