'Dheki'or 'Dhenki' of rural Bengal household is a kind of husking pedal operated in manner of seesaw machine. It was used largely upto the time when the rice mills set up in rural areas. I have seen it in my childhood operating in almost every household. Even, when I spent my under 10 days in maternal uncle's house, the sound of 'paar' of this Dheki used to hear all the time. It was operating just in my neighbor's house. Dheki was not only a device to grind rice or other crops, but it was like a useful member of family. The females of the family used to share their sorrows and joy with others working on it. It was also the inspiration of folk songs and proverbs. The song writers found it as sex symbols - the whole episode of conjugal life. However, since the inception of modern mills, the traditional heritage of this rural activities became part of past.
Comments