Thrissur: When time goes wrong, Peter knows how to set it right. At 90, Manakkodi Maliyekkal Peter of Thrissur can spot a watch’s fault at a glance through his magnifying glass. With a little patience and decades of experience, he gets its hands ticking again. For nearly three quarters of a century, Peter has worked with the intricate mechanisms of watches and clocks. His expertise extends from wristwatches to the massive tower clocks that once kept public buildings in Thrissur on time.

Said no to HMT, set his own time
After passing the Travancore-Cochin Secondary School Leaving Certificate examination at St Thomas High School in Thrissur, Peter enrolled for the intermediate history course at Kerala Varma College. He did not complete the course, however, and took up a clerical job at Mookken's Mill in Poothole.

Looking for a job to occupy his spare time, he joined C L Devassy's watch repair shop on Municipal Road in Thrissur in 1957. He later moved to O K G Menon's Modern Time House on Chembottil Lane, where he further honed his skills.

In 1960, Peter opened his own shop, Joshi Watch House, opposite Ramdas Theatre, paying a monthly rent of Rs 10. Five years later, he bought the premises. Around the same time, HMT was entering the watchmaking business. Peter applied for a job with the company and was selected. However, he would have had to work for three consecutive years to secure permanent employment. Having just established his own business, he turned down the opportunity and chose to concentrate on his shop.

When watches fall sick, Peter steps in
Peter's expertise extended beyond wristwatches to the massive tower clocks at the Thrissur taluk office, municipal office and SIB building, all entrusted to his care.

These were intricate machines, with large gear wheels and chains instead of springs. Keeping them running required regular dismantling, cleaning, oiling and winding. The clock at the taluk office was the oldest among them. Once a week, Peter would collect its key, climb the tower and wind the mechanism to keep it running accurately.The government initially paid him Rs 6 for maintaining these clocks, a sum that eventually rose to Rs 40.

When every second mattered
The importance of knowing the exact time was especially evident during childbirth. In those days, watches and clocks were uncommon in homes, yet the precise time of a baby's birth was essential for preparing its horoscope.

When a pregnant woman went into labour, family members would wait anxiously for the baby to arrive. People would gather along the road outside the house, ready to relay the news. When they heard the baby cry, someone would emerge with a burning torch and raise it as a signal. The message would pass from person to person until it reached a household with a watch, where the birth time could be recorded.

Today, checking the time takes no more than a glance at a phone. When Peter entered the trade, however, a watch cost between Rs 100 and Rs 125. Owning one was considered a greater luxury than wearing gold jewellery. Government employees and priests were among the main users of watches.

Decades in the trade have also shaped Peter's views on watchmaking across countries. In his assessment, Japan excelled in watches, Germany in clocks and Switzerland in timepieces. He has graded different brands on their quality and merits based on his experience.

A wedding gift that kept him ticking
Smuggled watches from Sri Lanka, Singapore and Malaysia reached Indian markets through Bombay and Madras. Peter acquired his first watch around the time he married Rosily. His father, Eenasu, gifted him a Sima watch for the occasion.

Peter's eldest son, Raju, followed him into watch repair and now runs a Seiko watch shop at Jai Hind Market. His second son, Joshi, began in the watch trade before switching to cooking, while his daughter, Julie, works as an anganwadi teacher.