Dhenki, a traditional wooden tool almost disappearing in Rajshahi

RAJSHAHI, Sept 12: Dhenki, once a widely used indigenous wooden tool used to thrash paddy is almost disappearing from Rajshahi and from the country as well. This traditional tool is only seen in the households of few villagers now-a-days.

Though Dhenki processed rice is healthier than machine processed white rice, farmers are not interested to process such rice because of time and effort it takes. Farmers now prefer electric motor driven machines to process paddy into rice as it is less laborious and less time consuming.

During earlier times when electricity was not available in the rural areas, Dhenki was widely used to process rice but as electricity took over, people are preferring electric motor driven machines instead of the old traditional Dhenki. They are now completely dependent on these machines and replacing the old traditional Dhenki with these machines.

Nutritionists opine Dhenki processed rice and wheat are healthy and full of nutrition. People should eat these Dhenki processed rice and wheat more often, they suggest but these are hard to find these days as machines took over the place of Dhenki.

Rehana Begum of a Paba (48) village of Rajshahi said, she still retains the tradition of using Dhenki for processing rice, flattened rice, rice powder, pulses and wheat. Other farmers of the village visit her to process rice and wheat and she charges money for that. This way she can even earn money that she needs to run the household.

She added the labour she gives after processing rice in Dhenki also helps her to stay fit and healthy.      

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