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Cloaked in antiquity
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The Methanmani, near the eastern entrance of Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple, is being given a face-lift.
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THE MORE than a century-and-a-half-old Methanmani atop the Karuvalappura maalika (seen at the north-eastern portion of Valiyakottaram complex of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple) is being given a face-lift. Repair work on the tower, which houses the clock and the adjoining Karuvalappura maalika, the old treasury of Travancore, is in progress. "Maintenance work on the methanmani has regular. There has hardly been any instance in the past when the clock has failed to work," say the authorities of the Sree Padmanabhaswamy Temple Trust.
Historians say that the clock, known as manisuthram, sported a different look in the first half of the 19th century. The compilation, `Charitrattinte Edukal' (1992), bears reference to the kautuka mani, which was a fancy clock during the time of Karthika Tirunal Ramavarma, a member of the royal family, they add. The methanmani is an overhauled version of the clock pokku, redesigned by a carpenter, Madhevan, known as Madu Mesthiri. It was redesigned under the supervision of Antony Martin Christian, who lived in Travancore during that time. After the death of Madu Mesthiri, John Christian took over as the supervisor. European technology has gone into the making of the methanmani. The clock works on pulleys and weights (granite blocks are used as weights). The clock is keyed by pulling up the weight, using the pulleys, and suspending the weights from a height. The weight lowers due to gravity and moves the hands of the clock. The clock is keyed every day. Madu Mesthiri's descendants were posted as the caretakers of the clock, till a few years ago. They had been entrusted with the duty to key the clock and maintain it. But the future generations of the Mesthiri settled down at Manivila, near Amaravila. The scion of this family moved to Thankasseri, a few years ago.
The antique clock is made in the shape of a man's face with a French beard. The man's face is flanked by two icons in the shape of goats. The figures of the goats stand ready to strike the man's cheeks. When the minute hand of the clock is about to pass the 60th minute, the mouth of the man opens, slowly. The goats simultaneously bang on the cheek, producing the clanging of the bell.
Says historian M. G. Sashibhooshan, director of Kerala Bhasha Institute, "The clock may have been modified to portray the Travancore army's victory over Tipu Sultan's army during the second half of the 18th century. The man may represent Tipu Sultan or his army, and goats the posse of Travancore soldiers." However, the methanmani may also owe its name to the word musalman (muslim), suggests Sashibhooshan. Muslims in India were once called mehtabs, from which the word metha might have evolved."Another historian feels the name may have been derived from the word metha, which also denotes meltharam, meaning `one that is sited above'.
K. C. ASOK
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
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Madurai
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