Bell collecting is not an unusual or very uncommon hobby. But Raghuraman, Chennai businessman, goes about it with an intensity that sets him apart. He says his interest in bells was kindled when he gifted one to the Kesava Perumal temple at Kattu Porur near Vridhachalam in Tamil Nadu. And that was ten years ago.

Raghuraman has travelled widely, not only in India, but also to a number of countries, including Singapore, Malaysia, France, Germany, Thailand, the United States, Italy, England, Switzerland and Belgium. Wherever he travels, his business done, he sets out on his search for rare or unusual bells. His  collection has passed the 300 mark.

He is quite choosy and particular about the bells he buys. He goes in only for hand bells. The ones in his collection come from a wide range of countries, many are associated with different religions and some are antiques. He remembers buying a Liberty Bell, designed in 1776, from a scrap shop in London.

Raghuraman has a bell shaped like the Paris Eiffel Tower, another like a London bobby's cap, a bell from the US that produces different chimes in different parts, a single mould bell with Hanuman and Jataayu and one that sounds like "Om".