Amritsar`s kirpan units losing to China |
The Golden Temple town of Amritsar is very much concerned and therefore seeking government help. The kirpan-making industry is gradually losing its cutting edge to China. Apparently, the machine-made Chinese daggers have dealt a blow to the industry, leading to the closure of several small-scale units in the past two decades. The Chinese daggers are not only attractive, but also cheaper and available in bulk. This has rendered local artisans jobless as Amritsari kirpans are crafted manually and take time in making them. Though the quality of the Amritsari kirpan is arguably better than the Chinese dagger, the impact can be seen as the city that once housed hundreds of such manufacturing units can today boast of only 30 to 40. Desi kirpan-making factories are housed in dingy single-room units despite the availability of skilled workers, machinery and raw material. There are only two to three workers employed at each kirpan-making unit today. The artisans make iron, steel and wooden kirpans, ranging from three to15 inches besides bigger versions of 2-3 feet called talwars (swords). The units supply the kirpans to retail shops, meet orders from visiting non-resident Indians besides organisers of religious fairs and Sikh weddings.
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