Battling the dragon, Rampuri chakus still a big draw
LUCKNOW: The Rampuri chakus (knives) were out, but no fear factor was palpable. Nor were there any Bollywood villains of the 1960s or 70s around. Rather, the onslaught of the dragon (read Chinese knives) had been the foe over the years, the makers of these traditional weapons said.
Nevertheless, the sight at Hunar Haat here made one believe that the popularity of the Rampuri chakus had not waned. No wonder, a large variety of classic fishtail, button-open Rampuri chakus drew visitors to stall number 107, at the 12-day event at Avadh Shilpgram here.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath inaugurated the Hunar Haat during the day.
Mohammed Rizwaan, a college-goer who visited the Hunar Haat, said, “I am seeing it for the first time. I have heard so much about this Rampuri chaku. But seeing it for the first time is all together a different experience.”
Some people said they found the “antique” Rampuri knives, which were perhaps the first button-open knives. But the artisans said staying in the business was an uphill task now.
“Chinese knives had brought down the demand for antique Rampuri knives, leading to a severe dent on income,” said Mehfooz Ali, an artisan who came here from Rampur to establish the stall. He said it was a dying trade.
Ali said his was the fourth generation of the family involved in making the Rampuri chakus.
“This is our ancestral trade. I have seen my father and grandfather making the finest Rampuri knives that were in great demand in the early 20th century. But over the years, the demand decreased so much that most of the traditional Rampuri knife-makers either switched to another trade or started doing jobs. But due to some liabilities and personal issues, we couldn’t switch,” said Ali.
The situation, he said, got even worse when Chinese knives hit the market, making a severe dent “on our income”.
Rampur town in western Uttar Pradesh now had only three shops dealing in traditional Rampuri knives, he said.
“Of late, the situation has improved a little as Chinese knives are no more available in the market (due to an aversion to Chinese products in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic and the stand-off on the Ladakh border). But, the losses we have suffered over the years are too much to be recovered. However, we are still hopeful that the day will come when the demand for Rampuri knives will go up again,” he added.
He said the rustic quality, rough-edged blades and blade length of 9-12 inches were some