FosterDevito009: put up some article w/ refs

2026-03-20T04:31:43Z

put up some article w/ refs

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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2023}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2023}}
{{Infobox building
| name = Clock Tower of Haridwar
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| logo =
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| image = Clock Tower of Haridwar.tif
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| image_caption = Clock Tower of Haridwar: view from steps of Har Ki Pauri (2023)
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| coordinates = {{Coord|29|57|23.5|N|78|10|16.8|E|type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| former_names =
| alternate_names = Raja Birla Tower, Ghantaghar
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| cancelled =
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| building_type = [[Clock tower]]
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| location = Malviya Island
| address =
| location_town = [[Har Ki Pauri]], [[Haridwar]], [[Uttarakhand]]
| location_country = [[India]]
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| completion_date = 1938
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| height = {{convert|66|ft}}
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| architect = [[Baldeo Das Birla|Raja Baldev Das Birla]]
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| known_for = *Landmark of Har Ki Pauri
*Observation point for [[Har Ki Pauri#Ganga Aarti|Ganga Aarti]] and [[Haridwar Kumbh Mela|Kumbh Mela]]
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}}

The '''Clock Tower of Haridwar''', also known as the '''Raja Birla Tower''', is a landmark freestanding [[clock tower]], built by [[Baldeo Das Birla|Raja Baldev Das Birla]] in 1938 in [[Haridwar]], [[Uttarakhand]], [[India]]. Each of its four sides has a clock, with [[Roman numerals]] representing hours and dots depicting the minutes. The structure marks a good location from which to watch the evening [[arti (Hinduism)|prayers]] at [[Har Ki Pauri]].

The surrounding area has been used as a media platform for the [[Haridwar Kumbh Mela|Kumbh Mela]]. Prior to the 2021 Kumbh Mela artist [[Harshvardhan Kadam]] painted it in red and gold [[murals]] to express Hindu mythological stories based on the writings and ideas of the [[Vaimānika Shāstra]].

==History==
The Clock Tower of Haridwar, India. also known as the Raja Birla Tower and Ghantaghar, was built by [[Baldeo Das Birla|Raja Baldev Das Birla]], the founder of the [[Aditya Birla Group|Birla Group]],<ref name=Raichaudhury2010>{{cite book |last1=Raichaudhury |first1=Anjan |title=Managing new ventures: concepts and cases in entrepreneurship |date=2010 |publisher=PHI Learning Pvt. Ltd. |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-81-203-4156-2 |page=32 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=sFqQSBbn_x0C&pg=PA32 |language=en |chapter=2. Identifying and evaluating opportunities |access-date=5 February 2023 |archive-date=5 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230205144200/https://books.google.com/books?id=sFqQSBbn_x0C&pg=PA32 |url-status=live }}</ref> in 1938.<ref name=Singh2021>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Dr Yatindra Pal |title=Clock towers of India |date=2021 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |isbn=978-9-35427-256-1 |pages=40–41 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MI0TEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA40 |language=en |chapter=18. Haridwar |access-date=31 January 2023 |archive-date=31 January 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230131033520/https://books.google.com/books?id=MI0TEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA40 |url-status=live }}</ref> Many clock towers were built in India before it was common to own a watch.<ref name=Singh2021.About>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Dr Yatindra Pal |title=Clock towers of India |date=2021 |publisher=Blue Rose Publishers |isbn=978-9-35427-256-1 |pages=1–2 |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MI0TEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1 |language=en |chapter=About the clock towers of India |access-date=7 March 2023 |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307105603/https://books.google.com/books?id=MI0TEAAAQBAJ&pg=PA1 |url-status=live }}</ref> The tower daily evening Hindu prayers at Har Ki Pauri are easily seen from the tower.<ref name=Guide2011>{{cite book |title=The Rough Guide to India |date=2011 |publisher=Rough Guides UK |isbn=978-1-4053-8847-4 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=yi4PbmKuE70C&pg=PT365 |language=en |page=365 |access-date=4 February 2023 |archive-date=4 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204040223/https://books.google.com/books?id=yi4PbmKuE70C&pg=PT365 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name=Singh2001>{{cite book |last1=Singh |first1=Khushwant |title=Sights and Sounds of the World |date=2001 |publisher=Books Today |isbn=978-81-87478-25-6 |page=94 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fdhlAAAAMAAJ |language=en |access-date=7 February 2023 |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207013558/https://books.google.com/books?id=fdhlAAAAMAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2010 a platform was constructed close to the tower from which nearly 300 media personnel watched the main bathing day of the [[Haridwar Kumbh Mela|Kumbh Mela]] that year.<ref name=Pokharial>{{cite book |last1=Pokharial 'Nishank' |first1=Ramesh |title=Maha Kumbh Biggest Planet Event (A Managerial Perspective) |date=2022 |publisher=Diamond Pocket Books Pvt Ltd |isbn=978-93-5599-132-4 |page=134 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nYBbEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT134 |language=en |access-date=9 February 2023 |archive-date=9 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209015710/https://books.google.com/books?id=nYBbEAAAQBAJ&pg=PT134 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The tower is on Malviya Island, named after [[Madan Mohan Malaviya]],<ref name=Dash2017>{{cite book |last1=Dash |first1=Trilochan |title=The Four Dhamas of the Himalayas: Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri and Yamunetri |date=2017 |publisher=Soudamini Dash |page=16 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GgneDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA16 |language=en |access-date=7 March 2023 |archive-date=7 March 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230307050326/https://books.google.com/books?id=GgneDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA16 |url-status=live }}</ref> opposite the steps of Har Ki Pauri in Haridwar.<ref name=Betts>{{cite book |last1=Betts |first1=Vanessa |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=77D8AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA94 |title=Indian Himalaya Footprint Handbook |last2=McCulloch |first2=Victoria |date=2014 |publisher=Footprint Travel Guides |isbn=978-1-907263-88-0 |page=94 |language=en |chapter=83. Haridwar, Rishikesh and around |access-date=4 February 2023 |archive-date=4 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230204033719/https://books.google.com/books?id=77D8AgAAQBAJ&pg=PA94 |url-status=live }}</ref> The structure is freestanding and {{Convert|66|ft}} high.<ref name=Singh2021/> It has four sides, each with a clock face, that use Roman numerals to represent the hours and dots to depict the minutes.<ref name=Singh2021/> The surrounding island has marble flooring, is shaped like a boat, and has its own ''[[ghat]]'' (steps) to enter the river [[Ganges]].<ref name=Sharma1979/> Until 1979 it was connected to other local bathing spots by three bridges.<ref name=Sharma1979>{{cite book |last1=Sharma |first1=Man Mohan |title=Of Gods and Glaciers: On & Around Mt. Rataban |date=1979 |publisher=Vision Books |page=46 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QnkFAAAAMAAJ |language=en |access-date=9 February 2023 |archive-date=9 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209015706/https://books.google.com/books?id=QnkFAAAAMAAJ |url-status=live}}</ref>

