This 150-year-old seal still stamps all BMC documents

Manufactured in London, the hefty iron seal is the last word in the civic body, and no tender, document or contract is complete until blessed by its stamp. “The special thing is that until this flower emerges, these papers have no meaning,” says an unexpectedly poetic press release from the BMC

MUMBAI: This quaint piece of machinery has been witness to the unfolding of civic history; indeed, it has left its imprint on it. From the minutes of the first-ever meeting of the Bombay municipal corporation in 1873 to the significant papers of the present day, the BMC’s 150-year-old seal has validated every important document.

Made entirely of iron, the machine sits mounted on a wooden table. It is helmed by two iron spheres, one larger than the other, which connect the main leg of the seal. Its backbone is a curved black-and-gold structure with gold swirl patterns on it. While parts of the paint on the front have chipped and faded over a century and a half, the machine remains in perfect condition (HT PHOTO)

Manufactured in London, the hefty iron seal is the last word in the civic body, and no tender, document or contract is complete until blessed by its stamp. “The special thing is that until this flower emerges, these papers have no meaning,” says an unexpectedly poetic press release from the BMC.

Every Dussehra, the civic body performs the traditional pooja of its machines to express gratitude. This year, this seal is the star.

“In the 37 years that I’ve worked here, I have seen it being used a few times every week,” said an official. “It is kept in a special box under lock and key in the municipal secretary’s office. One person operates the machine and another holds the file. There’s a whole system to it. Before the final payment is done, this seal must make the stamp.”

Made entirely of iron, the machine sits mounted on a wooden table. It is helmed by two iron spheres, one larger than the other, which connect the main leg of the seal. Its backbone is a curved black-and-gold structure with gold swirl patterns on it. While parts of the paint on the front have chipped and faded over a century and a half, the machine remains in perfect condition.

This is how it works: a heavy iron beam is first placed on top of the machine. The paper to be stamped is then placed in the tiny iron slot on the lower part. Then begins the rotation of the iron beam from right to left, which further presses the iron parts of the plates against each other. And voila, the paper has been endorsed with the BMC’s stamp.

The machine is one with the historic BMC building, the stunning blend of two architectural styles designed by British architect F W Stevens. “The seal has been in use for the past 150 years but there’s never been a need to replace it,” said the official. “We clean it regularly as we do the other machines but it has never needed any special preservation or care. It’s a solid piece of machinery.”

The culture of the civic body may have changed from the public-spiritedness of yore to the rough and tumble of today but the seal goes on.