Shreya Katyayini

Sharmila Joshi

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“Banka is famous for two things –
 
 gur
 
 (jaggery) from Amarpur and
 
 tussar
 
 silk from Katoria,” says Abdul Sattar Ansari, a weaver from Katoria village. Both, he says, are now on the decline.
 
 Ballikita village in Amarpur block is around three kilometres from Katoria. It is not difficult to locate the jaggery mill on its outskirts – the intense smell of caramelised sugarcane serves as a ‘map’.
 
 This mill in Banka district, Bihar, was set up around 40 years ago, says Rajesh Kumar, by his father Sadhu Saran Kapri. It is a small mill, with 12-15 labourers. They earn Rs. 200 for a day’s labour, starting at 10 a.m. and stopping by sunset, around 6 p.m. The mill operates from October to February every year; December and January are the peak season.

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Losing its sheen: the liquid gold of Ballikita

பல்லிக்கட்டாவின் தங்கம் அதன் பளபளப்பை இழக்கிறது

জৌলুস হারাচ্ছে বল্লিকিটার তরল সোনা-সম গুড়

ବାଲିକିତାର ତରଳ ସୁନା ଏହାର ଉଜ୍ଜ୍ୱଳତା ହରାଇଛି

गन्ने के रस में नहीं रही वह सुनहरी चमक

اپنی چمک کھوتا: بَلّیکِیٹا کا سیال سونا

উজ্জলতা ম্লান পৰা বাল্লিকিটাৰ পনীয়া সোণ

ಕಾಂತಿ ಕಳೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವತ್ತ: ಬಲ್ಲಿಕಿಟಾದ ಚಿನ್ನದ ದ್ರವ

आता ती चमक राहिली नाही – बल्लिकिटाचा सोन्याचा पाक

Ballikita

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Losing its sheen: the liquid gold of Ballikita

At a small mill in Ballikita village, among the last few in Amarpur block of Bihar, labourers from nearby villages work through the day at the cane pressing machines and boiling pits to produce jaggery

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