Clock Tower of Murshidabad, Colonial clock tower in Nizamat Fort Campus, Murshidabad, India.
The Clock Tower of Murshidabad, known locally as Ghari Ghar, stands in the garden between the Nizamat Imambara and Hazarduari Palace. It was designed by Sagor Mistri, a Bengali assistant of Colonel McLeod. The tower is topped by a heavy-sounding bell, and four masonry shields are placed at its ground-level corners. Its clock dial faces east towards the Bhagirathi River.
Built under Colonel McLeod's oversight with Sagor Mistri as the designer, this structure emerged during the colonial period when British influence shaped Bengal's urban development. The tower reflects the architectural approaches of that era across the region.
Locals call the tower Ghari Ghar, and it is also nicknamed the Big Ben of Murshidabad. Its clock dial faces east towards the Bhagirathi River, most probably so that sailors and passengers travelling on boats could read the time.
The tower's central location within the fort campus makes it a natural starting point for visiting nearby monuments and buildings. Arriving earlier in the day gives you better light for photographs and a less crowded experience.
The bell mechanism and clock face were specifically engineered to help sailors and river passengers track time during their journeys on the Bhagirathi. This detail reveals how river commerce shaped the design of even monumental structures in the fort.
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