From Saurav Borah
GUWAHATI: A ‘mishap’ is all that it took for Jiten Kakoti to do his bit of “research” and “invent” an easy-to-use, improvised form of the conventional wooden rice pounder (dheki) – a farm tool not many from the Android generation know much about.
Already, the “mobile” dheki, named thus as it is movable, is proving to be very handy for homemakers when it comes to pounding varieties of rice to make pithas for Bihu, and more importantly, in quick time.
The 62-year-old Kakoti, who could study only till Class X but claims technical experience, has over the past four years built more than 600 “mobile” dhekis, all by himself.
“It so happened that my wife injured herself while pounding rice (to make pithas ahead of uruka) on a khundona (traditional tool made of iron). This sparked an urge for something unique. I did some research and found that a portable dheki could be carved out of xilikha (Terminalia chebula, a deciduous tree) wood. Fortunately, I tasted success at the first attempt and there was no looking back,” Kakoti, a resident of Lerelapothar village in Rajgarh (Dibrugarh district) told The Shillong Times on Sunday.
The man takes just four days to make one dheki, which involves smoothening, chiseling, painting, et al. The first two dhekis, he made, had instant takers.
“We are yet to have a dheki to call our own as the first one I made for my wife was taken away by a brother of mine, and the second, by an acquaintance. All these four years I have only built dhekis for others. So much so that the rice for the pithas we make ahead of Bhogali Bihu is pounded on those meant for clients,” he said, in a lighter vein.
Kakoti has given his workshop a name, JK Udyog, registered in 2015.
The demand for the product invariably spirals ahead of Bhogali Bihu even as orders are placed round the year.
“My first dheki was sold in April 2015 after an electronic media organisation came to my house and later aired the programme. Then some more came and that’s just about the publicity I have had till date. There is no time to promote my products as I am engaged in making them almost every day. I invest about nine hours a day,” he said.
The ‘mobile dheki’, which he guarantees an endurance period of 20 years, if not exposed to rain or sun (as it does not have a shed), can pound about two kilos of rice in 20 minutes.
As of now, most of Kakoti’s orders are from Upper Assam even as he has clients placing requirements from Guwahati, Tezpur and other urban centres.
“The dhekis to long-distance clients are generally dispatched by bus. One dheki is sold for Rs 5,500, which gives me a profit of just Rs 1000. Besides, xilikha wood is scarce. So after two months I am contemplating a hike as the demand for the tool is increasing day by day. I earn between Rs 15,000 and Rs 20,000 per month, which just about suffices. But it’s hard work at the end of the day as I am solo,” he said.
Kakoti has no plans to go big though.
“There is no bigger sales plan as such. People who need the product will keep coming to my house. As we speak, I also have long-distance orders from Morigaon, Nagaon, Barpeta, Tezpur, New Bongaigaon, Doomdooma and Margherita, which will be dispatched by bus,” he said.
The senior citizen also derives satisfaction that with his innovative product, the new generation can have some enlightenment.
“The youth today have little idea about dheki. This aspect too was on my mind when I started my research. But I am happy if my product helps trigger curiosity on the tool,” he said.