The harmonious chimes of bells in various rhyme and meter infuse the surrounding area with a sense of freshness and calm. Sculpted cylindrical bells in copper with a wooden tonal thong add a rustic aura to an elegant interior
“The melodious tinkling of bells in the wind is a sweet lullaby wafting you to sleep”, muses Yunus Ismael Bhai Siddik Luhar as he tinkers with the timber of a xylophone made of bells. Bell makers of Kutch are a small settlement of Luhaars residing in Zura and Nirona villages of Kutch.
They fashion bells in a variety of shapes and sizes and configure them in elaborate groups to produce the finest of sounds. Musical notations, decorative hangings, wind chimes, xylophones and even trivial key chains form the artistic panorama of the bell metal-smith.
Traditional Trivia
Bells are hand cast in a variety of shapes and sizes displayed singularly or in a group to perform musical functions. The sound of each bell is set with an instrument called ekal. The tonal quality and the resonating sound are dependent on three factors inherent to the making. The shape and size of the bell, along with the wooden thong sourced from the local Khirad tree determines the sound it imparts. The structure and curvature of the bottom which is delicately beaten into shape using a harmonic hammer resonates the sound deepening its after glow.
‘Crude hand beaten bells taking shape in the furnace under the watchful eye of the blacksmith’, this visual description of the craft has remained unchanged over centuries. Bells chimed their way into Kutch from Sindh centuries ago, tied to the necks of migrating cattle. The herdsmen could tell his flock apart from the distinctive sound of the bell. In due coarse the luhaars followed the nomadic herdsmen and settled in Kutch. They continued to practice their forefather’s occupation of making bells servicing the pastoral community.
The musical calibrations of the bell making luhaar has transcended into his fashioning the morchang, a traditional folk instrument akin to a Jews harp.
Anecdotes and Outtakes
Traditionally it is believed that the chimes ward off evil spirits and iron used in the making of the top portion of the bell is a protection against witch-craft. Black is color of power among pastoral communities in Kutch and Saurashtra and black yarn is used to tie the bells around the neck of livestock.
Community Involved
Luhaar or Lohaar Community
Raw Materials Used
- Iron and Brass sheets
- Copper and zinc shavings
- Wooden thong sourced locally from Khirad tree
Tools and Equipments
- Metal compass (Tarka)
- Hammer (Hathodu)
- Pliers ( Pakkad)
- Furnace(Bhatti)
Process of Technical Execution
The entire family is involved in the fashioning of this musical implement.