Goldsmiths are changing their hereditary profession
Monday, 25 January 2010
Tithe Farhana
The jewellery of Bangladesh was made famous by its skilled goldsmiths long back.
The elaborate gold jewellery, costume and head-dress on the famous terracotta female figure speak of highly skilled craftsmen of the Sunga period dating back to the first century B.C. The discovery of the fragments from the ruins of Mahasthangarh indicate that the costume and jewellery were popular so long ago.
Under Mughal patronage jewellery making flourished in Sube Bangla.
Europeans travellers were amazed to see the use of gold jewellery in various parts of the Mughal Empire. Francois Bernier, the celebrated French traveller, who visited Sube Bangla towards the middle of the 17 century, warranted "the empire was an abyss of gold and silver which were melted and remelted, fabricating woman's bracelets both for hands and feet, earrings, nose and finger rings. The quality of these articles made is incredible."
Rituals as well as natural motifs primarily shaped the rich gold ornament designs since time immemorial in this land of six seasons. Alamgir Khan of Bangladesh Jewellers' Association and Comilla Jewellery Association secretary and Engineer A.M.M.S.H Khan Rizvi, Director of Bangladesh Institution of Design and executive member of Bangladesh Jewellery Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said that, jewellery making, especially, in the Hindu and Buddhist periods reflected aesthetic and artistic value.
Swarnakar, Bangla for goldsmith, is a compound work, combining swarna (gold) and kar (worker). They make silver and gold bangles, armlets, necklace, earrings, nose-rings and what not.
Tanti Bazaar, a locality in old Dhaka alone has about 400 gold jewellery shops. Hindu goldsmiths own the shops in the arcade founded in the 18 century. Shankhari Bazar, also in old Dhaka, is another centre for gold jewellery. But the goldsmiths are changing their hereditary profession.
These two jewellery arcades were once famous for gold jewellery. Known for their skills the goldsmiths have been making traditional jewellery for centuries. Soaring gold price is pushing them out of their profession for generations. Jewellers at Tanti Bazaar said individual goldsmiths, who once owned shops or small business, had to close down unable to bear the losses.
The goldsmiths, who are passing through a bad patch, find the jewellery business unsustainable. No wonder, betel leaf or pan shops are replacing the Tanti Bazaar jewellery outlets. The global recession would not have come at a worse time they feel. Many jewellers are deep in debts.
The jewellery business of Bangladesh with a rich past needs patronage and support to flourish. A.M.M.S.H Khan Rizvi, an engineer, who takes interest in traditional jewellery of the country, says that lack of vision is costing the goldsmith community their profession. They need to adopt to changing needs to diversify jewellery making, he thinks.
After a drop in sales by more than 50 per cent over the past three years due to soaring gold price, 10-12 tonnes of jewellery is sold per year now. The annual gold jewellery market now is estimated at about Tk 30 billion. Gold jewellery makers, designers and traders, particularly the small ones are increasingly switching to making silver jewellery, as the demand for the alternative is growing. Buyers are also opting for gold-plated jewellery, said Anwar Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Jewellery Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
The global recession made the gold market volatile. The unprecedented price rise in the international market over the last five years shook the business in Bangladesh. But India and China, with good reserves of gold, did not so much feel the heat.
India's thriving jewellery market is drawing well-known western brand makers like DeBeers, Tiffany and Cartier. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates privately held gold in India at 15,000 tonnes. Despite the prices soaring the demand for jewellery made of precious metals continues to grow. A tectonic shift in the business requires branding the gold jewellery, said Sandeep Kulhali, vice president of Tanisq, one of India's oldest branded retail jewellery chains, owned by the Tata conglomerate. And of course the company has to spend a lot of money to advertise its products, he said.
Anwar, who agrees, says while India is moving on the brand wagon, Bangladesh has no brands to attract buyers. Indian companies with big investments could withstand the shock of soaring gold price. But the small companies in Bangladesh found it difficult to stand. For Indian big companies like Mumbai-based Notandas & Sons or New Delhi-based P.C. Jewellers, it was no problem signing up top film actresses as brand ambassadors or lend expensive jewellery to beauty pageant contestants. Amit Bumb, director of Avenue Montaigne, India's largest branded jewellery retail outlet, says that there is a shift toward brands, reflecting social changes.
Rizvi thinks Bangladesh should brand its jewellery and encourage big investment to keep up with the global trend.
