What Is HMT Gandaberunda And Why Are Kannadigas Getting Nostalgic About It?
HMT Gandaberunda features the iconic two-headed bird, Karnataka's official state emblem.
The Gandaberunda is back and so is the frenzy. Karnataka's favourite vintage watch from HMT has made its return in limited numbers. First launched in the 1970s, the collectible timepiece is once again flying off shelves. For many, the watch brings back a wave of nostalgia as it reminds them of old Karnataka, family heirlooms and timeless designs. People are now flooding social media to proudly showcase their growing collections.
What Is HMT Gandaberunda?
The Gandaberunda is not just any watch, it features the iconic two-headed bird, Karnataka's official state emblem. It symbolises strength and resilience. Originally produced by HMT decades ago, the watch has become a cult favourite especially among locals and heritage lovers.
The watch is made in various combinations like stainless steel strap, silver or golden dials and colourful faces. But the most talked about is the wine-coloured face which collectors chase down each time it is re-released.
HMT releases only a few of these every year and the rush begins the moment the watch is back in stock.
The Craze
One viral post that declared 'Gandaberunda is back," shared on June 19 has already gathered more than one lakh views on X.
To all my kannadiga oomfs, Gandaberunda limited collection is back in Barton center MG road if anyone wants to buy. pic.twitter.com/QEBVIb16Ut — ಕುಕ್ಕರಹಳ್ಳಿ ಕೆರೆ ಕೊಕ್ಕರೆ (@Sa_ha_na_Mg) June 19, 2025
Comedian and writer Nithin M Kamath, who tweets as CoffeeKudhitira?, posted, 'Got my hands on the HMT Gandaberunda, makes it 7 in the HMT collection now, hitting 10 by the end of the year."
Got my hands on the hmt Gandaberunda, makes it 7 in the hmt collection now, hitting 10 by the end of the yearAnother user shared a colourful collection of eight Gandaberunda watches and wrote, 'Fifty shades of Gandaberunda. There are few more to get and complete the collection."
Fifty Shades of Gandaberunda. There are a few more to get and complete the collection.
And it's not just them. Many other users joined in to share their love for the watch and flex their collections. See here:
Finally Iconic , ಗಂಡಭೇರುಂಡ HMTs!
Gandaberunda Kannada Numerals from the house of HMT
HMT ಗಂಡಭೇರುಂಡ
pic.twitter.com/KgQ2yzN7Yh
— Naveen.R (@NaveenR1997) June 20, 2025
I got for me and my father❤️ pic.twitter.com/kkLsfINYdi — Nithish KN (@Nithish_017) June 20, 2025
Why Does It Matters To Many?
Tejas, an engineer who moved from Mysuru to Bengaluru, told PTI, 'I'm from Mysuru. Gandaberunda was the emblem of the erstwhile Kingdom of Mysuru under the Wodeyar rulers, and after India attained independence, it was retained by the Mysuru state as its emblem."
When Mysuru was renamed Karnataka in 1973, Gandaberunda continued as the state symbol.
Another watch buyer told the agency, 'If you ask me, HMT should stop all its new models and start producing watches like 'Gandaberunda' and 'Janata' (now out of production, but original ones could fetch up to Rs 18,000), which have more character than the most recent ones."
One more unique thing about the Gandaberunda watch is that the hour markers are in Kannada numerals.
The watch is stocked at four HMT locations across Bengaluru whenever it becomes available:
Barton Centre, MG Road
ABD Showroom, Jalahalli
HMT Bhavan, Mekhri Circle
The manager also shared with PTI that HMT once produced watches with hour markers in many Indian language numerals but now only the Kannada version, featuring Gandaberunda, is still in production in limited quantities.
About the Author
Buzz Staff
A team of writers at News18.com bring you stories on what's creating the buzz on the Internet while exploring science, cricket, tech, gender, Bollywood, and culture.
News18's viral page features trending stories, videos, and memes, covering quirky incidents, social media buzz from india and around the world, Also Download the News18 App to stay updated!
tags :
kannada karnataka viral news
Location :
Delhi, India, India
First Published:
June 21, 2025, 09:03 IST
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