An Object a Day - #4: Sil Batta/ Shil Noda

DAY 4 in the Series on A Handcrafted Object Of Daily Use

Crafted objects that I use on a daily basis, which are beautiful, functional and sustainable.

Today’s object is a Sil Batta 

(or Shil Noda in Bangla)

This Sil Batta belonged to my mother-in-law. It came with her to Delhi from Kolkata when she moved here after her marriage, more than half a century ago. 

She used it, and now I do. 

As I have written earlier in 'Who Designed the Sil Batta - and why should we care?' http://anishashekhar.blogspot.com/2010/06/who-designed-sil-batta.html

'If you pause to think about what the sil-batta does for and to you, it seems that it may actually be far more progressive and modern to use it rather than the mixie. The energy and resources consumed in its design and production are minimal – the design is well-disseminated, familiar to both maker and user, does not require fancy 3D mock-ups or scale-models, and contains no high energy parts such as steel or plastic. The stone may require high-energy resources in quarrying but further shaping is primarily by hand tools wielded by skilled stone-workers, and causes practically no pollution in production. 

The stone for the sil-batta in my family must have been quarried half a century ago. Unless I drop it on the floor and break it, there is no reason why it will not give service for another half a century more and be used by my daughter to pass on to whoever she wishes. Whenever my cook or I use it, the only energy we expend is ours. The taste is fresher, I believe the nutrients are retained, and I do not need to go to a gym to get exercise for my arms!'