Forty kms on the outskirts of Agra lies Firozabad, a city at the centre of India’s glassmaking industry. This thriving trade has ancient roots which date back to the Mughal era, but the city has a much longer historical heritage than that, having been around since the Vedic Age and part of kingdoms like the Mauryas, Guptas, Indo-Scythians, Kushans and Rajputs. In the 21st century, Firozabad's artisans are struggling to find their feet amid changing consumption patterns and new forms of technology.
Here’s what you need to know about Firozabad’s glass industry, including where to buy its famous glass bangles as a souvenir for your loved ones.
The modern city of Firozabad was founded in 1566 during the reign of Emperor Akbar. Prior to that, the name of the town was Chandwar Nagar. Then, it was a stronghold of the Chauhan Rajputs. When the Mughals first arrived, they brought various glass items to the city, most of which were later discarded. These discarded items were collected and melted in locally built furnaces known as bhainsa bhatti (furnaces), thus marking the inception of the glass industry.
Initially, the melted glass was used to craft bangles and small bottles. Over time, the industry diversified and started to churn out phials for perfumes, cosmetics and other products, some of which were exported. Production subsequently expanded to include a wide array of bangles, bracelets and wristbands for married women. Presently, Firozabad has approximately 400 registered glass industries, sustaining its reputation as a hub for glass manufacturing.
In a furnace, recyclable waste glass is piled in mounds along with a concoction of sand, soda, chemicals and colouring agents. These bhattis burn round the clock at 1,200° Celsius in buildings that are open on all four sides. Men called gulliwalas carry red hot gobs of glass on long metallic pipes. They walk them across the mud-and-brick floor of the workshop, either taking the glass to the fire or carrying it away to dump onto the small glass hills. Next, they pull out the molten glass from inside the furnace and hand it over to the artisans, who wrap it like a thick wire around a muttha (iron rod) and skillfully rotate it on a motor to form glass coils. A muttha can yield around 368 bangles. Broken pieces are put back in the furnace for recycling.
The demand for glass bangles in Firozabad has dipped to one-fifth from the early 1980s. Simultaneously, there has been a rise in the production of glass bottles, mainly for alcohol and other glassware like lights and home accessories. There are several reasons for this: first, technology has allowed for the mass production of glass bottles, which begets a higher income, while bangles still need to be handmade. Secondly, manufacturers say that as incomes go up, preference for glass jewellery has been replaced by more expensive metal ornaments. Lastly, the technology upgrade involved in switching the running of furnaces from firewood and coal to natural gas to reduce environmental pollution has led to many businesses shutting down.
But all hope is not lost as there are still many shops and wholesalers selling bangles and other glass products in Firozabad. The best place to buy them is in the main bazaar (market) of the city, where you will find piles upon piles of bangles stacked sky high.
