Ghantaghar, the first clock tower of Nepal, which not only symbolizes the history but also considered one of the beautiful landmarks of the capital city, is losing its historic and archeological value day by day due to lack of proper maintenance. [break]
Most parts of the machine are covered with rust as a result several times it has stopped working.
The clock of the Ghantaghar still has the same machinery installed at the time when the Ranas ruled the country. All the machines were brought from London during the reign of then Prime Minister Bir Shumsher.
Most of the parts are not working properly and are in need of immediate repair.
According to the caretaker of the Ghantaghar, if the machines are not repaired soon then future generation will not get a chance to see how it looks like. The needles of the Ghantaghar are broken and its internal parts are not properly working.
“I have been taking care of the Ghantaghar for the last twenty-six years, but I don´t know the proper way to maintain the clock,” said Ganesh Sapkota, the only caretaker of the Ghantaghar. “The rust in the machines creates lots of disturbance in the clock. I have welded all the broken parts of the Ghantaghar. ”
The Ghantaghar is within the premises of Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus. Until 1973, all the responsibilities of the Ghantaghar were taken by Ministry of Education (MoE). But after that, all the responsibilities have been transferred to the campus. Today, the campus has been taking care from maintenance work of the Ghantaghar to repairing the machine.
“Most parts of the machine are not available in Nepal. We have to bring them from abroad, which is not possible for the college as well,” said Dr Sunil Adhikary, assistant campus chief of Tri-Chandra Multiple Campus. “The government should help us in preserving such an important monument of the country.”
The Ghantaghar was destroyed by the earthquake of 1933 and was re-built.
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