Those who make millstones and grinders by bringing stones from Morang to Dhankuta are preserving their traditional skills by traveling from village to village in search of a market.
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The sound of hammering begins in the morning near the bus park in Dhankuta. Prem Sharma, Rahul Sharma and Ankit Sharma from Morang have been carving traditional millstones, lohoro and silauto on stone since morning, adjusting the rhythm of their hammers.
This team, which moved from Morang to Dhankuta a week ago, has been carving art on stone from morning to evening. After staying here for a few days, they will move on to other villages in search of a market. They sell them in the same place where they made them and say that they sell 15 to 20 millstones and silautos every day. They themselves also travel from village to village in search of customers. Carrying goods on mules and going up and down to reach customers' homes is their daily routine. 'This work has been going on since our ancestors,' said Prem. 'This is the skill we learned, that's why our household business is going on.'
His father and grandfather also spent their lives in this profession. Now, even as it reaches the grandchildren, it continues. Skills have been improved with the passing of generations. Problems such as not getting the mentioned stone, having to travel far and wide to find the market, and increasing costs are not uncommon in this profession. ‘Good goods cannot be made unless good, hard and durable stone is selected. If it is not durable, customers will be disappointed,’ says Prem.
They bring suitable stone to make millstones and silautos by car from Letang in Morang. When they bring the stone, they have to pay a certain amount of revenue to the local level. Although this work seems easy at first glance, it takes a lot of labor and time to make the millstones, says Ankit.
He says that since all the work is done by hand, experience and patience are required. From morning to evening, one person can make up to 5 silautos and 3 millstones. ‘It is not about making a lot in a day, but about making good and selling quality materials,’ says Ankit.
Depending on the size, quality and type of stone, a millstone costs between Rs 1,800 and Rs 3,000, while a millstone sells for between Rs 700 and Rs 1,500. For them, the bigger challenge than the price of millstones and millstones is the market.
As the use of mixer-grinders is increasing in modern kitchens, the demand for traditional millstones and millstones is decreasing. However, the importance of these materials has not yet faded due to their connection to tradition, taste and culture.
Millstones and millstones are used to grind spices, pickles and pulses. ‘The taste of spices ground in a stone millstone and flour ground in a millstone is different,’ says Ambika Parajuli, who came to buy a millstone. ‘Although it is easy to use, a mixer cannot give the taste of millstones and millstones.’ With this belief, some households are still choosing traditional materials. Consumers in urban areas are increasingly looking for such materials.
But the market for selling products made from stone is not easy and stable. That is why Sharma's team sells their goods in hilly districts including Dhankuta, Tehrathum, Bhojpur, Panchthar, Sankhuwasabha and others. 'The mountain road is difficult, you have to walk on mules, sometimes the weather cooperates, sometimes it doesn't,' says Rahul, 'but you have to walk for a living.' He said that it is impossible to sell goods if you don't reach villages by carrying goods on mules. He says, 'There is no way to sell if you don't reach door to door. Even though the income looks good, you don't save much money when you cut expenses. But this profession has supported the family.' Ankit said that even though the income is not much, the children's education and household expenses are being met. He said that it is becoming difficult to make a living from ancestral professions as traditional professions are disappearing over time.
