Bareilly finds lost jhumka, and it costs Rs 8 lakh

More than half a century has passed since a Bollywood track immortalized a small town in Uttar Pradesh called Bareilly. In the 1966 super hit film ‘Mera Sayaa’ Sadhana, the lead actress, famously danced to a track that said “Jhumka gira re, Bareilly ke bazaar mein”.

Since then, despite having no actual connection to the trinket, Bareilly became synonymous with jhumkas (tiered earring).

Finally, after decades of wait, it has got its own jhumka, and it’s quite a spectacle. Weighing a whopping 272 kg, a massive bejewelled, brass earring perched on a 14-ft-high pole now adorns National Highway 24. It was built by an artist from Gurugram.

The area near the Parsakhera roundabout, where the structure has been erected has been renamed Jhumka Tiraha, after the iconic installation replete with zari embroidery – a craft that the town is associated with. Visitors will finally be able to associate Jhumka Tiraha in Bareilly with the evergreen song.

The idea for a structure as such was first conceptualized 30 years ago but remained in the pipeline due to a lack of funds. The Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) informed that nearly Rs 18 lakh has been spent on developing the tourist destination – expending Rs 8 lakh on the jhumka and another Rs 10 lakh for beautifying the surroundings.