Bibaji Churi Wale is one of the trusted bangle shops in Jodhpur. The 150-year-old bangle makers supplied bangles at the Adani and Ambani weddings.
Jeet Adani's wedding with Diva Shah is leading all the headlines for his royalty and grandeur. From sarees being gifted to the guests to honour India’s textile heritage to NGOs producing hand-painted wedding items, Jeet and Diva’s wedding has taken over social media with the hashtag #WeddingWithACause.
With a deep sense of community involvement, the family invited Bibaji Churi Wale from Jodhpur to supply bangles at the wedding. The 150-year-old bangle makers supplied bangles, which brought tradition and history to the celebration. Bibaji Churi Wale supplied three types of bangles, including traditional Lakh bangles, which represent a heritage craft. Today, let us delve into more details about the iconic Bibaji Churi Wale’s legacy and their 150-year-old journey.
In the late 1800s, Purdah system was very prevalent, and women lived behind Purdahs. They were not allowed to see men or even be in the same room. In such security, stepping out into the bazaar and buying bangles was impossible. So, most bangle makers couldn’t sell their bangles to the queens and would only sell the bangles to locals and tourists.
As per The Better India, Bibiji came up with an innovative idea. With a basket full of various bangles placed atop her head, Bibiji would go to the palace and sell the bangles to the queens and princesses. It was Bibiji who changed the rule without breaking the tradition of defying them. She worked along the norms set by the kings and sold bangles by carrying them into the palace.
Since bangles were tight and needed an extra hand to slip them, Bibiji helped the queen and princesses to wear them. She not just became their bangle seller, but a trusted hand they could rely upon.
While Bibiji sold bangles in the palace, her son, Mohammad Baksh, accompanied her and learned the craft of bangle-making from his mother. Mohammad Baksh’s amazing designs and being Bibiji’s son were the reason that he was allowed inside the royal court. In 1920, when Mohammad Baksh joined his mother, Bibiji’s business, the royal family members couldn’t remember his name, so they changed it and modified Bibiji to Bibaji.
This is how the famous name Bibaji Churi Wale came into existence. Bibaji was the first to offer crystal bangles and cutting kadas in Jodhpur. Bibaji’s business acumen was to focus on the uniqueness of the bangles. While the other bangle makers would produce bangles in bulk, Bibaji’s family gave customised bangles based on size, colour, and pattern.
Bangle makers are highly respected in Rajasthani households as it is compulsory for women to wear bangles as part of the customs. It is believed that when a woman gets married, the bride often touches the feet of the bangle maker as a mark of respect. As providers of bangles, they are treated with utmost respect.
Mohammad Baksh’s son, Abdul Satar, also known as Biba, took over the business in 1970 and is the third generation to take the family legacy forward. The family is often called at weddings to make live bangles for the guests as a gift. In 2018, Biba and his family were invited to Udaipur for Mukesh Ambani and Nita Ambani’s daughter, Isha Ambani’s wedding, where they made bangles.
In 2019, Bibaji’s family was invited by President Ram Nath Kovind during the inauguration of the High Court, where his wife and daughter purchased a lot of bangles from Bibaji. The king of Jodhpur, too, visited Bibaji’s shop. Apart from royals, Bibaji’s family has adorned many celebrities. Among their loyal customers are some prolific names like Hilary Clinton, Janhvi Kapoor, Anjali Tendulkar, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and many others.
Bibaji earns a daily revenue of Rs. 8000, and if it is the wedding season, the revenue goes up. Despite being one of the most trusted and famous bangle sellers in Jodhpur, the family is loved for their humility.
Bibiji’s legacy lives through Bibaji Churi Wale and Abdul Satar, who have carried the family name with their hard work and dedication.
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