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Known simply as the padlock, this innovation is rapidly gaining popularity in markets across the city. (Representational Image)
From temples to mosques, homes to warehouses, this heavy-built lock ensured security everywhere it was put to use, including in Ayodhya.
Surprisingly, a lock has become the talk of the town in Uttar Pradesh’s Aligarh, a place renowned globally for its locks. Among the different types of locks made there, the city saw a padlock touted as the strongest ever made, sending ripples through the lock industry. Known simply as the padlock, this innovation is rapidly gaining popularity in markets across the city.
The city’s lock-making legacy traces back to 1870 AD when a company in England, sourcing raw materials from the country, laid the foundation for what would become Aligarh’s thriving lock industry. Today, the city not only excels in lock production but also in manufacturing brass items, generating an annual business turnover exceeding Rs 2,000 crore.
Shedding some light on this invention, prominent local businessman Pawan Khandelwal said that the padlock was unmatched in its strength and versatility. These locks, he emphasised, were crafted without heavy machinery, making them a testament to traditional craftsmanship.
Handcrafted with precision, these padlocks range from models equipped with 4 levers to hefty 18-lever variants, ensuring robust security across diverse applications. From temples to mosques, homes to warehouses, this heavy-built lock ensured security everywhere it was put to use, including in Ayodhya.
Prices for these padlocks vary widely, starting as low as Rs 30 for smaller models and exceeding to an exorbitant amount of Rs 40,000 for the larger and more secure variants, Khandelwal further detailed.
As demand continues to surge, Aligarh’s padlocks emerge not just as a product but as a symbol of the city’s enduring craftsmanship and commitment to security in an ever-evolving market.