Mould-making on Chitpur Road

It takes a lifetime to see forms in the formless, shapes in the shapeless. And, art in the artless. Elegant utensils immaculately hewn out of wood are sold on the streets of Calcutta as commonly as sleaze rules the nights of Amsterdam. I ransacked shops on Chitpur Road for handcrafted wooden ‘Sondesh’ moulds, that have been fast replacing the dearer kinds made of terracotta or stone. Wooden rolling pins and boards too sold there for a pittance. It appeared the outlets dealt in the range of tools primarily used in Bengal’s confectionery, like Barkosh - the giant wooden platter for kneading dough or displaying wares, and as huge paddles used to stir kheer, and, when the oars are missing, row boats too!