In a small shop near the last corner of Hydari Market, Skardu, a man has been burning his fingers in the fire from dawn to dusk for the past 30 years.
It is Apo Rustam that serves as a coating in old pots in which the heat of fire is the primary requirement. The story of Apo Rustam and the decoration of vessels is a long and interesting one.
Apo Rustam says that two of his ancestors were sent to Kashmir by Raja Kharmang to learn jewellery, samovar, tabreel making, pot plating and axe, tash work. After returning, one grandfather settled in the village of Mayardo and one came to the area of Rombo Khang Kharmang and settled there.
According to Apo Rustam, his ancestors were settled in Lakar Miardo by Raja Kharmang from the village of Istraq Chan in Ladakh in ancient times. Rustom is now in his 70s and has memorized the names of five of his previous ancestors who were associated with the work.
According to him, the grandfathers who settled in Mayardo had the job of ‘Garba’ i.e. blacksmith and pottery making, while the grandfathers who went to Kharming Khas got the job of ‘Sizgar’ i.e. goldsmith, making jewellery.
In Baltistan, the vessels for gatherings and dawat are of separate and special construction. The teapot used to serve green tea in big houses, monasteries, imambargahs, mosques and weddings is called ‘Samovar‘ which is actually Samavar and its original homeland is Koh Qaf, Russia, from there to Kashmir. It was introduced in Baltistan and Ladakh and has remained here. Fire embers are placed in its pan, while green tea is kept warm by the heat of the embers in the upper oval.
‘Tabaril’ is another teapot which is slightly different in shape from the samovar and is conical in shape and has a very ornate design. Green tea and sometimes coffee is also added to it. Both teapots are decorated with flowers. Aftab is also a water vessel used for holding water and washing hands since ancient times.
There is a big boat like vessel called ‘Jam‘ which is called ‘Mongar’ in local language but also known as Jam. It is made of brass and served with melted ghee. A smaller size of the same is used to drink green tea.
The demand for these traditional vessels, as well as for artisans like Apo Rustam, is now dwindling (Aashiq Faraz).
There is a large round plate called ‘Saqq’ which is made of brass, some plain and some decorated with flowers. Earlier, these platters were served with ‘Marzaan’, a halwa-like dish made of locally prepared flour or buck wheat, which is simple in taste, along with melted Zumo desi ghee in a special arrangement. Now white boiled rice, frozen meat and kofta are added to it and served in feasts. These few vessels are mentioned because they are all brought to Apo Rustam for polishing.
Apo Rustam’s father kept him with him at an early age and thus his eyes saw the glade melted in the heat of the fire and molded into Samavar, Tibaril, Aftabah and Jam through his father’s artistic fingers, and this vessel was his They were imprinted on the heart.
The iron work of axes, axes, hoes and pin-mill hooks was soon learned, but it took some time to learn the manufacture and plating of these utensils. He used to go with his father to the remote villages of Kres, Navem, Skardu and Rondo apart from Kharmang and had to walk for many days.
Apo Rustam’s ancestors were allotted an area of Angut Nala apart from Mayardo in Kharmang by Raja Sahib and they had to go there for work twice a year i.e. in the months of March and September.
They would camp in a house and everyone would come and do their work with them. It was not customary to give money as compensation, but they used to collect flour and wood. Yes, during the winter, looser meat was also available as compensation. Apart from coating the pots and utensils, the most important work was making and fixing the hook of the desi pin mill, as flour grinding was a major operation for which the desi pin mill called ‘Gharat’ was used. A regular law was made.
Since 1986, Apo Rustam has made Skardu his home and rented a shop in Hydari Market for Rs 50 per month. He traveled from village to village with his father, so he was recognized everywhere. When he opened a shop in Hydari Market, customers started coming from Naveem, Keras, Kharmang, Shagar and Rondo.
Along with blacksmithing, his skills were exposed in the form of plating and pottery. Thus, Jam, Samawar, Tibaril, Aftabah, large brass pots and plates have been coming to them for repair and fortification. He had no male children of his own, so he tried many times to have a half-disciple, but who wanted to stay in coal, fire and smoke, he left for another job.
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He used to make coals by heating the coals alone with a native blowtorch, sometimes by adding a cast iron to the fire and softening it, and sometimes by taking out the ax placed in the coals, which turned red and turned into fire, and took out the ax well, and the sparks were everywhere. The sides would spread like wildfires. There are hundreds of holes at the bottom of his shirt from these sparks.
Apo Rustam’s Hamdam Deerina is his old Japanese radio that is his age and plays all day long. Earlier he used to listen to Sehgal, Meksh and Lata songs from Radio Salon and ever since Balti folk songs started broadcasting from Radio Pakistan Skardu, Rustom has been enjoying these folk songs and this hobby is still young.
A samovar which cost 50 rupees to fortify started work and time went on. His black hair first turned brown and now his face is covered with wrinkles and his hair is silver, but he is still engaged in his work with the same dedication.
Time has changed, the priorities of the times have changed, now steel, crockery and stoneware have replaced the traditional utensils, so the work of Apo Rustam is also declining. The shop which he rented for 50 rupees now has a rent of 4000 rupees per month. The fort which was initially fetching Rs 200 per kg has reached Rs 15,000 per kg. Two or three of his contemporaries were skilled in this work.
Even in this age group, Apo Rustam is cheerful and lively, the sorrows of life are in their place, but they are happy with their condition and loud laughter is their identity. Yes, they must be sad that now there is no one to continue the tradition of this work, thus this art is dying.
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