This documentary portrays the story of Shankha art and artists in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Shankhari Bazaar—the name itself inherits the glory of Shankha art. Once, Shankhari Bazar was famous as a place of art. The traditional Shankha industry is now struggling for survival, fighting against Indian products and excessive prices of raw materials; however, low income and less market demand are the main causes of the struggle.
Before, Shankha was made by hand with a touch of heart. Nowadays, machines are widely used in the Shankha industry. Although much work can be done within a short time, creativity becomes limited within a monotonous format.
Cutting, cleaning, carving, sketching, designing, and polishing are the six steps for making an artistic Shankha. After cutting and cleaning, pairing and rounding are done by machine.
Mithun Nagh, a Shankha entrepreneur, says, “This is our family business, which has come from our forefathers. The price of raw materials is rapidly increasing. So, this industry is struggling for existence. In India, the tax on raw materials is only 5%, but here in Bangladesh, it is 35%. So, Indian products are very low-priced, and people are interested in buying them because of the price. To save this industry, we need to create a competitive market. For this purpose, government patronization is needed. Before, the price of a pair ranged from 70–100 taka, but now it is Tk. 400. This is not an affordable price for 80% of Bangladeshis who are poor. If the majority of clients cannot buy Shankha, how can the industry be run? However, in the market, alternative plastic Shankha is available for 10 taka.”
Wearing ‘Shankha’ on the hand and marking ‘Sindur’ (vermillion) on the forehead are traditions for Bengali married women. Hindus believe that Shankhas keep the mind and body cool. However, conch-shell elements (like carbon) protect women from diseases. A couple of decades ago, Shankha earrings, necklaces, and other attractive ornaments were also widely used and popular. But now, the popularity of Shankha and traditional rituals is declining with the effects of modernization.
Most Shankha artists are from the lower-middle class, with a daily income of 70–120 taka. But in the 1980s, the daily salary ranged from 200–250 taka. There were originally 142 Shankha shops in Shankhari Bazar, but now only 15 shops remain. Since the early 1990s, the numbers have been decreasing. The new generation is not interested in continuing the Shankha art and Shankha business!
Shankhari Bazar is situated in Old Dhaka. Narrow roads, high-density population, and old architecture with limited civic facilities are the aspects of Shankhari Bazar. Now, the community is living in a highly risky and unhealthy environment. As they are fighting with daily poverty, the spirit of traditional life is dimming. Most of the houses are over 100 years old. In 2004, 19 lives were lost due to the collapse of an old building.
Shankha entrepreneur Omio Kumar Soor says, “This is the time to save the traditional Shakhari art through government patronization. If the government reduces the tax compared to India, this industry could be encouraged and survive. However, it is necessary to make Shankha popular among all Bangladeshi people. We want to popularize the use of Shankha beyond Hindu believers among all Bengalis. If all Bangladeshi people, particularly cultural people, use Shankha, it could become easily popular. As a result, Shankha’s popularity would increase, artists would get more work, and the industry would be saved.”
Shahjahan Siraj
Dhaka, 3 May 2007
Note: The documentary, “Shankhari Bazar,” portrays the reality of Shankhari art and artists in Old Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is a team effort by Humayun Kabir, Washiqur Rahman, Shamsul Arifin, and Raihath Sohel, directed by Shahjahan Siraj. It is a course project of MSJ-303, ULAB, Spring 2007.
