Earthen lamps flickering, so are artisans making them!

GUWAHATI, Oct 18: Traditiol earthen lamps (sakis) are flickering out in Assam, so are artisans making them to earn an honest living. Their heart-rending tales are head when there are festivals like Kati Bihu, Kali Puja and Diwali.

Earthen lamps of diverse designs and prices have glutted the Diwali market in Guwahati. They are pitted in a competition on the price line against highly-decorative Diwali items from outside the State and Chi. There are earthen lamps with a price range of Rs 5-800 apiece. 

Talking to this reporter, an artisan from Rampur Balen Kumar said: “Though lustrous Chinese decorative items have glutted the Diwali market in Assam, we’ve a firm belief in the core of our minds that the people of Assam can’t totally forget their sakis that have their tradition, sanctity and local art infused in them. I’ve come to Guwahati with 50,000 sakis with the hope of making an honest living.”

A terracotta artisan from Golokganj said: “Terracotta sakis are sold at the rate of Rs 300-600 apiece.”

Earthen lamps from Barpeta and Goalpara have also been on display for sale in the city. Apiece of panchmukhi saki (a saki with five wicks) is sold at Rs 50-300 apiece.

An artisan from Boko said to have come to the city with 25,000 pieces of sakis with the hope of doing a brisk business. He has been in this job for the past twenty years. In fact, his entire family is engaged in this profession without getting remunerative returns. “During this season when Kati Bihu, Diwali and Kali Puja are closely packed we hope to do a brisk business. We, however, fail to get remunerative returns. We get Rs 500 as profit after selling 1,000 sakis. We do work as wholesalers and retailers. Without any help from the government, we’ve no way out but to make do with our traditiol way of making sakis,” he lamented.