India: 78-year-old man takes pride in his rare collection of clocks from across the globe

As one enters the home of a 78-year-old man in Madhya Pradesh's Indore city, one is welcomed with the tick-tock and mesmerising sounds of some of the rare and antique clocks collected from across the world, giving an impression as if one has reached the past sitting on a time machine.

The collector, Anil Bhalla, claims to have more than 650 timepieces collected from India and various places abroad, including the US, France, Switzerland, Britain and Germany.

Bhalla told PTI that he inherited the hobby of collection of clocks from his grandfather Hukumat Rai Bhalla, who brought some timepieces to India while pursuing higher studies abroad.

“I bought the first clock of my collection at the age of 16, which was an anniversary clock, requiring winding only once a year. After that I bought clocks whenever I had some extra money," he said.

Bhalla, who has since then kept collecting clocks of different shapes, sizes and colour year after year, said the Limca Book of Records issued him a certificate in 2013 for his rare collection including a 10-feet-tall "grandfather" clock made in France in 1750.

He also claims to have a clock made somewhere around the year 1700. Bhalla said his collection also includes a unique clock from England made by carving a single piece of wood in 1830 which simultaneously shows the time of 16 major cities of the world through different dials.

While showing his huge collection, he pointed at a clock made in Switzerland which does not need key winding. Another clock is so huge that two persons are required for winding it.

"Some people say a non-working clock at home is a bad omen, but I don't believe it," he said.