Many Muslim families
belonging to the extremely backward classes start procuring clay and
making earthen chulhas just after Durga Puja so that they are dry and
hard before the worshippers buy them after Diwali.
Probably the first thing to be bought for cooking food on the first day of the four-day Chhath, Nahai-Khai,
these families from Kurji Mor, Dujra Mor and Adalatganj make the
earthen chulhas with complete sanctity and cleanliness. "My husband and I
bathe and wear fresh clothes before we procure the clay and make the
mud chulhas as we know that Hindu families doing Chhath keep the
earthenware and other items in clean and washed surroundings at home. We
are proud to be associated, albeit indirectly, with the festival in
which the idol-less form of God is worshipped," said Anisha Bano.
Anisha, her husband Mohd Karim and ten other members of the same family,
all living in Dujra Mohalla, do brisk business four days ahead of
Chhath by selling chulhas, clay dhakkans and earthen diyas.
Mohd
Amin's family, which has been in the business of selling brass and
bronze ware for the rest of the year and also does other odd jobs for a
living, switches over to preparing clay chulhas during Durga Puja itself
so that they are dry by the time Chhath arrives. His sibling Ahmed and
his wife chip in, saying, "We have been preparing these chulhas for the
last ten years. Initially, the chulhas sold for Rs 10-20, then 30-45.
Now, we even manage to sell them for as high as Rs 50-55. At times, we
run short of hands at Kurji Mor, where we sell these chulhas.
Worshippers and their family members have to wait, sometimes for an hour
or so, for their turn. This year, we are also selling fruits like
apples, bananas, coconuts and pani phal singhara (water chestnut)."
The Bakho clan, living in the Adalatganj area
for many generations, has been into the business of preparing the mud
chulhas for over 15 years now. Mohd Muslim, his wife and their four sons
maintain thorough cleanliness as they know that 'rasia' (prasad) is
cooked on Kharna or Lohanda. "Later, a new chulha is used to cook the
'thekua' which is then used for offering 'arghya' to Chhathi Maiyya. By
now, we have also become staunch devotees, and have started believing in
many Hindu gods and goddesses. We also make the chulhas with great
dedication, and do not bargain much when devotees come to Adalatganj
area to purchase them," his son, Mohd Pervez says.
source : TOI
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