Awantipora: Kashmir’s winnower makers say the demand for traditional Winnower, locally called 'Shupp' has been declining over the past few years as a result the artisans are struggling to meet their daily needs but the artisans aren’t abandoning it due to its traditional trace.
Muhammad Ramzan Sheikh, a resident of the Padgampora area in Awantipora (South Kashmir's Pulwama district) said that he has been associated with this art for the last three decades but this is the most difficult time for them as no there are no customers for the items.
He said that they have spent their entire life in this profession and can't abandon the art which is why artisans are still associated with the art even as the demand is dying slowly.
They said hundreds of households in the Awantipora area were associated with winnower making but due to low demand, their number has reduced to just 20-25 now.
Earlier, there was good demand for the shupp but with advancement and new technologies, the demand for Kashmiri traditional Shupp has declined and there is no demand for it anymore, he said.
“Every year we used to sell thousands of winnowers but we are making just a few pieces and have to go from village to village to sell these pieces,” he said.
“A winnower maker was earning his livelihood very well as earlier winnowers were being used to separate grains from the husk, cleaning rice, and other things but with new technologies in the market, machines have been doing this work, and winnowers are hardly used anymore,” he said.
He said that at present a winnower maker spends hundreds of rupees to make a Shupp but there are hardly any takers.
Ab Rehman Sheikh, another winnower maker from Awantipora, said that he has spent days together in different villages to find customers but nobody is ready to take them as people hardly need winnower anywhere now.
“We have even taken loans but due to a decline in demand, we are unable to pay loan installments,” they said.
“Earlier, we were earning our livelihood very well but now a person hardly earns Rs 100dailys on which making both ends meet is very difficult.”
(KNO)