Sat Nov 16 03:55:54 UTC 2024: ## Visakhapatnam’s Unique History of Public Timekeeping Revealed

**Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, November 16, 2024** – Long before the ubiquity of mobile phones and digital clocks, the city of Visakhapatnam relied on a fascinating array of methods to inform its citizens of the time. A recent historical account reveals a unique evolution of timekeeping practices, spanning centuries.

Initially, the city’s time was signaled by an army unit stationed at the Old Town fort, which fired a time-gun at 9 p.m. daily. Later, this practice moved to Dolphin’s Nose Hill. However, a more innovative system was concurrently employed. In 1840, Godey Venkata Jagga Rao, a local zamindar and astronomer, established an observatory and erected a flagstaff on Dolphin’s Nose Hill. At precisely 8 a.m. daily, two flags were raised, remaining hoisted until 9 a.m., when they were lowered, signaling the time.

Following Jagga Rao’s death, his son-in-law, Ankitham Venkata Narsinga Rao, continued the practice, even taking over the maintenance of the time-gun in 1871 after the army ceased its operation. He further enhanced the flag signaling system by erecting a new, more durable flagstaff in 1886. A government notification confirmed this alternative timekeeping method, noting its importance for both the general public and maritime navigation.

The observatory, with its astronomically-calibrated clocks, served as the benchmark for the time-gun and flag signals. This system, continued by Narsinga Rao’s wife after his death, was eventually handed over to the government in 1894 along with a significant endowment. The government continued managing the observatory and the associated time signals until approximately 1898.

Beyond the time-gun and flag systems, Visakhapatnam also employed hourly bell ringing in government offices, a practice that lasted into the mid-1960s. History chronicler Vijjeswarapu Edward Paul, a member of INTACH, highlighted the evolution of timekeeping in Visakhapatnam, emphasizing its historical significance and its remarkable difference from modern methods. These unique practices, ranging from time-guns and flags to bell-ringing, offer a captivating glimpse into the city’s past.

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