Everyone is an artisan, Tripan Kumar
[06-09-2006]
Two men sat on the dusty ground, making a thatched roof. There was a big needle in their hands. They tightened bamboo poles to a bamboo mat with a twine they had strung through the needle. When, after standing near them for a while, I sat down beside them, they glanced towards me. I asked, “Are you making a house, or are you artisans?” They replied enthusiastically, “In today's world, who isn't an artisan! Everyone is an artisan, someone lesser, someone more than others.”
Two men sat on the dusty ground, making a thatched roof. There was a big needle in their hands. They tightened bamboo poles to a bamboo mat with a twine they had strung through the needle. When, after standing near them for a while, I sat down beside them, they glanced towards me. I asked, “Are you making a house, or are you artisans?” They replied enthusiastically, “In today's world, who isn't an artisan! Everyone is an artisan, someone lesser, someone more than others.”
Anand Halder is sixty years old. His son Ashish is thirty five and grandson Raju is twenty two years old. They hail from Murshidabad district in Bengal. In Ghevra, they are working on making houses using woven mats of bamboo.
Anand Halder said, halting his work as he spoke, “We take Rs. 1000 to make one house, and it takes two days to make one.”
Each bamboo mat costs Rs. 15 and bamboo poles are priced at Rs. 60, 65, 80 according to their strength. All the material to make a house is purchased by the person whose house is to be made. The mats are made in Nainital and can be bought from the market in Shahdra.
“How long have you been doing this work?”
“This is not the only thing we can do. We know all kinds of work.”
“Yes, we can do anything. We started this work recently, since this place began to take shape.”
Ashish's voice emerged from inside, “Incidentally, we are fishermen. That's our familial occupation. We supply fish to markets from Jamuna, Gadhganga, Gaziabad, and other places. But this is not the season for that work, so we have had to seek other jobs.”
The three of them continued talking among themselves. Along side, work continued. Now they cut a bamboo pole with a knife, now they tied the mats to the poles. I was sitting near them, watching them as they worked.
Anand Halder said, halting his work as he spoke, “We take Rs. 1000 to make one house, and it takes two days to make one.”
Each bamboo mat costs Rs. 15 and bamboo poles are priced at Rs. 60, 65, 80 according to their strength. All the material to make a house is purchased by the person whose house is to be made. The mats are made in Nainital and can be bought from the market in Shahdra.
“How long have you been doing this work?”
“This is not the only thing we can do. We know all kinds of work.”
“Yes, we can do anything. We started this work recently, since this place began to take shape.”
Ashish's voice emerged from inside, “Incidentally, we are fishermen. That's our familial occupation. We supply fish to markets from Jamuna, Gadhganga, Gaziabad, and other places. But this is not the season for that work, so we have had to seek other jobs.”
The three of them continued talking among themselves. Along side, work continued. Now they cut a bamboo pole with a knife, now they tied the mats to the poles. I was sitting near them, watching them as they worked.
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