Known as ‘shorgar’ family, the great grandfather was the chief fireworks maker during erstwhile times and the same traditional fireworks have now come down to the third and fourth generation, however the manufacturing of these crackers and fireworks runs under strict legal restrictions where supply always legs behind the demand.
“We receive orders for Hukka or Anars from across India for Diwali’, told 61 years old Jameel Ahamed, the elder son of the family adding we always fail to meet the demands. Hukka or Anaar is a firework which on putting on with fire sprinkles out twinkling lights and sparkling hues. Besides Hooka, ‘Jwala Mukhi’ another popular firework of the family that lights up for minutes and coasts around Rs. 300 to 400 per piece. Hath Phool, Juhai and Jalgota are the other traditional fireworks of the Soarger family but now these items are no longer manufactured, told Jameel. We continue to receive orders for fireworks supply for marriage ceremonies, social and culture programmes throughout the years but the demand for the same fireworks, particularly Hukka, Annaar and JwalaMukhi rises extremely high before Diwali, Jameel Ahamed said.
This year firework manufacturing has been greatly hit by GST as the prices of material and chemical substances used for manufacturing fireworks has shot up high following the implementation of Gst Tax Slab, Jameel said adding we have this year lowered our fireworks production to fifty percent and bound to send a large number of customers without traditional fireworks. Most of the material and chemical substance for manufacturing fireworks items fall into 28 % GST tax slab, he added. The shortage of soil used to shape up earthen pot for Hookas has also adversely hit the fireworks production, however the demand for the same same is high as ever, he added. ‘A bureaucrat, who once happens to be posted in Bundi, never forgets to order for Hookas for Diwali from Bundi even after his transfer to any city of the state or country, he proudly claimed.
There are some fireworks like ‘Jalgotta’ that would light up into the water have been lost with the time as the formula and method of making them was lost with the demise of the forefathers of the family, told Nurudeen, the eldest son of the family and a senior advocate in Bundi. ‘The great grandfather started the work of making fireworks for the king in erstwhile times and the family subsequently recognized as Shorger’, advocate Nurudeen said adding ‘it is a great satisfaction for the family that our fireworks are famous and greatly demanded across India and the light of the same is the manifestation of communal harmony of the nation’.
Source : timesofindia