Saturday, June 28, 2025
  • Webmail
  • Contact Us
  • About BBS
  • Privacy & Policy
ENG
DZO
BBSCL Logo
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Education
  • More
    • Announcement
    • Audience Survey Report
    • Programme
    • Radio Dzo-Channel Schedule
    • Radio Mix-Channel Schedule
Radio Live
No Result
View All Result
BBSCL logo
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Education
  • More
    • Announcement
    • Audience Survey Report
    • Programme
    • Radio Dzo-Channel Schedule
    • Radio Mix-Channel Schedule
No Result
View All Result
BBSCL logo
Radio LIVE

Disappearing blacksmithing craft still a source of livelihood in Khenadrang

July 8, 2022
in Business
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
0
SHARES
16
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

As is the case elsewhere in the world, the job of a blacksmith is becoming obsolete in the country too with machines and automation becoming more popular. But for a 60-year-old man at Khenadrang village in Pema Gatshel, the craft is still a source of income to sustain his family.

Kota from Borphu village in Nanong Gewog has been practising blacksmithing for many years. But as Borphu is a remote village, he could not earn any income by creating metal artworks.

Anticipating a better prospect, the father of two along with his family moved to Khenadrang village in Zobel Gewog in 2011. And there he found a market.

“I started working as a blacksmith when I was 10. The income I earn from the art is our source of livelihood. It is difficult to sustain if I stop crafting metal,” said Kota.

As the craft involves hard physical work, Kota’s wife comes to his rescue quite often.

Despite the social stigma that the work of blacksmithing is taken up by people of the lower class, Kota and his family are passionate about the craft. And so, they are pursuing it for generations to come. Today, at a very tender age, his 12-year-old son Dawa can be seen in the workstation forging tools from iron.

Having learnt the craft from his father, he now plans to learn to become a gold and silversmith too.

“My father thinks it will be better if I learnt the craft. I will learn goldsmith and silversmith crafts later when I grow up,” said Dawa.

Today, Kota and his elder son run the family with the income they earn from the craft.

“I can earn between Nu 1,800 to 1,900 for a knife. So, I can sell at least 10 knives in a month and that is almost Nu 15,000,” said Kota.

“I get between Nu 150 to 250 each for small sickles and knives. So, I can earn almost Nu 7,000 in a month. With that money, I can buy myself stuff and also help with household expenditures. I am glad I made the right decision by learning the craft,” added Dawa.

Today, Kota is among the four blacksmiths keeping the disappearing craft alive in Khenadrang village. They mostly forge sickles and knives. Each of them earns up to Nu 20,000 every month.

Thinley Dorji, Pema Gatshel

Edited by Phub Gyem

Previous Post

More than 300 cases of Nairobi Fly infection detected in P/ling and Samtse

Next Post

Tharaykhola Irrigation Scheme is finally starting to benefit residents, Samtse

Next Post
Tharaykhola Irrigation Scheme is finally starting to benefit residents, Samtse

Tharaykhola Irrigation Scheme is finally starting to benefit residents, Samtse

Skilling villagers to repair electrical appliances – T/Yangtse

Skilling villagers to repair electrical appliances - T/Yangtse

Govt to construct numerous small hydropower projects to accelerate post-pandemic economy

Govt to construct numerous small hydropower projects to accelerate post-pandemic economy

Please login to join discussion

RECOMMENDED NEWS

HH Je Khenpo confers wang-lung of Sangay Menlha

HH Je Khenpo confers wang-lung of Sangay Menlha

5 years ago
3
NPPF violates housing management rules: Audit report

NPPF violates housing management rules: Audit report

10 years ago
10
JDWNRH Heart Centre cuts overseas referrals, saves Nu 50 M

JDWNRH Heart Centre cuts overseas referrals, saves Nu 50 M

5 months ago
1k
National football team leaves for Thailand to play World Cup qualifying match

National football team leaves for Thailand to play World Cup qualifying match

10 years ago
3

BROWSE BY CATEGORIES

  • Accidents (14)
  • Agriculture (439)
  • Announcement (179)
  • Audience Survey Report (1)
  • Business (759)
  • Crime/Legal (370)
  • Culture (48)
  • Development (57)
  • Disaster (57)
  • Economy (289)
  • Education (419)
  • Entertainment (16)
  • Environment (66)
  • Feature (65)
  • Featured (6)
  • Festival (81)
  • GMC (14)
  • Headlines (5)
  • Health (630)
  • Legal (53)
  • Literature (9)
  • Livestock (76)
  • Media (26)
  • Other Stories (5,687)
  • Politics (419)
  • RCSC (1)
  • Recent stories (6)
  • Religion (45)
  • Sci/Tech (712)
  • Social (548)
  • Sports (456)
  • Technology (191)
  • Tourism (22)
  • Uncategorized (13,868)
  • Video (141)
  • Video Story (257)
  • Wildlife (42)

BROWSE BY TOPICS

Tender Announcement Vacancy Announcement

POPULAR NEWS

  • BPC’s investigation rules out transformer short circuit as Damchhu forest fire cause

    Viral video of Bhutanese man assaulted by locals and police in Jaigaon sparks safety concerns

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Gelephu Mindfulness City opens recruitment drive for Bhutanese professionals

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • A centenarian’s recipe to longevity

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • 40 companies risk closure over failure to submit financial reports

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Post-mortem confirms foul play: Progress in investigation of 24-year-old woman’s death

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
BBSCL

Bhutan Broadcasting Service (BBS) is Bhutan’s primary national broadcaster, delivering diverse news and entertainment in multiple languages, fostering cultural understanding and public knowledge.

Follow us on social media:

Recent News

  • Lead exposure may be contributing to high anaemia levels among children in Bhutan
  • MoIT imposes moratorium on issuance of taxi driving licence
  • Book on temples and monasteries of Trongsa’s Drakteng wins Dzongkha Booker Prize
  • Shumar Cheden Tshephel Detshen becomes self-reliant with own milk processing unit
  • Fire risk from phones at fuel depot low but never non-existent

News Category

  • Accidents
  • Agriculture
  • Announcement
  • Audience Survey Report
  • Business
  • Crime/Legal
  • Culture
  • Development
  • Disaster
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • Environment
  • Feature
  • Featured
  • Festival
  • GMC
  • Headlines
  • Health
  • Legal
  • Literature
  • Livestock
  • Media
  • Other Stories
  • Politics
  • RCSC
  • Recent stories
  • Religion
  • Sci/Tech
  • Social
  • Sports
  • Technology
  • Tourism
  • Uncategorized
  • Video
  • Video Story
  • Wildlife
  • Webmail
  • Contact Us
  • About BBS
  • Privacy & Policy

© 2024 BBSCL. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Education
  • More
    • Announcement
    • Audience Survey Report
    • Programme
    • Radio Dzo-Channel Schedule
    • Radio Mix-Channel Schedule

© 2024 BBSCL. All rights reserved.