 The sawing profession is disappearing with the help of machines, we can see the almost extinct sawing profession of rural Bengal
Occupations that are now disappearing due to the evolution of time and the development of technology; One of them is sawing profession. With the touch of mechanics in the sawmill, the value of this profession is increasing day by day. That's why everyone is changing their profession in order to make a living.
The world is moving forward with the modern age. As people's busyness has increased in the era of progress and technology, the idea has arisen that people can survive if they can complete any work quickly at low cost. Therefore, even in villages and towns, the wave of sawmill mechanization has now completely spread. The rhythmic sound of the saw has been lost in the evolution of time.
Innumerable sawmills in various bazaars are cutting wood according to demand in a short period of time at very low cost. Along with this, the demand for furniture has increased and the value of mechanical sawmills has increased. So the sawyers are not seen as much as before to cut trees.
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Once people of Karati community lived in almost every village of Patuakhali district. Every year, when the dry season came, they used to go in groups to different villages of the district and take the job of cutting trees from village to village. At that time the householders used to wait for the sawyers to cut the trees.
According to the elders of the village, the sawyers used to cut down the trees by digging holes in the ground or making wooden structures with a few trees. Such saws required one man above and at least two or more men below. Wood of various sizes was cut from a tree by pulling it up and down with a saw with a handle. House canopies and various types of furniture were made from prefabricated poles and planks.
At that time sawyers used to get wages as per square feet for cutting wood depending on size and type. A medium-sized tree was cut and pruned at a cost of one and a half thousand rupees. It took more than three days. The Karatis used to eat jaggery and go to work in the morning. Karaites used to work a lot. So they could eat more food.
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Folklorically, a karati could eat a ser of rice during the meal after work. They used to spend the whole season like this.
Even before the 90s, neighborhood boys used to flock to see such scenes of cutting trees. Sometimes there were songs of various tunes while cutting trees. Trees were cut to the beat of music. And the boys and old people gathered around. Everyone was fascinated and enjoyed this scene.
Sociology lecturer of Galachipa Women's Degree College. Haroon Or Rashid said, "Three decades ago, the Karati community could be seen on the roads and corners of the rural society depending on the season. But now due to the touch of modernity in the sawmill, the profession of sawmill is disappearing. If the traditions and memories of this community are not preserved, the existence will be in crisis in the future.
