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I Forge Iron

Gotta Love These Folks


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Wow, those photos bring back memories, I worked with Rajasthani blacksmiths in 2002, they are called "Gaduliya Lohar" which roughly translates as "Cart Iron" (Lohar=Iron) as they are renounded for travelling with decorated iron carts. They have the most amazing history- there is a synopsis of it on my website http://www.colleendupon.co.uk/Research-_The_Gaduliya_Lohar.html

 

Ironman, it is not just the entire family, they are a whole tribe or blacksmiths, some are still nomadic. I have seen a child of 8 striking, totally amazing! Every family member, mothers fathers sons daughters cousins uncles etc are very skilled!! I remember we did a lot of cold chiseling their to cut shapes out of sheet!!!

 

I would love to return one day to see them. They felt very sorry for me then as I was a 30 year old woman with no children and in India, that was seen as very sad as their society is very family centred. I'd love them to meet my daughter now to show them I'm not a sad person anymore!! They were also horrified to hear about eating cows in the West!!!

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I have a book on the Agaria people of India: " The Agaria are iron-smelter workers and miners. The name Agaria is derived from the Hindi word aag, meaning fire."

http://www.everyculture.com/South-Asia/Agaria.html

Note too that blacksmiths were a protected cast and Tuggee were NOT supposed to prey on them!

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That is very interesting Thomas! I loved that about India, how there were generations and tribes of specialists, in pretty much everything, stone carving, musicians, dancers, wood carving, lost wax casting of bronze etc, although the dark side of that is the caste system which works to oppress people. 

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Wow, those photos bring back memories, I worked with Rajasthani blacksmiths in 2002, they are called "Gaduliya Lohar" which roughly translates as "Cart Iron" (Lohar=Iron) as they are renounded for travelling with decorated iron carts. They have the most amazing history- there is a synopsis of it on my website http://www.colleendupon.co.uk/Research-_The_Gaduliya_Lohar.html

 

Ironman, it is not just the entire family, they are a whole tribe or blacksmiths, some are still nomadic. I have seen a child of 8 striking, totally amazing! Every family member, mothers fathers sons daughters cousins uncles etc are very skilled!! I remember we did a lot of cold chiseling their to cut shapes out of sheet!!!

 

I would love to return one day to see them. They felt very sorry for me then as I was a 30 year old woman with no children and in India, that was seen as very sad as their society is very family centred. I'd love them to meet my daughter now to show them I'm not a sad person anymore!! They were also horrified to hear about eating cows in the West!!!

Interesting about the cows - Their neighbor, Nepal, has a way around it. In 1997, I visited both, India, where even a "hamburger" was ground chicken and Nepal. where I had no problem getting a steak. It was water buffalo rather than beef, but suited me and kept their conscience clear - it wasn't cow meat.

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