Prior to the 2021 Kumbh Mela, the artist [[Harshvardhan Kadam]] painted the tower with red and gold [[murals]] to express mythological stories based on the work and ideas of the [[Vaimānika Shāstra]].<ref name="visit">{{cite web |title=Places to Visit in Haridwar |url=https://www.indianvisit.com/uttarakhand/haridwar/tourist-attraction.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230226183034/https://www.indianvisit.com/uttarakhand/haridwar/tourist-attraction.html |archive-date=26 February 2023 |access-date=6 March 2023}}</ref><ref name="Ganga2020">{{cite journal |date=27 January 2020 |title=Murals at Har Ki Pauri and Chandi Ghat |url=https://nmcg.nic.in/Newsletter/Jan-Feb2020/index.html#p=8 |journal=Ganga Yatra |page=8 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230209085942/https://nmcg.nic.in/Newsletter/Jan-Feb2020/index.html#p=1 |archive-date=9 February 2023}}</ref> The work was part of the Haridwar Mural Project, in collaboration with the [[Namami Gange Programme]] and art retailer Mojarto: a venture to find non-traditional platforms to display religious art in Haridwar and to safeguard the river Ganges.<ref name=visit/><ref name=Ganga2020/>

==Gallery==
<gallery>
File:Ganga Dashara Festival, 2005 at Har ki Pauri, Haridwar.jpg|Clock tower (2005)
File:Har Ki Pauri l Haridwar.jpg|Clock Tower (unpainted) view from Har Ki Pauri (2010)
File:Rishikesh haRishikeshridwar (595).JPG|Clock face (2012)
File:Har Ki Pauri Haridwar.jpg|Clock Tower during evening prayers (2013)
File:Har ki paiddi, Haridwar.jpg|Clock Tower during evening prayers (2021 Kumbh Mela)
File:Har Ki Pauri and Clock Tower of Haridwar.jpg|Clock Tower (2023)
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
{{Commons category}}
*{{YouTube|T-0Y_MYQSek| Indian Mythological Imagery On Historic Clock Tower}}
*{{cite web |title=EP-5: Haridwar Mural Project {{!}} Transforming 66 Ft Tall Clock Tower With Art - Mojarto Blogs |url=https://blog.mojarto.com/ep-5-haridwar-mural-project-transforming-66-ft-tall-clock-tower-with-art/ |date=26 June 2019}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clock Tower of Haridwar}}
[[Category:Clock towers in India]]
[[Category:History of Haridwar]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Haridwar]]
[[Category:1938 establishments in India]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures completed in 1938]]
[[Category:20th-century architecture in India]]
[[Category:Towers completed in 1938]]

Clock Tower of Haridwar - Revision history

FosterDevito009: put up some article w/ refs