KumaonBuild

As part of the documentation, the KumaonBuild team shadowed Gangaram ji(Bubu) and Lalit as they worked. It was during these long work hours did one see the personalities of the artists shine and get a glimpse into their lives. Below is the transcript of one of many interesting conversations  between the two. Here B: Bubu; L: Lalit; P: Prateek and A: Aakanksha (KumaonBuild team members).

Date: 15th March 2017
Village: Diyari (Bubu’s house)
Time: 10 am to 4 pm

(Day 21 of work)
Bubu worked on ‘chite’ (buds of pine cone) of the central member today while Lalit was still working on the lower half of the second vertical member. The conversations were lesser than usual as both were immersed in work. Whatever conversation that did happen were during the short breaks in between.

Bubu’s views on education:
B: “Pehle do hi school hua karte the yahan (points at two different directions); ek kakcha 2 tak, ek kakcha 4 tak… Yahan ke padhe hue bacche aaj kahan kahan pauche hai... Tab ke jamane mein hoti thi padhai…”
“Ab toh padhai chaupat kar di hai in ullu ke patthoi ne (teachers)…paise ke peeche pade hai sab… padhai hi jar (root) hoti hai…kharab kar di in logo ne…”
A to Lalit: (Lalit was working on the lower half of wood which have the elements: kursi, bhedi, koshe) “Yeh purana dekh kar banaya, ya yaad ho gaya hai?”
L: “Thoda dekha bubu wala…vaise ab yaad ho gaya hai... bana lunga”

Meanwhile during another break, bubu was advising Lalit to get married.

B: “Kitni umar ho gayi?”
L: “24 saal”
B: “Shaadi kar lo, buddhe ho jaoge nahi toh...kar lo”

Talking about the importance of education again:
B: “har cheez ka bantwara ho jaata hai, padhai ka kabhoi nahi hota; saath rehta hai zindagi bhar”
P: “Bubu is kaam (likhai) ka bhi bantwara bhi nahi ho sakta; saath reahega zindagi bhar!”
B: “Ye bhi (likhai) khatam ho raha hai… aap jaise kuch shaukeen log hai jo chala raha hai… nahi to
luft hi hui yeh kala”

Lalit is currently working on cheed wood which is prone to infestation of insects; during work, today, a tiny crawler came out from one of the small cavities in the wood. However, Tun wood stays free from such insects, as per bubu. Another problem that surfaced is the development of cracks in the wood. Again, the cheed wood is more susceptible to crack under sun than Tun.