During the reign of Swati Thirunal, two huge clocks were bought from Chinnapatanam in Madras. One was established in Padmanabhapuram Palace, near Thackalay, which was then the capital of Travancore. The second one was put up near Padmanabhapuram Temple for the Public. The clock tower was built on the Karuvelappura Palace near the temple and overlooking the Padmatheertham pond. On the dial of the clock, there is the face of a man with two goats on either side. Everytime the clock strikes an hour, the man's mouth opens and the goats hit him on the cheeks. An artisan named Kulathooran crafted this particular contraption using Mahogany. This is also said to commemorate the withdrawal of Tipu Sultan, in the war against Travancore.

The "Methan Mani" is located near the Padmanabha Swamy Temple in Thiruvananthapuram.To see it, one has to stand before the temple entrance and look in the opposite direction of the Padmatheertha pond. It is on the top of the Old Fort Palace. The unique feature of the clock is the presence of a bearded man on top of the dial who opens his mouth corresponding to every hour and two rams hit his cheek and forcing him to close his mouth. This action is co-oridnated with the hourly chimes.

Working marvel. Authorities have taken great effort to make it working after a brief stoppage. But the striking goats which used to strike the clock with each hourly ring is not functioning now. But comparing with the lifetime of modern day digital clocks this is nothing but an engineering marvel

Methanmani is a part of Kuthiramalika.The kuthiramalika is located in front of the Padmanabhaswamy temple.To know the entire history of Thiruvananthapuram, you only need to visit the kuthiramalika. The kuthiramalika is located at the eastern end of the Padmanabhaswamy Temple ..East Fort

THIS CLOCK TOWER PUZZLE IS IN THE TOP LEFT SIDE AREA FACING PADMA TEERTHAM POND AND IN FRONT OF EAST NADA PADMANABHA TEMPLE.AT THAT TIME IT IS A JAW OPENING SCENE TO SPECTATORS......... JOHN CALDICOTT, ASTRONOMICAL OBSERVATORY DIRECTOR OF TRAVANCORE BROUGHT THE DUTCH CLOCK MECHANISM FROM CHENNAI . STORY TOLD IS THAT, THIS CLOCK WAS INSTALLED IN 1840 AS A VICTORY TRIUMPH OVER TIPU SULTAN'S DEFEAT BY TRAVANCORE. A BEARDED MAN HEAD SYMBOLIZING TIPU AS METHAN OR MLECHAN MEANS UNTOUCHABLE IN THE MIDDLE IS RAMMED ON THE OPEN MOUTH BY TWO BUCKS ON EITHER SIDES ON HOURLY TIME WITH BANG........... A SKILLED CRAFTSMAN KULATHOOKKARAN IS THE BRAIN BEHIND THIS AMAZING PIECE OF WORK.

The creativity. The technology. The perfection. It has been more than a century since it has been installed. It still is a master piece. The clock still works and is attracting the attention of tourists. The bell rings every one hour. The best time to watch the artifact is the time when it's about to strike. The goats surrounding the face in the clock, moves forward and hits on the face.

19th century clock

Unfortunately it doesn’t get it deserved attention, still amusing to watch. It’s not on time, so recommend you reach early to witness. No signboards to disclose any information. It chimes every hour.

Methan Mani is a clock tower which stands next to the Padmanabha Swamy Temple, East Fort, Thiruvananthapuram in the south west Indian state of ...kerala

This clock was one of the main attractions of Thiruvananthapuram till late 80’s.

Old clock tower near the famous Sri padmanabha swamy temple

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Methan Mani is a clock tower which stands next to the Padmanabha Swamy Temple

Methan Mani in Sree Padmanabha Swami Temple is a captivating experience. The intricate craftsmanship and historical significance make it a must-visit. The serene atmosphere and divine aura enhance the spiritual journey.