Bells of Jalesar

Taru Bahl

A quaint dusty town in western Uttar Pradesh’s erstwhile dacoit-ridden belt has, for centuries, produced tinkling bells for temples, dancing ghungroos worn by dancers, wind chimes, traditional toys and jewellery. Jalesar in Etah district has a population of barely 50,000 but has more than 300 factories. It is not surprising then that nearly every household is engaged in some form of production activity.

Jalesar’s recent claim to fame is that one of its oldest families gifted a 2,400-kg bell to Ram Mandir at Ayodhya. Made of ‘ashtadhatu’ (eight metals — gold, silver, copper, zinc, lead, tin, iron and mercury), this is reportedly the largest bell to be made in the country. Created by a team of 30 craftsmen, it cost around Rs 25 lakh.

The bell’s casting involved many laborious steps from determining the shape, weight and measurement, to cutting wooden templates for the mould, preparing the metal, tuning and fitting the clapper, to transporting it.

The temple bell is handcrafted mostly as a single piece. Interestingly, the bell, like other items made here, is a product of religious harmony between the town’s Hindu and Muslim karigars. While the Hindus have taken the lead in the trade, the Muslims are skilled craftsmen, expert in designing, grinding and polishing the bells.

The dancing ghungroos made here have been adorned by many famous exponents of kathak, Bharatnatyam and other dances.

There is something in the soil and water of the town that makes the sound of tinkling bells extra melodious. Craftsmen in the sister city of Moradabad, known for its massive brass trade, did try recreating Jalesar’s ghungroos and even went to the extent of lugging trucks full of soil there, but could not match the sound.

The raw materials such as mud, white powder and brass of premium quality are exclusive to the area sandwiched between the Ganga and Yamuna, also known as ‘doaab’. It is endowed with fertile alluvial soil because of abundant rainfall through the year.

Official estimates peg India’s ghungroo manufacturing industry at Rs 100 crore, with Etah’s share being 20 per cent. To promote the industry, the state government under its ‘One District One Product’ scheme has provided free training, loans and equipment to over 10,000 persons to manufacture indigenous articles.

Jalesar is also notorious for skilled gunsmiths and weaponry artisans making country-made pistols, revolvers, airguns and kattas (crude guns). No one quite knows how the area known for dacoity and highway robberies acquired its haloed and god-fearing aura.

Kapil Gupta, who manufactures and supplies temple bells, ghungroos and brass idols across India, says, “There was a time when our pure brass wind chimes were found in homes across the world, but now inferior Chinese replicas have busted that industry. However, we are hopeful our bells will continue to outshine.”

QUICK FACTS

• Almost 1.5 hours from Agra by road, Jalesar is 68 km from Aligarh and 29 km from Hathras. The nearest airport is Agra; Jalesar has a railhead.
• Best time to visit is from September to February.
• The dargah situated close to old Basant Vatika is the venue for the annual Urs mela. The nearby Shani Mandir has a spectacular Saturday aarti.
• Jalesar is known for its cast ringers that have been used in Ram Mandir in Gali Boharan, Chintaharan Mandir near govt hospital, Pathwari Mandir in Hathras and Hanuman Mandir in Mahavir Ganj.
• Ruins of the fort made by King Jarasandh show Jalesar’s connection with ‘Mahabharata’.
• Jalesar is also the birthplace of 12th century poet Amir Khusro.

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#Uttar Pradesh