Raja Birla Clock Tower, Haridwar

 

"The Timeless Sentinel of Har Ki Pauri”

– Haridwar's Raja Birla Clock Tower beneath the sacred Night Sky."

 

Haridwar   the   sacred gateway to the Himalayas, a city famed for Har Ki Pauri, the Ganga aarti, and its deep Hindu pilgrimage tradition. The phrase “the mystic Haridwar” usually points to that spiritual atmosphere rather than a formal title.  It is one of the oldest living cities in India and is closely linked with the Ganga’s descent into the plains. 

A n important place in Haridwar is – “Har ki Pauri”

"Har Ki Pauri" literally means "The Steps of Hari (Lord Vishnu)."  Tradition holds that Lord Vishnu's footprint is preserved at the sacred Brahma Kund – the  drops of Amrut (the nectar of immortality) fell at this place during the episode of Samudra Manthan, making it one of Hinduism's holiest pilgrimage sites.  The evening Ganga Aarti, with hundreds of oil lamps offered to the river, is among India's most moving spiritual ceremonies.

Pictured here is the famous Clock Tower (Ghantaghar or Raja Birla Clock Tower) at Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

The tower is officially known as the Raja Birla Clock Tower. It was built in 1938 by Raja Baldev Das Birla and stands about 66 feet (20 m) tall. It has a clock on all four sides and has become one of the most recognizable landmarks of Haridwar.   The tower stands on Malviya Island, opposite the sacred bathing steps of Har Ki Pauri.    

It was taken on 2.10.2019 around 6.40 pm – with Sun setting around half an hour or so earlier, it was   deep blue-black.  The tower illumination had just begun to dominate the scene, which gives it that beautiful warm glow.  This photo  captures the transition from dusk to night—the "blue hour" having just ended—when the illuminated sandstone and brickwork stand out vividly against the darkening sky.

Interesting !

Regards – S Sampathkumar
15.7.2026