Copper is trending, where are the coppersmiths?

Copper is trending, where are the coppersmiths?

PUNE: With its newfound popularity, the demand for utensils, vessels and decorative items made of copper has increased tremendously in the past couple of years. However, coppersmiths in Pune’s Tambat Ali are finding it very difficult to meet the rising number of orders due to lack of sufficient manpower.

“Copper is in trend. People don’t just buy it for utility purposes, but also decoration and gifting. This Diwali itself, we got orders one-two months in advance for several items including copper bottles, candle stands, pots and many other things. However, it was very tedious to finish these orders as we did not have enough artisans,” coppersmith Ajit Pimple of Tambat Ali said.

Tambat Ali was established in the city around 400 years ago during the reign of the Peshwas when coppersmiths from several surrounding villages settled in Pune for their livelihood. While there were at least 250 factories in the area until around 20 years ago, the number reduced drastically to hardly 20-25 in the last decade.

“This has been our family profession for ages. I learnt the art from my father and mother, who had learnt it from their parents. However, our next generation doesn’t want to be in the same profession, and we don’t blame them either. There is too much hard work involved with comparatively low income,” coppersmith Manoj Potfode said.

With education and exposure, most of those in the next generation are preferring to take up other jobs. This has threatened the community members that the art of coppersmithing might as well die with them.

“Most of our children are taking jobs in the IT sector. It’s quite a comfortable job as compared to what we have to do. My son does help me with the work, as I have taught him since he was young, but he doesn’t want to do it full time,” Pimple said.

MEAGRE REMUNERATION
“When we take orders from traders, the remuneration that we receive in return is very less. They pay around Rs 30-40 only for each kilogram. It is not at all profitable for us. Instead, when we take orders on our own, we charge people around Rs 60-70 behind each item that we make,” Potfode said.

He added that as the work had reduced significantly a few years ago, making ends meet had become very difficult. 

“There was a time there was hardly any work. That was when several people from our locality left the profession. Now we get work, but the remuneration is still quite low as compared to the effort that we have to put in,” Potfode said.

PASSING IT ON
Pimple said that while the interest in the art within the community has been dwindling, art and design students, enthusiasts and foreigners have also begun showing greater interest in coppersmithing.

“College students often visit us and take lessons in the art of making copper items now and then. However, it is not enough as most of them only learn out of curiosity or as a hobby. Nobody is passionate enough to take it up as a profession. We fear that we might as well be the last generation of coppersmiths here,” he sighed.

While machine-made copper articles are available in the market and are quite cheaper too, they are no match to the hand-crafted ones.

“The ones made by machine usually have a plain surface. Machines cannot carve beautiful intricate designs, or make curved objects as we do. It is therefore important that this art is preserved and passed on,” Pimple said.

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