One of the must-visit shops in Jodhpur is the Bibaji Churi Wale, a store that once supplied bangles to the royal family of Jodhpur.
With a breathtaking collection of bangles, all laid out in different colours and designs — from lac to glass, kundan, plastic and crystal — there is something for everyone.
Over 150 years ago, Abdul’s (Bibaji’s) visually impaired grandfather and grandmother embarked on this endeavour, which remains a successful business in the city to this day.
“Due to the purdah system, the women of the royal family would not be allowed to see men, or even be in the same room. They were not even allowed to attend bazaars,” says Abdul.
“So most bangle makers would sell to locals and tourists. But since my grandmother was a woman, she decided to take a chance and marched towards the palace.”
“Back then, the bangles would be tight and one would require a helper to put them on. With a basket full of bangles above her head, Bibiji managed to enter the royal court and became the helper,” he adds.
Since she was prolific at sales, she returned home with another order. Word then quickly spread about Bibiji’s bangles.
Abdul (Biba) joined the business in 1970 and the business became the first to offer crystal bangles in Jodhpur.
At a time when their competitors were mass-producing bangles, the Bibaji family was giving customised ones as per colour, size, shine and studs.
Among their customer base are prolific names — such as Hilary Clinton, Sachin Tendulkar, Isha Ambani, Savita Kovind, and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan among others.
Even as Abdul casually reveals his daily revenue of up to Rs 8,000 a day, a sense of humility remains in Abdul’s voice.
He takes pride in how people from all corners of India especially walk into his tiny shop to feel royal.