Clock Tower, Ludhiana

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Clock Tower of Ludhiana
Ghanta Ghar Ludhiana.jpg
A close view of the clock tower in 2025
Clock Tower, Ludhiana
Location Old Ludhiana, Ludhiana, Punjab, India
Coordinates 30°55′00″N75°50′54″E / 30.916580°N 75.848329°E / 30.916580; 75.848329
Type Indo-Saracenic Revival architecture

The Ludhiana Clock Tower, also known as the Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Clock Tower or Ghanta Ghar, is a clock tower in Ludhiana, Punjab, India. It is located in the Old City of Ludhiana. Its construction was started in 1862 and it took 44 years to complete. [1]

Before independence, employees were on duty to ring the bell. Later, a machine was installed to ring the bell. After independence, the bell continued to ring for a few years and later it stopped. Now, under the Smart City Mission, the clock tower has been renovated again and now the sound of the bell has started coming again. Now the clock tower can be seen in different colors at night through electricity. 36 types of shades have been installed in it which keep changing after some time at night. The Tourism Department and the Municipal Corporation are taking care of the clock tower.

History

The Clock Tower of Ludhiana was built to commemorate the Silver Jubilee (25 years) of the reign of Queen Victoria and to symbolize the permanence and authority of British rule in India. It was designed by John Gordon, the then Municipal Chief Engineer of Amritsar. Its construction began in 1862 but was a long process, taking 44 years to complete. [2]

The Clock Tower was one of the tallest buildings in the old city until 1990. It was originally called the Queen Victoria Memorial Clock Tower. When Giani Zail Singh became Chief Minister of Punjab, the Jain community demanded that the clock tower be named after Bhagwan Mahavir Jain. Following this, the Punjab government renamed it the Bhagwan Mahavir Jain Clock Tower. [3]

References

  1. ↑ "Ludhiana's 114-year-old Clock Tower being restored to original glory". Hindustan Times. 2020-07-24. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  2. ↑ "More than time, Ludhiana's clock tower tells a story". The Tribune. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
  3. ↑ "Ludhiana's legacy in a shambles". The Tribune. Retrieved 2025-10-23.
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