Lack of buyers at Barik’s stall

Lack of buyers at Barik’s stall

From a Correspondent

JORHAT, Feb 14: Tonkeswar Barik’s stall is one among a row of stalls at the Jorhat Trade Fair under way at the JDSA grounds here. What draws the eye is the exquisite craftsmanship of a range of jewellery made entirely of cane fibre interspersed with decorative beads. Pairs of cane slippers in different designs and other handicrafts made of both cane and bamboo also beckon. But there seem to be no takers. What puts off a prospective buyer is the high price. A jewellery set comprising a necklace, a pair of bangles, earrings and even a small ring is priced at anything between Rs 1,000 to 1,400. A pair of slippers Rs 600 to 800. By Indian standards this is high especially for a buyer browsing through the stalls and hoping to pick up something cheap or at a bargain price. But this does not bother Tonkeswar Barik. He has already made his mark in the Trade Fairs and markets of Delhi. “I have gone to Delhi about half a dozen times and most of my stuff sell like hot cakes there and are especially sought after by foreigners,” he states.

Pointing out a row of bland cane jewellery without any beads embedded in them he says that these are the ones preferred by the foreigners. “Cane is eco-friendly and much more durable than other artificially made jewellery and therefore in demand in countries outside” he says. “I have even got an order from America which I have not been able to fulfil due to lack of time,” he claims. Hailing from Gopalpur gaon under Titabor subdivision, Tonkeswar says that this is a family business started by his father in 1991. “I have not received any formal training as such except once by the DRDA which taught value addition by incorporating small colourful beads,” he says. What makes the items costly is the intricacy of the work. The raw material for a jewellery set may comprise only two canes but the time taken may be anything between three to five days, he says.

The canes too are special- they are very likotia (pliable) and found mainly by river banks so that they can be twisted finely into tiny whorls and ringlets.