…………………Mahatma Gandhi strongly pleaded for decentralization of economic and political power through the organization of Village Panchayats. He was of the definite view that Panchayat system in India, if worked on scientific lines, could not only build up the social and economic strength of the countryside but also strengthen the forces of national defence against the risk of foreign invasion.He always wanted the villages to be a self sufficient units and enterprise such as below made it so
(Swarna bed in dusk and iron bridge on Swarna)
(Dry Swarna bed and Swarna in full aftermath of rains)
Place : Beautiful Swarna river near Belonwala :( 30°25’6”N 77°56’33”E)
Live Demonstration : A.D.1982 or so, it was time when Asiad happened and we shifted to Parkash nagar.
Participants : 1)Mighty Nani and 2)skinny me.
Raw material description :
Hemp is a versatile plant that has been cultivated for a variety of uses. Hemp fiber is known for its strength and natural resistance, hemp is most commonly used for making shoes, canvas, bags and rope.
Process Description:
- Dip the green branches of sun hemp during summers in the Swarna river bed during peak of summers when water remains a trickle.
- Secure them tightly by boulders and stones so they do not rush away during monsoon gut slought, This is to be secured as it is for 3-6 months till the time outer coating is pulped , rotten and ready to be peeled off with smallest of nudge.
- Take out the branches one fine summer afternoon with its warmth and before the sunlight starts fading and you start shivering under thin cotton dress you are wearing.
- With all your might and like a expert washer man beat continuously the pulpy, gooey outer coating on some nearby rock around the river bed till time sun fiber comes out all bright and shining.
- Separate the hemp fibers or unwind the hemp yarn and cut into lengths approximately twice as long as the desired length of the rope. Divide the bundle in two, holding half the fibers in your left hand and half the fibers in your right. Twist each bundle clockwise until the cord you are creating begins to kink and loop. Twist the two cords together, wrapping one over the other in a counterclockwise motion, to form a rope.
My Nani was one strong lady and as befalls all rural women apart from farm work most of all other chores were their domain and she made decent job of everything running the rural household efficiently, era was of saving and getting value out of last penny and thus old folks lived in Belonwala and other parts of India.They toiled so our future be made..hats off to them!!!
Live Demonstration : A.D.1982 or so, it was time when Asiad happened and we shifted to Parkash nagar.
Participants : 1)Mighty Nani and 2)skinny me.
Raw material description :
Hemp is a versatile plant that has been cultivated for a variety of uses. Hemp fiber is known for its strength and natural resistance, hemp is most commonly used for making shoes, canvas, bags and rope.
Process Description:
- Dip the green branches of sun hemp during summers in the Swarna river bed during peak of summers when water remains a trickle.
- Secure them tightly by boulders and stones so they do not rush away during monsoon gut slought, This is to be secured as it is for 3-6 months till the time outer coating is pulped , rotten and ready to be peeled off with smallest of nudge.
- Take out the branches one fine summer afternoon with its warmth and before the sunlight starts fading and you start shivering under thin cotton dress you are wearing.
- With all your might and like a expert washer man beat continuously the pulpy, gooey outer coating on some nearby rock around the river bed till time sun fiber comes out all bright and shining.
- Separate the hemp fibers or unwind the hemp yarn and cut into lengths approximately twice as long as the desired length of the rope. Divide the bundle in two, holding half the fibers in your left hand and half the fibers in your right. Twist each bundle clockwise until the cord you are creating begins to kink and loop. Twist the two cords together, wrapping one over the other in a counterclockwise motion, to form a rope.
My Nani was one strong lady and as befalls all rural women apart from farm work most of all other chores were their domain and she made decent job of everything running the rural household efficiently, era was of saving and getting value out of last penny and thus old folks lived in Belonwala and other parts of India.They toiled so our future be made..hats off to them!!!
5 comments:
carvelI must say, you've described the rope making process in very precise terms.Remember our visit there in the summer of '82? The visits to the famous 'Gharaat' on the Suwarna, the bamboo bows, the "Matthha' prepared by Naniji, the kutcha houses, the unmetalled road with a thick canopy of mango trees on either side... Also, the shelf(or was it a small almirah?) with an assortment of books( I remember the title of one - ' Moorkh the great Imran'!). No electricity, a single tap in the entire village and the starlit nights when one slept in the open... Ah, those were indeed the days man!!
absolutely ! Alok ..those books were good actually for hindi pulp.
Guys Ghraat is water driven flour mill and old people vouch for taste of atta out of ghraat, our village was indeed kind of paradise and scenic is still so.
I didn't know until now that you moved to PN (aka GG) in 82. We moved in 83, I think. Till now I thought of you as PN veteran compared to me!!
in PN everyone actually entered around same time may be TUTU(sounds similar to Kuttu) came earlier while her uninhibited walking style did reinforce that.
Nice post.......
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