Stories of Artisans

I am the Brass Bandmaster. We only play the wedding song tunes with the musical organs and instruments; military bands also perform steps. We have three kinds of programs – turbaned Punjabi band, Folk Punjabi band in Bhangra dance attire, and Pahadi band.

My father got a job in Kenya in the 80s. He moved to Nairobi and we joined him when I was 10 or 11, I did my high school there. After working in Nairobi for a few years we moved back to India and tried settling there, but failed.

I’ll (Sunil Kumar) show you a copper leaf, a customer from Patiala asked me to make. I’m sure if she tries to buy it from one of those fancy stores it will cost her four times what I’m selling it for. Small shopkeepers like us can make all sorts of objects with copper but we need customers for that and there are none here

I have been working for 50 years. I started helping out my elders early on. I worked in Gobindgarh for a year and a half, but I had to return to Saraud due to some family concerns and settled here permanently from then on. I am 67 years old now.

We used to walk to a village, sit in front of a house and start playing the Been (wind instrument). Children and grown-ups would gather and ask us to perform with the snake. When we were done we would ask for a donation which most of the people made.

I (Sheela) was born in Jind, Haryana. My parents moved to Chandigarh forty years ago when I was just two or three. They were farm labourers in Jind but in Chandigarh they learned how to stitch quilts. I learnt it from them and started working along.

I’m at this shop from 50 years. My father used to sit here before me. I’ve sold tea all my life and it has been worth it. My children are married and I’ve bought them their own shops, not too big but big enough to support the daily errands.

As far as I know, the business was established in around 1919 and officially registered in 1932. It’ll be 100 years next year, I’m the fourth generation running it. Right now, we have 18 different types of sherbets.

Machines can never replace what’s done with hands. All this repair work you see, this fine finishing with these tools is handwork, there’s no machine you can place it under and get such results. I’ve been here for 35 years and I don’t think I will leave soon.

My ancestral village is Mehatpur, near Nakodar. I am over 50 years. I have studied till the fourth standard. I could have studied further, but my brothers had me leave school to go to Calcutta; my father had been working there for 20 years. I worked there for 10 years. When our father died, we moved to Malerkotla.

My father used to be a tailor. Then, when we grew up, my brother started making bra patterns. He was so creative. We started working on bras. He made such comfortable pieces. He knew the exact size to be made.