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As a Punjabi, I’ve always known that a celebration is only as good as the decibel level it reaches. Whether it’s a wedding, a festival, or a cricket victory, we believe in making our presence felt — and heard. The louder the dhol, the grander the occasion. But amidst the beats of the drum, there’s another key ingredient to our joyous chaos: the brass band. Welcome to Jali Kothi, Meerut’s musical heart, where India’s favourite band baaja is born.
In Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, a lane called Jali Kothi is where the country’s wedding soundtracks are quite literally created. Nearly 95% of the trumpets, euphoniums, sousaphones, and bugles used by bands from Kashmir to Kanyakumari come from this unassuming neighbourhood. It’s a place where generations of artisans have been shaping brass into the instruments that keep India dancing.
It all in 1885 when Nadir Ali, a British Army bandleader with a penchant for grand celebrations, decided to strike out on his own. Faced with import restrictions, he and his cousin Imam Buksh started making their own instruments, and by 1911, Meerut had found its rhythm. Today, their company, Nadir Ali & Co., remains the biggest name in the business.
Walking through Jali Kothi is like stepping into sheet music. The clang of hammers, the hiss of torches, the occasional burst of a freshly minted trumpet — it’s music, but of a different kind. Unlike mass-produced instruments, each instrument here is handcrafted, with artisans meticulously measuring, cutting, and welding over 170 individual parts for a single trumpet.
No fancy testing labs here — just the expert ear of Noor Alam, one of Meerut’s finest instrument testers. He plays a few notes, tweaks the mouthpiece, and within moments, turns a stubbornly off-key trumpet into a melody. It’s equal parts art and alchemy.
Despite its rich legacy, Meerut’s brass instrument industry is facing a quieter future. The rise of DJs and electronic music has hit the demand hard — a synthesizer doesn’t need tuning or a lungful of air. Cheaper Chinese imports are also making inroads, threatening local manufacturers who continue to rely on traditional craftsmanship.
Government apathy doesn’t help either. While Meerut’s sports and scissors industries have received support, brass instrument makers have been left to fend for themselves. Many workshops have shut down, and those that remain struggle to stay afloat, with outdated machinery and limited access to loans or training programmes.
But the music isn’t over yet. Some enterprising manufacturers are hitting the right note by going digital, selling their instruments on eBay and Amazon to customers abroad. Indian military and police bands remain steady buyers, and as long as there are weddings, there will always be a need for a good brass band.
Back in Jali Kothi, artisans continue their craft, ensuring that every baraat in India has the grand, brassy welcome it deserves. Because let’s face it — what’s a Big Fat Indian wedding without a band that makes your eardrums vibrate?
