Here's why Leonidas' armour came from Roorkee

Most have seen the Hollywood blockbuster '300' where the legendary Leonidas and his 300 Spartans took on the mighty Persian Army — equipped with just armour and a sword — but Indian artisans are the real heroes of that flick.

Popularly known as Shiksha Nagari, Roorkee in Uttarakhand has also stood out for its artisanry. For decades now, the city has been preparing the suits, armours including shields, javelins and swords that are used in movies — both Hollywood and Bollywood.

So huge is the demand for these skilled goods that they are ordered in bulk by Hollywood filmmakers and paid for in foreign currency. "The shields, armours and swords made by us in a lot of Hollywood films. In fact, we had created the weapons for a movie called 300 according to their demands," said Shahnawaz Rasul, one of the craftsmen at work in Rourkee. Apart from these, the weapons made by them have also been used in period warrior films of Bollywood, a demand that has been increasing in recent times.

Though the workers are satisfied with the booming business, they feel that the government has not helped nurture them. "Since the government has not provided any kind of help regarding this skill, the new-generation has been reluctant to continue with the work," said a young artist.

History has it that the city has always been a factory for weapons. "When the British East India Company wanted weapons before Independence, even then their demand had been fulfilled in Roorkee," said one Akhlaq Ahmed.

—Zee Media Newsroom