Skilled artisans from other states add colour to city’s rich cultural tapestry, give city a cosmopolitan look
People from different parts of the country, including West Bengal, Maharashtra, UP, Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar and even Nepal are contributing their bit for the development of the holy city. They have brought with them skills in their fields for its robust development, imparting it a cosmopolitan look.
Their work has resulted in dynamic changes in the designs of gold, output in factories, sanitary work, designs of ceiling, and in preparation of a variety of dishes.
Vijay Mehta, president of Civil Lines Jewellers Association, said: “Trained artisans from West Bengal arrived here. They are much sought after for their skills in making gold jewellery, a genre with which Punjabi artisans are not very familiar”. Their gold ornament designs stand out for high workmanship and fine look in comparison to indigenous artisans. They dispose of orders in minimum time as they work for 14 to 15 hours as compared to 7-8 hours by locals.”
Sheikh Abdullah, a skilled artisan whose family hails from Hugli, a town in West Bengal, had migrated here in 1997. He said local gold market supplies finished jewellery products to Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and Madhya Pradesh. Bengali artisans are well versed in designing patterns popular in different parts of the country.
Daya Lolge, a skilled artisan from Solapur, said a minuscule community of artisans from Maharashtra had settled here and was making gold ornaments. He said they were skilled in making silver ornaments but these are not popular in this part of the country.
Ashwani Kumar, a jeweller in Guru Bazar area of the walled city, said artisans from Maharashtra were known for their skills in refining old gold ornaments.
A small Odiya community has also made Amritsar their home. They are known for their skills in efficiently laying sanitary pipes in newly constructed houses. Shankar, who has been residing here for the past two decades, said his family was residing in Odisha while he lives here in a rented accommodation. Some people with an enterprising spirit have set up shops, selling sanitary equipment and refreshments, for community members. They have also established two separate temples.
Ishwar from Lamahi in Nepal’s Dang district, a municipality, is known among locals for serving mouth- watering snacks. He had joined as a cook at a hotel way back in Amritsar in 2004. Soon, he opened a shop on a street opposite the Inter State Bus Terminal (ISBT). “To minimise the cost, I initially took the help of my wife to roll out snacks,” he said. Ishwar was among the pioneers to introduce veg crispy, Talumein soup and other snacks in the city. Now, he employs three young cooks from Nepal who assist him in producing the flavour of the Himalayan nation.
Artisans from UP have earned a name in producing fine down ceilings in commercial and residential sites to enhance the look of interiors. Manjot Singh, a residential contractor, said the skilled artisans from these states were involved in construction activity which requires the attention of a creative artist.
