Firozabad : The City That Handles Glass With Care!

[SS-Traveller]

A congested town about 40 km east of Agra, through the heart of which runs the National Highway 2. In the days before NHAI and the Golden Quadrilateral, it used to be a nightmare to drive through this town during the daytime. With over 6 lakh people jostling for limited road space and hordes of them trying to sell glass bangles from pushcarts to eager truck drivers wanting to take back colourful gifts for their beloved, one can well imagine the chaos that reigned on the NH2 through Firozabad just a few years ago.

Pic source

For reasons unknown, NH2 has not been routed through a bypass around Firozabad, as is now common for most small towns along the highways of India. The only small concession was that a majority of the highway has been isolated from local traffic with barriers, preventing the pushcarts from blocking the highway traffic at random everywhere. Still, driving through Firozabad in the day is a slow process.

This town may not have existed at all, were it not for the unique skills of the people of the region. This involved recycling rejected and damaged glass articles and making beautiful glass bangles. Today, the glass industry has evolved so greatly that it exports its products to countries around the world.

[SS-Traveller]

The ancient name of this town was Chandwar Nagar. The name of Firozabad was given in the regime of Akbar by Firoz Shah Mansab Dar in 1566. They say that Raja Todarmal was passing through this town, on pilgrimage to Gaya. He was looted by robbers. At his request, Akbar sent his Mansab Dar Firoz Shah here. He landed near or about Datauji, Rasoolpur, Mohammadpur Gajmalpur, Sukhmalpur Nizamabad, Prempur Raipura. The tomb of Firoz Shah and ruins of Katra Pathanan are the evidences of this fact.

During ancient periods, invaders brought many glass articles to India. These glass articles when rejected were collected and melted in locally made furnaces called as "Bhainsa Bhatti." This was the start of the glass industry in Firozabad. In these furnaces, wood was used as fuel. These old traditional furnaces are still in use in Sasani near Aligarh and at Purdal Nagar.

During initial times only small bottles and bangles were made. These bangles had no joint, and were called "Kadechhal Ki Chudi". The glass industry subsequently evolved and expanded to also start making colourful glass lamps and chandeliers, which were in great demand with royal courts and nobles for decorating their assembling and drawing rooms.

Later on phials to store Itra / Attar (perfume oils from natural sources) and other cosmetic products were made.

Slowly and steadily Indian wedding items like bangles, kangans, kada, etc. were produced in bulk for the general public. Today an area known as Suhag Nagar has become famous for these items, so called because it fulfills almost all the requirements of the local suhagins (married women).

Since 1989, Firozabad has produced artistic glassware in different colours and shades used in chandeliers and other items. About four hundred glass industries are registered in Firozabad, making different types of glass products. These nowadays use natural gas instead of wood or coal. Half of the production of these units is exported. Blowing/modeling is done by the Pot Furnace & Regenerative tank furnace in these factories.

Firozabad with the changing time has entered in to new era of glass manufacturing, it has become a major hub of manufacturing different glass based items and has registered its global presence, diversifying its industrial base and encouraging ancillary industries including chemicals, packaging and more of service sector based industries have flourished in a short span of time.

Pics by OP | Text Source 1 | 2

[SS-Traveller]

All sorts of glass articles, including jars, candle stands, glasses, flower vases, and electric wares such as decorative lights, bulbs and every other sort of glass articles are prepared in this city. These articles are painted with vivid colours and innovative patterns. Etching is done on some products to enhance their beauty. Decoration work is also done on some products by fixing other material on them.

Firozabad glass industry broadly consists following types of products: -

Glass artware like toys, candle-stands, crosses, Christmas trees, different fruits, mini-trees, images of birds, animals, personalities, Gods and Goddesses are made here for Indian as well as foreign markets.

Glass domestic-wares: Firozabad glass industry for the last two centuries has been involved in manufacturing drinking glasses, beer glasses, wine glasses, dinner sets consisting of bowls, plates, lemon-sets, pudding sets, etc. in attractive cuttings, charming designs.

Glass Chandeliers: Since the Mughal period, Firozabad has been producing different shapes and shades of magnificent hanging chandeliers. Many innovative designs are made to suit different tastes.

Glass Marriageware: Bangles, kangans and karas are made here since ancient period as traditional Indian ladies' wadrobe accessory. Bangles made here are distributed throughout India. Bangles don't get that much opportunity in the international market, since these are a traditional Indian accessory. But still due to globalisation the market for bangles is expanding internationally.

Glass hardware: All types of glass hardware are manufactured here for house decoration and other purposes. Glass scientific and laboratory wares are also manufactured. Since the last few years beakers, flasks, test tubes, containers and other scientific wares are being manufactured in Firozabad.

Glass automobile, domestic and street light wares: Glass accessories for automobiles like light bulbs, mine battery bulbs and other light and sight equipments are produced here for two-wheelers and four-wheelers. For the lighting of urban and rural areas and other utility purposes many glass items are being produced including miniature bulbs and high power voltage bulbs.It is estimated that 6% demand of bulbs is being fulfilled from Firozabad.

Glass beads: Firozabad is known as the world capital for beads. Glass beads produced here are exported to all over the world for use in all kinds of items including clothing, accessories, jewellery and shoes.

