Ghungroo Earrings

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The ghungroo is a dancer's bell. Tied in rows around the ankle, it makes movement audible, which is why you hear a Kathak dancer before you see her. These earrings take that idea and shrink it: a few bells at the edge of a drop or beneath a stud, so there is a small sound when you turn your head.

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Last updated: September 2026. Quick answer: Ghungroo earrings are earrings finished with real ghungroo (dancer's) bells. Ours are tied on by hand, one bell at a time, so they carry a small sound as you move. Four styles, ₹999–₹1,599: three built on fabric, one on a brass base.

Every bell is tied on by hand, one at a time, and that is where most of the making time in these styles goes. The Ghungroo Studs keep it to a few bells, small enough for a working day. The Chandbali hangs a row beneath a kundan crescent, the most festive of the four. The Geometric Ghungroo sets them against printed fabric in a cleaner, more contemporary shape. The Riwaayat is the lightest and the most block-print led.

What the four share is restraint. A ghungroo tips into costume very easily, and the line between heritage and fancy dress is mostly a question of how many you use. These stay on the right side of it.

What Each Pair Is Actually Made Of

This is worth stating plainly, because “ghungroo earrings” elsewhere usually means oxidised metal, and three of these four are not metal at all. The bells are always real metal ghungroo. What changes is what they are tied to.

The four ghungroo styles, by base material
Style	What it is built on	Best for	Price
Riwaayat	Printed fabric, with antique-finish ghungroo	Everyday, and the lightest of the four	₹999
Geometric Ghungroo	Fabric-covered base with ghungroo bells	A contemporary shape with a print	₹1,299
Ghungroo Studs	Brass base with a ghungroo bell finish	Office wear; 1.5 cm, four colours	₹1,499
Chandbali	Fabric-covered base with a kundan-set crescent	Navratri, Diwali and weddings; 6 cm drop	₹1,599

So if you specifically want fabric jewellery rather than metal, the Riwaayat, the Geometric Ghungroo and the Chandbali are the three to look at, and the wider fabric earrings edit has seventeen more. If you want metal, the Studs are the brass one. Building the crescent on cloth is also why the Chandbali can hang 6 cm and still sit light on the ear.

Why the Bell Matters

In Kathak the ghungroo is not decoration, it is an instrument. A dancer wears anywhere from fifty to two hundred bells on each ankle and is expected to control them, to sound them on the beat and hold them silent between. Learning to stop them ringing takes longer than learning to make them ring. That is the tradition these earrings borrow from. Not the ornament, but the idea that sound is something you can wear and command. We traced the whole journey in from classical dance to everyday jewellery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are ghungroo earrings metal or fabric?

Both, depending on the pair. The bells themselves are always real metal ghungroo. The base differs: the Riwaayat, the Geometric Ghungroo and the Chandbali are all built on fabric, while the Ghungroo Studs use a brass base. Check the material line on the individual product page before buying.

What is a ghungroo?

A small metal bell, traditionally tied in rows around a dancer's ankle in Kathak and other Indian classical forms. In performance the sound is part of the composition rather than an accident of movement, which is why dancers train for years to control it. The full history is in the story of the ghungroo.

Do ghungroo earrings make a sound?

A soft one, when you move. Closer to a shift than a jingle, because there are a handful of bells rather than the dozens on an ankle bell. Most people notice it on the first day of wearing a pair and stop noticing it by the third.

Are they heavy to wear?

Weight varies with the size, base, fittings and number of bells. A fabric base is lighter than a brass one at the same size, which is how the Chandbali carries a 6 cm drop comfortably. Check the details for the individual pair rather than assuming every ghungroo style feels the same. For a broader comparison of shapes and finishes, explore the fabric earrings edit.

Which ghungroo style suits office wear?

The Ghungroo Studs. They stay close to the ear and read as a detail rather than a statement, which is what most workplaces want. For more on that balance, see five earrings every Indian woman should own.

Which is best for Navratri, Diwali or a wedding?

The Chandbali. The crescent shape and the kundan setting are traditional festive language, and the row of bells moves when you dance. We put together a full Navratri earrings and bangles guide for exactly this. To carry the sound to the wrist, our ghungroo bangles are light fabric sets finished with the same kind of bells.

Chandbali or jhumka, which should I choose?

Choose the Chandbali for a crescent shape with kundan detailing and ghungroo bells. Choose our fabric jhumka earrings for patterned domes and silver-toned beadwork. Compare the dimensions, pair weight and closure on each product page, then consider how the shape sits beside your neckline.

Can the bells come loose?

Each is tied on individually rather than glued, which is the more secure of the two methods and also the slower one. Glue fails all at once; a tie works loose gradually and visibly. If one ever does, get in touch before you try to fix it yourself, since it is usually repairable.

Why do ghungroo styles take longer to make?

Because the bells go on one at a time. There is no way to speed that up without switching to adhesive, which we do not do. A style with a full row can take twice as long as a plain drop of the same size, which is part of why handcrafted work costs what it does.

How do I care for them?

Keep them dry. Wipe the bells with a soft dry cloth after wearing, because skin and perfume are what dull the finish over time rather than age. Store in a pouch so the bells do not catch on other jewellery.