UNESCO tag puts spotlight back on thatheras
Once upon a time, four rolling units at Jandiala worked at full throttle day and night to meet the requirement of brass sheets which ‘thatheras’ moulded into utensils.
Presently, only one rolling machine is turned on once every fortnight, as the number of artisans has gone down to merely 100 from 1,500.
With UNESCO enlisting the traditional brass and copper craft of utensil-making of Jandiala Guru on the List of Intangible Cultural Heritage, the demand has certainly increased, but it is still far short of what it used to be till 1980s.
Of late, Jandiala, Jagadari in Haryana and Muradabad in Uttar Pradesh are the only three stations known for their brass and copper utensils.
Ashwani Kumar Vij of ‘The Old Papa’ trade and industrial company said, “Presently though we are selling utensils in Jandiala, we are sourcing these from Jagadari and Muradabad.” The quantity of utensils produced locally is very less, he added.
‘The Old Papa’ shop was set up by Vij’s great grandfather Anant Ram. Five generations of the family, including Vij’s son, have been running business from this establishment for over a 100 years now. The reasons for Jandiala’s fall from prestige are numerous.
While Muradabad and Jagadari learnt the lesson soon and started making utensils as per the needs and tastes of the modern world, the artisans in Jandiala continued to focus on large utensils such as deg, dhona, paraat and pateela. With people shifting to plastic and aluminium — which are less costly — they lost work.
Though their focus has earned them the title from UNESCO, the machine designs finished with detail by factories in Muradabad attract more customers. The artisans stated that orders have certainly increased after UNESCO put the spotlight on them.
An artisan Kuldeep Singh of Harnam Singh and Sons, said, “Making utensils with hands requires a lot of patience and hard work. The young generation wants a job which starts at 10 am and ends by 5 pm.” His son also preferred to become a plumber and bid adieu to his ancestors’ profession. “The youth do not want hands like mine — torn, broken and hardened over time,” he quipped while showing his hands.