The necklace of glass beads worn by this child is said to retail in the UK for 60GBP. Sadly, child labour is reported to be widely used in the glass factories in this town.

The Sadar Bazar of Firozabad is not only famous for the clinking colourful bangles, but also for the infamous 'Child Labour Market' where one can hire the children a-la the Roman slave market of yore. Defying anti-child labour laws, the bangle industry continues to exploit the rights of hundreds of children here.

As for the reports of children being hired for labour, the concerned authorities feigned ignorance and even refuted any such practices in their jurisdiction.
Source

Pics by OP | Text Source 1 | 2

[SS-Traveller]

Miscellaneous photographs from Firozabad.

Assortment of glassware

The shop we visited

The owner among his wares

Packing the stuff we bought

Car - before

Car - after

Jain temple

Firozabad district is full of Jain temples. Some are well-known such as Chadamilal Jain temple, Shri Shuparshnath Jain Mandir in Gher Khokal and Chandprabhu Jain Mandir in Khidki. A couple of temples are as old as 300 years. The old name of Chandwar was taken from the idol of Chandprabhu made at the time of Prithviraj Chauhan. Legend has it that a holy Jain location was attacked 19 times by Muhammad of Ghor.
(Source)

Street views

[.anshuman]

Thread moved here from Assembly line section. Thanks for sharing

[SS-Traveller]

The journey to Firozabad from Delhi has been smoothed out to a great extent by the opening of the Yamuna Expressway. Drive time is 3 hours.

We thought some of the products are quite unique to Firozabad, and prices are way below what we pay at showrooms in Delhi. In fact, the amount we saved in our shopping paid for the fuel on the round trip! Anyone doing home refurbishment would definitely find it worth his while to go shopping there.

[sudev]

Lovely input and pictorial. Thanks for sharing.

Reminds me of a time about thirty years back when I was sourcing "cut" glasses for there and selling it along with other tableware across India. Did you get chance to visit any factory where glass blowing is done? It is very interesting to observe.

Rated 5 stars for information and pictures.

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by sudev

Did you get chance to visit any factory where glass blowing is done? It is very interesting to observe.
Rated 5 stars for information and pictures.

Thank you, Sudev. Unfortunately, we did not manage to visit a glass factory. Would be on our to-do list the next time we take a trip there!

[sgiitk]

All this is fine. Let me add that only God is responsible for crossing the city as you move on the NH2 from Agra to Etawah. Scares the lights out of me. I thank God if I get through without damage to my car.

[ninjatalli]

What an awesome mine of information this thread is! Thanks for sharing this. @SS-Traveller, please keep giving inputs about these small cities in the North corridor. And those are some really nice crisp pictures!

Also, one request - please share a bit of info about the eateries at such cities too. I don't believe it will spoil the actual theme of the thread, and I'm sure a person with your travel habits would know quite a few good eateries/food habits.

P.s. Rating the thread a well deserved 5 stars.

[Sutripta]

Hi,
A question: As you move from shop to shop, do you see in variety in design. And can oldtimers tell me if there is any change in the every couple of years?

Regards
Sutripta

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by ninjatalli

...share a bit of info about the eateries at such cities too. ...

Thank you for the rating.

We didn't find (or didn't notice) any decent eateries in Firozabad, drove back to Agra, found a humongous traffic jam on the bridge across the River Yamuna on NH2, and finally turned back and had our lunch at this place about 2km before the on-ramp to the YE.


The menu comprised of some perfect dhaba-style food, including
daal tadka and


mix veg garnished with grated paneer.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

Hi,
A question: As you move from shop to shop, do you see in variety in design.

Yes, especially for the lamp shades & chandeliers.

Originally Posted by Sutripta

And can oldtimers tell me if there is any change in the every couple of years?

Design changes? Can't really comment since this was my first shopping visit.

[gd1418]

Hmmm.. Where have you opened your new shop Som? And when did you change your profession? I thought Dentists rake in the moolah by the dozen unlike us who have to slog, even on a hoilday.

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

Car - after

Attachment 968902

[SS-Traveller]

Originally Posted by gd1418

Where have you opened your new shop Som? And when did you change your profession? I thought Dentists rake in the moolah by the dozen unlike us who have to slog, even on a hoilday.

Actually it wouldn't be such a bad idea to open a shop Guruji! Didn't you read about this: Too many dentists with not enough teeth to extract - Mumbai - DNA ?? And as to raking in the moolah vs. slogging, look who's talking! Rest of the working week, it's all about your elaborate lunches while we work - and one fine holiday, when the Missus didn't feel like cooking, you take off to office on the pretext of work, to enjoy the good food available nearby!

[revv_maniac]

Originally Posted by SS-Traveller

The journey to Firozabad from Delhi has been smoothed out to a great extent by the opening of the Yamuna Expressway. Drive time is 3 hours.

We thought some of the products are quite unique to Firozabad, and prices are way below what we pay at showrooms in Delhi. In fact, the amount we saved in our shopping paid for the fuel on the round trip! Anyone doing home refurbishment would definitely find it worth his while to go shopping there.

Amazing info there SS-traveller about not much known Indian towns which looks like the Detroit of India for Glass articles !

Would like to visit them when i visit Agra, My girl friend would love to shop there till she drops, I have also forwarded this link to her