Exploring the traditional craft of Sandesh mould making in Kolkata
It is that time of the year in Bengal, especially Kolkata when the streets are abuzz with bamboo poles, finishing touches are added to the idols of the Goddess and her family, plans are made for Durga Puja and lists of sweets are drawn up that need to be purchased for home or distributed among neighbours and relatives.
Be it Durga Puja, Kali Puja or Bhai Phonta, for any occasions, the staple sweets are Jolbhora, Norom Pak, Kora Pak, Aam Sandesh, and more. While you savour them without second thoughts, today, lets take a moment to notice their tight shapes and intricate carvings. Ever wondered where they come from? The answer is traditional wooden Sandesh moulds. Long before silicon and fancy moulds dominated the market, these wooden moulds were the only way to give these sweet treats a shape.
Today, as this art is almost on the verge of obscurity, we visited one of the long-standing traditional sandesh mould-making shops in North Calcutta to unravel this craft for the newer generation.
Exploring the traditional sandesh mould making craft of Kolkata
Down the Memory Lane
Ashim Das from Modern Art Co. graciously narrated his story to us. “My father, older brother and then I have been running the place for over seven decades. Initially I was hesitant to take the responsibility but then destiny chose it for me. Since I didn't get much time with my father, my older brother taught me the art.” He continues to painstakingly hand-carve each block of sandesh mould six days a week from his store cum workshop.
Detailing the process
Talking about the actual making process he says why the mould is made with wood. “Segun wood is so good that it does not decay easily. Moreover, it is easy to work with and shape according to our requirements.” He further elucidates, “Once a block of wood is given to me, I first hand draw the design. After that the block of wood needs to be cut according to the design. There are several tools for doing that. We have the Ek Kene and the Gobe which come in different measurements. I use a compass when I have to draw circular moulds. It takes me around half an hour to one hour to create a mould.”
Having been in existence for over seven decades and in the North of the city which is practically the hub of heritage sandesh-making several notable traditional sweet shop remain his clients. He says,
“Girish Chandra Dey and Nakur Chandra Nandy, Balaram Mullick and Radharaman Mullick, Bancharam, and Felu Modak” are regulars in ordering moulds. While “ Durga Puja to Bhai Phonta is the peak time when mould orders pick up, the rest of the year goes on with Poila Baishak, Jamai Sasthi, weddings, Annaprashan etc.” Some of the most demanding traditional moulds are of Saankh Sandesh, Jolbhora, and Aata Sandesh but with time customers demanded a shift from the traditional to newer designs. And when that happened he accepted the challenge, “ I tried designing a new mould and saw if it would work. It did. And now I make both traditional and ones which come on-demand from customers.”
Opening up about customisation he says, “Sometimes they give me reference designs and at other times they tell me their requirements and I give them a design from my side. If it works for them, we carry on.”
Difference in demand
Has there been a consumerist change in the demand of the types of moulds from traditional to modern? He responds, “ To some extent yes. Earlier these moulds were for traditional sweets like Ata Sandesh or Jolbhora but today there are festival or occasion-based designs made for birthdays, Independence Day, Rakhi, brands, corporate gifting and more.” He also stated that “ while segun wood was the original material for the moulds, plastic, silicon and even metal are newer additions in the medium of making.” Ashim Das is also credited with making Sandesh moulds for the critically acclaimed Rituparna Sengupta - Sharmila Tagore starrer Purawaton and Dev and Mithun Chakraborty starrer Projapati. He also goes on to say that, “More than walk-in customers, the business survives on custom orders.”
The Future of Art
Talking about his family and his next generation, Das mentions, “ In my family I have my daughter but she will not pursue this work. She is currently studying commerce. So, there is no future generation after me, I am the last man standing.”
He adds, “ this art of handcrafting sandesh moulds is almost getting extinct. Hardly anyone takes the initiative of learning it. This task requires patience and people today do not have such patience. Moreover, the amount of hard-work spent after making one mould, always doesn't amount to the same remuneration coming home.”
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