Sarthebari is located in Barpeta district in the Indian state of Assam. It is known for the ancient Assamese bell metal works.
Location of Sarthebari
Sarthebari is a town area committee surrounded by villages like Amrikhowa, Gomura, Baniyakuchi, Namsala, etc. Sarthebari is located at a distance of 83 km from Guwahati.
Economy of Sarthebari
Sarthebari is specializing in bell metal work is said to produce almost hundred tons of products every year. The production of the bell metal is facilitated by the 300 production units operating in the village. Every unit here consists of 5 to 6 workers. The bell metal industry has been handed down from centuries by a few clans of a caste known as Kanhar and requires much skill and training process for its execution. Some of the important bell metal products are the traditional plates, cups, tumblers, pitchers, bowls, sarai, dwarf pitchers, pots and musical instruments. The products are very popular within the state as well as in neighbouring countries like Bhutan, Tibet and Nepal. In the initial stage raw materials are procured from Moradabad, Kolkata and Delhi in the form of la or tin and copper. These are usually brought in the proportion of 83 per cent and 17 per cent respectively. Moradabad is a popular place in Uttar Pradesh known for bell metal works. Many times scraps are also used in huge proportion for manufacturing purpose. This ensures recycling of the old and damaged materials. During the manufacturing process the copper and tin are melted in a coal furnace.
The mixture is then weighed in various trays known as dices according to the requirement of measurements for a specific product. Then these are hammered to give them the required shape. The metal is then immediately dipped in water to cool it down to room temperature. It is done to make it strong and durable. The polishing is done by rubbing them vigorously by hand using a rug.
Visiting Information
Sarthebari is well connected by different modes of transport. The regular bus service is available between Guwahati and Sarthebari. It takes almost 3 hours from Guwahati to reach Sarthebari. Taxi services are also available here.
