175-Year-Old Clock Ticks Ahead of Jummat-Ul-Wida

Hyderabad: The historic Macca Masjid near Charminar is preparing for Jummat-ul-Wida, the last Friday prayers of Ramzan, with arrangements underway for large gatherings.

The mosque, one of the largest in the country, can accommodate over 10,000 worshippers at a time. Among its notable features is an antique Swiss-made Favre Leuba wall clock, which continues to function with its original components.

Mosque representative Quadeer Siddiqui said the clock is being maintained carefully, with servicing handled by Waheed Watch Company. He said the clock dates back to 1850 and was installed during the reign of Nawab Nasir-ud-Daulah, the fourth Nizam.

The clock had remained non-functional for several years before efforts were initiated to restore it.

Ghulam Rabbani of Waheed Watch Company said, “The spares were not readily available, and we were determined to use only original parts. Our team searched across the country, tapping every possible source. It took years to procure all the components, but we finally succeeded—bringing it back to life in February 2023 after an eight-year pause.”

The restored clock is now operational, with maintenance carried out regularly as part of the mosque’s upkeep.