MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS

GOLDSMITHY

Goldsmiths are found in large numbers in towns as well as villages. They make gold as well as silver ornaments. In a village a goldsmith serves the society as a balutedar and is known as sonar. The tools generally required by the goldsmiths, are anvil, bellows, hammers, pincers, pots, crucibles, moulds and nails for ornamental work, tika, autti, saj autti, drilling machine, cupboards, etc., the cost of which varies between Rs. 400 and Rs. 1,000.

In rural areas except marriage celebrations, festivals and local fairs, the business is more or less steady throughout the year. The earnings of goldsmiths in rural areas vary from Rs. 25 to Rs. 50 per month depending upon the orders received from the customers. Most of the sonars in villages are labourers.

In big towns goldsmiths get work from the Sarafs. They are employed either on daily wages or on piece-meal basis. The earnings of the goldsmiths in towns as compared with their counterparts in the rural areas of the district are somewhat more and vary between Rs. 140 and Rs. 200 per month. Generally, metals like gold and silver are supplied by the customers themselves. The goldsmiths carrying business on a small scale could not afford to keep a stock of these precious metals. With the recently issued Gold Control Order by the Government of India, the goldsmiths have lost all business in gold and many of them have gone out of employment. To help them out of their difficulties, the Government have extended to. them many service facilities.

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