Our Craft · The Rasaai Process
How Our Handmade Bells Are Made
Our rustic bells follow a traditional Indian technique often described as the copper-coated iron bells of Kutch, made by Lohar artisan families. We call the process Rasaai. Here is how it works, step by step.
Handmade in Roorkee, India • Low MOQ • Worldwide export
Step 1: Forging the body
Artisans cut scrap iron or tin sheet and hammer it by hand into a bell shape. The edges are overlapped and interlocked instead of welded.
Step 2: The metal blend coating
The raw bell is wrapped in clay mixed with powdered brass and copper.
Step 3: Kiln firing
The clay-wrapped bell is fired in a charcoal kiln. The heat melts the metal powder so it fuses into the surface of the iron.
Step 4: Cooling and finishing
After firing, the baked clay is cracked off. The grey iron now has a golden-bronze covering that resists rust. The fire gives each bell its own shade of rustic brown and gold.
Step 5: Hand tuning
The artisan taps and shapes the bell walls with a hammer while listening, until it rings with a long, clear note.
Why it matters to buyers
The finish is fused in by fire, not painted on, so it does not peel like paint. Small differences in colour, texture and sound are the signature of handmade work, not defects.
About the name
Public craft sources describe this work as the copper-coated iron bells of Kutch, made by Muslim Lohar families in villages such as Nirona and Zura, a craft believed to be centuries old. Rasaai is the name we use for the process. Sources: gaatha.com (Metal Bells of Kutch), globalinch.org (Copper coated iron bells of Gujarat), Outlook Traveller (the bell-making craft of Kutch).
FAQ
Questions about our bells
Is the golden colour on the bells paint?
No. It is a brass and copper covering fused onto the iron in a kiln, which is why it does not peel like paint.
Are the bells welded?
No. The body is hand-hammered and the edges are interlocked, without electric welding.
Why does every bell sound different?
Each bell is shaped and tuned by hand, so pitch and tone vary slightly. That variation is part of handmade work.
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