Harmonium trade tunes up in Jashore

At a harmonium workshop in Jashore

Harmonium sales had decreased to almost zero in last couple of years, as all the educational institutions were closed and there were no social or cultural events because of coronavirus. Now, with the situation normalising, artisans of Jashore are at work again in the musical instrument workshops.

There are four harmonium workshops and sales centres on BK Road, in front of MSTP Collegiate School in Jashore town. Artisans busily and skillfully create harmoniums out of teak and oak wood there.

The salespersons said customers come from Dhaka, Barishal, Faridpur, Narail, Magura, Jhenaidah, Satkhira and Khulna to collect harmoniums from there. At least 400 harmoniums go to various districts from Jashore every year.

Apurba Music, owned by Ratan Biswas, is a longstanding harmonium workshop in Jashore. Almost all of the harmonium artisans working at present are students of Ratan Biswas. His son Apurba Biswas is also one of them. Apurba along with his father and another artisan makes harmoniums at their own workshop now.

Apurba told Prothom Alo, the harmoniums they produce sell for Tk 14,000 to Tk 30,000 now. Apart from wood, the rest of the raw materials have to be imported from India, which causes the price to go up.

He added, “Harmoniums used to sell at Tk 4,000, just about a decade ago. Harmoniums crafted in Jashore are of premium quality. Their prices are also comparatively low. That is why people of different districts come and buy harmoniums from us. On average, ten harmoniums are sold per month.”

Even prior to the country’s liberation, local resident Abani Biswas opened a harmonium workshop named ‘Konthomita’ on Rail Road of Jashore town. After his demise, the workshop closed down.

An artisan named Deepankar Mallick used to work there in 1992. He learnt his first lesson in crafting harmonium from Abani Biswas. Later he mastered the art from Ratan Biswas. About 12 years ago he launched his own harmonium workshop named Mallick Music nearby Ratan Biswas’s Apurba Music.

Deepankar Mallick told Prothom Alo, “There was almost no harmonium sales in last two years due to the pandemic. Now we are getting some orders because schools and colleges have been reopened. Sales have increased a bit as well. We had crafted 30 harmoniums during corona. Hopefully, we will be able to sell them now.”

He also said social and cultural events happen more during December-end to April. The academic pressure at schools and colleges is also less then. So, the sales of harmonium go up at the time.

As harmonium sales pcik up again in Jashore, artisans get busy
Prothom Alo

There are at least 20 active cultural organisations in Jashore town alone. Five of them are musical schools. Besides, there are several recital and dance schools as well. Usually music, dance and recitation are taught yearlong in these schools. Especially on weekends while educational institutes remain closed, these schools thrive.

Musical instrument sellers and cultural activists says, as exams are going on at the coaching centers on weekends, students are getting less and less time to indulge in cultural practices. This caused the sales of instruments to drop.

When asked know about this, Sukumar Das, President, Sammilito Sanskritik Jote’s Jashore committee said, “Several letters on behalf of our organisation were sent to district administration to keep coaching centres closed on weekends. The issue was raised during the preparatory meetings of various national days as well. But the proliferation of coaching centres continues. The administration isn’t taking any steps either.”

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tamijul Islam Khan speaking to Prothom Alo recently said, there is no conflict between academic studies and cultural practices. Teachers have been instructed to take special initiative to create an appreciation of cultural activities. Steps are being taken to shut unlawful coaching centres to step up cultural activities.

* This report appeared in the print and online edition of Prothom Alo and has been rewritten for the English edition by Nourin Ahmed Monisha