Kartarpur craft on way to extinction

The decades-old furniture business in Kartarpur is in dire straits. It has lost its lucrative edge and already those in this business are complaining about losses and masked unemployment.

Even those with generations of experience in this business are talking in terms of "other options".

"There is no point in sticking to a business that can barely provide you two square meals a day. You have to look for alternatives," says Swaroop Rai, whose own manufacturing unit is facing an acute financial crisis.

However, it is not that the furniture-manufacturing units have closed down. These units have still a hug for Kartarpur, right from Vishvkarma Market to the main road connection Jalandhar city with this town. Even the adjoining villages house many of these manufacturing units.

According to observers, this very mushrooming of the units has had a detrimental effect on the business.

"Earlier villagers would come to Kartarpur to buy furniture, but now they prefer to buy it all from their neighbouring areas," says Jaswant Rai, another furniture-manufacturing unit owner.

"Dilutions of standard are another reason frequently cited by beleaguered manufacturers, though not all are ready to buy the argument. Some outsiders are trying their land at the business. These workers-cum-manufacturers sell furniture items at lower prices. This ersatz furniture lacks the traditional craftsmanship for which Kartarpur is known," Rai said.

In some cases, local manufacturers employ non-local labour, which is not able to match the skills of the workers who have been traditionally associated with furniture manufacturing.

Those selling quality-controlled furniture are pushed off to the margins and at the same time, the reputation of the products suffers a setback when craftsmanship and quality do not measure up to the customers' expectations, according to a manufacturer, requesting anonymity.

Some craftsmen from Saharanpur have made Kartarpur their home. Though local craftsmen and manufacturers say it's a bleak future for furniture-manufacturing units here, these craftsmen have a different story to tell.

"Both of us are from Sahranpur. We are making a good living here. We specialise only in carving. The manufacturers give us furniture items for carving, though sometimes customers come directly to us," says Rashid, while giving final touches to a carved door panel.