DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3906#0203
( 197 )
Thus the following is the account of a pair of slippers now
chased for the Melbourne Exhibition :—
Astir,
Makhnal,
Cotton and silk thread, .. .>
Likhdi(wages of painter,)
Wages of thread sswers 4 as. per die.::, 2 laborers, 5 days
Mai, (salma-sitdra 8 tolahs at Rs. 2-2 per tolah,
Wages of embroiderers at 12 as. per tolah,...
w 1
jetore me
Us.
As. P.
0
2 0
2
0 0
0
8 0
0
8 0
,2
8 0
17
0 0
6
0 0
pur-
Total Rs. 28 10 0
Adds 4 as. per Re. for profit, 7 2 0
Selling price, 35 12 0
That the foregoing must be correct, I have no doubt as the greatest ssardos
of Lncknow has assured me that 4 as. per rupee is minimum rate of profit.
What are salma and sitdra ?
The former term covers salma proper, landani, daplca, salma, afiait,
golthru Id bogali. These are all made of fine gold or silver wire made to
curl so as to make a spiral wire. The thread may be close or slightly free
in its curl. In the former way are made up all salma, dapka salma and ajlait,
and in the latter way are made landani and gokhru hi bogali. All these again are
made of round wire or flat wire. Of the former are made salma and landani,
and of the latter daplca salma, ajlait, and golthru hi bogali. The wire used in
manufacture of all is the wire which is delivered round by the tdrhash or flat-
tened by the tdrdabkau/a, {vide GrOtawala). These are given by gotawalas and
zardozes to workmen who make up salma, &c, chiefly three-classes of goods,
whether gold or silver {sundhra or rupalila) (1), 1 masha of metal to 8 yards,
in which case the pay is 10 per tolah: (2) 1 masha to 4 yards, in which case
the wages are Rs. 4 per 100 tolahs: (3) 1 masha to the yard, and in this case
wages are Rs. 3 per 100 tolas. The gold Salma which is of the first-class, one
masha to the yard; sells for Rs. 2-4 per tolah,
S&lma'is made up chiefly by Muhammadan women living in pardah and
it is difficult to find one willing to show the machine with which it is made or
explain the process of manufacture. It is said that there are two machines
used, differinsr in construction. I have seen but one. On a bench some 15
inches high, resembling a four-legged stool, before which the operator sits, there
is a long, fine needle of spring steel, the point of which is toward the worker.
This needle has the point passed through a hole in a small wooden upright and
the other end, which is covered with a knob of wax, is passed through a hole in
another upright and fixed in the axle of a lathe. This lathe is turned by a
wheel which is on the bench at the worker's right. To the left is a reel of
gold or silver wire on a perpendicular pin. The end of the wire is brought to
Thus the following is the account of a pair of slippers now
chased for the Melbourne Exhibition :—
Astir,
Makhnal,
Cotton and silk thread, .. .>
Likhdi(wages of painter,)
Wages of thread sswers 4 as. per die.::, 2 laborers, 5 days
Mai, (salma-sitdra 8 tolahs at Rs. 2-2 per tolah,
Wages of embroiderers at 12 as. per tolah,...
w 1
jetore me
Us.
As. P.
0
2 0
2
0 0
0
8 0
0
8 0
,2
8 0
17
0 0
6
0 0
pur-
Total Rs. 28 10 0
Adds 4 as. per Re. for profit, 7 2 0
Selling price, 35 12 0
That the foregoing must be correct, I have no doubt as the greatest ssardos
of Lncknow has assured me that 4 as. per rupee is minimum rate of profit.
What are salma and sitdra ?
The former term covers salma proper, landani, daplca, salma, afiait,
golthru Id bogali. These are all made of fine gold or silver wire made to
curl so as to make a spiral wire. The thread may be close or slightly free
in its curl. In the former way are made up all salma, dapka salma and ajlait,
and in the latter way are made landani and gokhru hi bogali. All these again are
made of round wire or flat wire. Of the former are made salma and landani,
and of the latter daplca salma, ajlait, and golthru hi bogali. The wire used in
manufacture of all is the wire which is delivered round by the tdrhash or flat-
tened by the tdrdabkau/a, {vide GrOtawala). These are given by gotawalas and
zardozes to workmen who make up salma, &c, chiefly three-classes of goods,
whether gold or silver {sundhra or rupalila) (1), 1 masha of metal to 8 yards,
in which case the pay is 10 per tolah: (2) 1 masha to 4 yards, in which case
the wages are Rs. 4 per 100 tolahs: (3) 1 masha to the yard, and in this case
wages are Rs. 3 per 100 tolas. The gold Salma which is of the first-class, one
masha to the yard; sells for Rs. 2-4 per tolah,
S&lma'is made up chiefly by Muhammadan women living in pardah and
it is difficult to find one willing to show the machine with which it is made or
explain the process of manufacture. It is said that there are two machines
used, differinsr in construction. I have seen but one. On a bench some 15
inches high, resembling a four-legged stool, before which the operator sits, there
is a long, fine needle of spring steel, the point of which is toward the worker.
This needle has the point passed through a hole in a small wooden upright and
the other end, which is covered with a knob of wax, is passed through a hole in
another upright and fixed in the axle of a lathe. This lathe is turned by a
wheel which is on the bench at the worker's right. To the left is a reel of
gold or silver wire on a perpendicular pin. The end of the wire is brought to