Mumbai Guide: 5 things you didn’t know about Rajabai Tower

How well do you know your city? We bring you 5 lesser-known facts about the iconic Rajabai Tower

1) The sculptures (on the surface of the clock structure) and interiors (of the adjoining library) were made by Indian artisans and the students of JJ School of Art under the guidance of Sir Lockwood Kipling, their art teacher and illustrator.

The Rajabai Tower (Photo: Anshuman Poyrekar/Hindustan Times)

The exteriors of Rajabai Tower

2) Carvings on the ceiling and arches include flora and fauna native to the Indian subcontinent.

The carving on Rajabai Tower

3) The construction of the Rajabai Tower was financed by a Mumbai-based cotton businessman, Premchand Roychand.

Restoration work in progress

The exteriors

5) Two cast iron doorstoppers, both in the shape of a lion, still exist and are used to stop the reading hall doors from moving due to the strong winds.

The iron doorstoppers

Information by Homiar Goipolia, vice president, projects, at Somaya & Kalappa - an architectural consultation firm. He has worked on the restoration of the 137-year-old Rajabai Clock Tower.