MIRZA, April 10 — The blacksmiths of Palashbari constituency whose smithies (workshops) — which are a legacy of their ancestors spanning more than one hundred years are a frustrated lot nowadays. The trade which earns them two spartan meals a day is a laborious one and no longer a paying one. Cutlers predominate the Amranga Medhipara area of Boridhat. Their ironworks include knives, cleavers, ploughs and tools of carpentry except saw. Selling them in the market sometimes for a song they get a paltry amount by which they can hardly maintain their families.
“Time was when a bagful of essential commodities could be bought for twenty rupees but their soaring prices have put me into a great disadvantage,” rued Aanuwa Kamar of Bijoynagar. Further charcoal used in the smithies have become a rarely as fireworks has given way to LPG. A jacketful of charcoal which was bought for Rs 5 earlier now costs Rs 20. The price of iron and charcoal is on the rise but market value of their production is on the ebb.
Here it is worthwhile to mention that markets such as Patharkhama, Unsafi of Meghalaya see the arrival of the ironmongers once in a week. Meanwhile, from January to March iron implements are sold like hot cakes as during the month Saro people clean the hilly terrains for cultivation.
“Moreover, in April-May they do a roaming businss in ploughs. All the tools needed in carpentry are found in our smithies but our trade sustained a blow following the closure of saw mill industry,” said Hemchandra Das (48). Charcoal being rare has to be bought from remote areas. The charcoals are brought from Garopara under West Guwahati constituency. The villagers burn woods for selling charcoal to the blacksmiths of Borihat areas. Palashbari is also a home for the ironworks. These Palashbari based cutlers have fallen pray to the wrath of the Brahmaputra. They have reportedly shifted their shelter four times. It is a matter of great concern that blacksmiths are giving up the trade because it is no longer a paying concern. Here it is mentionworthy that the metal rims used in the cartwheels were made at Palashbari but given the decreasing number of bullock carts they stopped making the rim.
Moreover, since summers are hostile to their ironworks they make the best use of winter as they invest nearly 16 hours in the making of iron tools. Iroonsmiths are also in Jharobari, Kukurmara and Bijoynagar. But those numbers are also on the decline. There is no denying the fact that these cutlers are struggling along on a paltry income.