The writer can be reached at
e-mail: tanes_of_mono@yahoo.com
The jewellery of Bangladesh was made famous by its skilled goldsmiths long back.
The elaborate gold jewellery, costume and head-dress on the famous terracotta female figure speak of highly skilled craftsmen of the Sunga period dating back to the first century B.C. The discovery of the fragments from the ruins of Mahasthangarh indicate that the costume and jewellery were popular so long ago.
Under Mughal patronage jewellery making flourished in Sube Bangla.
Europeans travellers were amazed to see the use of gold jewellery in various parts of the Mughal Empire. Francois Bernier, the celebrated French traveller, who visited Sube Bangla towards the middle of the 17 century, warranted "the empire was an abyss of gold and silver which were melted and remelted, fabricating woman's bracelets both for hands and feet, earrings, nose and finger rings. The quality of these articles made is incredible."
Rituals as well as natural motifs primarily shaped the rich gold ornament designs since time immemorial in this land of six seasons. Alamgir Khan of Bangladesh Jewellers' Association and Comilla Jewellery Association secretary and Engineer A.M.M.S.H Khan Rizvi, Director of Bangladesh Institution of Design and executive member of Bangladesh Jewellery Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said that, jewellery making, especially, in the Hindu and Buddhist periods reflected aesthetic and artistic value.
Swarnakar, Bangla for goldsmith, is a compound work, combining swarna (gold) and kar (worker). They make silver and gold bangles, armlets, necklace, earrings, nose-rings and what not.
Tanti Bazaar, a locality in old Dhaka alone has about 400 gold jewellery shops. Hindu goldsmiths own the shops in the arcade founded in the 18 century. Shankhari Bazar, also in old Dhaka, is another centre for gold jewellery. But the goldsmiths are changing their hereditary profession.
These two jewellery arcades were once famous for gold jewellery. Known for their skills the goldsmiths have been making traditional jewellery for centuries. Soaring gold price is pushing them out of their profession for generations. Jewellers at Tanti Bazaar said individual goldsmiths, who once owned shops or small business, had to close down unable to bear the losses.
The goldsmiths, who are passing through a bad patch, find the jewellery business unsustainable. No wonder, betel leaf or pan shops are replacing the Tanti Bazaar jewellery outlets. The global recession would not have come at a worse time they feel. Many jewellers are deep in debts.
The jewellery business of Bangladesh with a rich past needs patronage and support to flourish. A.M.M.S.H Khan Rizvi, an engineer, who takes interest in traditional jewellery of the country, says that lack of vision is costing the goldsmith community their profession. They need to adopt to changing needs to diversify jewellery making, he thinks.
After a drop in sales by more than 50 per cent over the past three years due to soaring gold price, 10-12 tonnes of jewellery is sold per year now. The annual gold jewellery market now is estimated at about Tk 30 billion. Gold jewellery makers, designers and traders, particularly the small ones are increasingly switching to making silver jewellery, as the demand for the alternative is growing. Buyers are also opting for gold-plated jewellery, said Anwar Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Jewellery Manufacturers and Exporters Association.
The global recession made the gold market volatile. The unprecedented price rise in the international market over the last five years shook the business in Bangladesh. But India and China, with good reserves of gold, did not so much feel the heat.
India's thriving jewellery market is drawing well-known western brand makers like DeBeers, Tiffany and Cartier. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) estimates privately held gold in India at 15,000 tonnes. Despite the prices soaring the demand for jewellery made of precious metals continues to grow. A tectonic shift in the business requires branding the gold jewellery, said Sandeep Kulhali, vice president of Tanisq, one of India's oldest branded retail jewellery chains, owned by the Tata conglomerate. And of course the company has to spend a lot of money to advertise its products, he said.
Anwar, who agrees, says while India is moving on the brand wagon, Bangladesh has no brands to attract buyers. Indian companies with big investments could withstand the shock of soaring gold price. But the small companies in Bangladesh found it difficult to stand. For Indian big companies like Mumbai-based Notandas & Sons or New Delhi-based P.C. Jewellers, it was no problem signing up top film actresses as brand ambassadors or lend expensive jewellery to beauty pageant contestants. Amit Bumb, director of Avenue Montaigne, India's largest branded jewellery retail outlet, says that there is a shift toward brands, reflecting social changes.
Rizvi thinks Bangladesh should brand its jewellery and encourage big investment to keep up with the global trend.
The writer can be reached at
e-mail: tanes_of_mono@yahoo.com