AI Generated Summary
- A piece of history has quietly resumed its vigil over the Golden Temple, as a century-old wall clock—once presented by Lord Curzon—has been carefully restored and reinstalled at the Sikh shrine in Amritsar.
- Those original gold plates endured for more than a century and a half before being replaced in 1999, underscoring the longevity and care invested in the shrine’s adornments.
- The restoration is part of a broader, long-standing commitment by volunteers from the United Kingdom, who travel annually to Amritsar to help clean and maintain the shrine’s gold-plated surfaces.
A piece of history has quietly resumed its vigil over the Golden Temple, as a century-old wall clock—once presented by Lord Curzon—has been carefully restored and reinstalled at the Sikh shrine in Amritsar.
The clock was gifted in 1900, during Lord Curzon’s visit to the sacred complex. Crafted by the renowned British firm Elkington & Co, the timepiece reflects the refined workmanship of its era and stands as a rare example of the meeting of Eastern tradition and Western design.
Set within gold plates dating back to the reign of Maharaja Ranjit Singh, the clock occupies a space rich in history. Those original gold plates endured for more than a century and a half before being replaced in 1999, underscoring the longevity and care invested in the shrine’s adornments.
In recent years, the clock had fallen silent after becoming non-functional. Its revival was made possible through the efforts of the UK-based Guru Nanak Nishkam Sewak Jatha, whose specialists undertook the delicate task of restoration. Following the repair work, the clock was returned to its original position within the Golden Temple complex.
The restoration is part of a broader, long-standing commitment by volunteers from the United Kingdom, who travel annually to Amritsar to help clean and maintain the shrine’s gold-plated surfaces. Their work, often carried out away from public attention, contributes to preserving the spiritual and architectural legacy of the Golden Temple for future generations.
With the clock once again marking the passage of time, devotees and visitors are reminded that even the smallest details within the Golden Temple carry stories that bridge continents and centuries.
