Fish made of silver
By Avijit Biswas
Banka: The fluctuating silver prices since last few months has adversely affected livelihood occupation of artisans of Mania village. Located in remote Katoria block of this district, the artisans here are well known for their silver craft particularly for producing fishes made of white metal.
A village having population of more than four thousand as per a rough estimate, silver craft is practiced here in more than ninety percent households as livelihood occupation.
In fact, fishes made of silver being produced in the village since long has taken form of cottage industry. Instead of members of any particular caste, the silver craft is practiced by almost all caste members residing in the village.
As per locals, in past while silver prices were by and large stable, taking together all artisans, on an average silver consumption in village for producing fishes remained between thousand to fifteen hundred kilograms per month. However, of late total silver consumption per month by village artisans has dropped to almost half.
Amar Thakur, a young artisan of Mania village said production of silver fishes being livelihood occupation of majority members of family in number of cases, things have become difficult. Due to instable market price, there has been sharp reduction in orders being received by artisans, he informed.
Adding silver fish of different weight starting from ten grams is produced by village artisans Thakur said due to manifold increase in production cost of fishes, volume of order has reduced.
He informed artisans are placed with orders by businessmen of state and also from outside state dealing in silver fishes. People in number of adjoining villages acquiring the skill has also taken to production of silver fishes as livelihood occupation, he added.
In normal condition when market price of white metal remains stable silver consumption for preparing fishes is approximately more than twenty-four quintals per month taking together artisans of Mania and other adjoining villages, Thakur said.
Brahma Prakash Thakur, president of Thakur Swarnkar Hastkala Udyog, said the silver fishes are gifted in auspicious occasion particularly in marriage ceremony beside they are also used as home décor. The silver fishes produced in Mania and other adjoining villages is high in demand in markets at Delhi, Agra, Rajkot, Kolhapur, Mumbai and Pune.
Informing annual turnover from silver fish production in the area is approximately fifty crores in normal condition he apprehended sharp drop in annual turnover owing to present situation. Things were not that bad till price of per kilogram silver prices remained below Rs 2.50 lakh per Kilogram he said adding further rise of white metal price has hit artisans badly.
The president of Hastkala Udyog informed silver craft is being practiced in Mania since more than hundred years. The skill of silver fish production was popularized in Mania by two former village residents who acquired the skill from their relatives in Haveli Kharagpur of Munger district, he added.
About the Author
Avijit Biswas is a former reporter with the Hindustan Times, Patna Edition, based in Bhagalpur. He has more than 25 years of experience covering politics and other key beats across eastern Bihar. Known for his in-depth ground reporting and strong grasp of regional issues, Biswas has closely followed political developments and social trends in the region, earning credibility for accurate and balanced journalism. Avijt may be contacted at biswasavijit@yahoo.com
About the Author
