Photojournalism : Cricket Bat Industry in Kashmir

Ooo snap. We invite a guess writer and he wrote far more melancholic and tell his side of stories like nobody business. Like other guess writer, the appearance he made is quite strong if not bold. I'm sure in no time, he will get his own niche of followers. Nevertheless, we would like to thanks him for his superb portraiture and very artistic view of human gesture. Thank you Ariffin.

Thanks you Ariffin. Willow wood for cricket bat making. Two sizes. One for handle and one for plate.

 Well, trigger by this event (he posting very strong blog post), my inner ultra kiasu attitude cannot sit calm. Me and Kaz being senior writer felt disturbed (in a good way) especially me since I write the less. I cannot just sit down and admiring our own blog doing nothing, so here's my third post (ya ya ya, i know, Kaz posting most of the entry). To make thing more interesting and bringing the blog to more upper par, I'm doing this in photojournalism style (Phew, try to top this, writers).

This small lot selling very high quality cricket bat for even India's national player

The dusty windy road from Srinagar, the capital of Kashmir, to the town of Sangam, enroute to the tourist haven of Pahalgam (I shared in previous post), takes you from the 70s feeling to the striking. Winter is on their way hence the dusty and very dry air. Wood dust with very woody smell make you feel very uncomfortable. One have to cover their nose to adapt.

Sales nowadays is slightly decreased compare to 15 years back when cricket in India was like football in Latin Amarica

The road is flanked by sadly two-story brick structures, dusty stone factories and an army garrison surrounded by poorly camouflaged bunkers, stray dogs and dirty footpaths. Stray dogs cant cover their nose. I'm sure their lung is full of wood dust. Very small particle yet very damaging. Yeah, its wood and its biodegradable but you don't want it to be inside you.

partially ready bat. They still need to smooth this up and do few adjustment. You will be surprise when you can actually stand on this bat and it will swing you without broke.

But the muck is a prelude to a green corridor of hanging trees, soggy poppy fields, freshly tilled saffron gardens and towering snowcapped mountains beyond the horizon of the Pampor highway to Kashmir's south. This is paradise. Engine rattling and you know it need oil. I'm not sure if its ever grinded  a human hand before. I bet it was.

Abbas, already work here since he was 12 years old

Traditional Indian cricket bats are made from wood. In Kashmir it is made out of willow found in northern India. Some bats made in Kashmir are of international standards and  used by many national players in India.

Rounded shape handle before they merge with the plate

Kashmiri bats require constant knocking and oiling to make the bat good enough to use in a cricket match. Knocking makes the fibres of the willow blade compress together, which helps the bat bear the impact of the ball. Shaping the bad is done manually by knocking them for six hours.

The small smelly dusty handkerchief on Abbas face shows that what he need is balaclava

It has been some time since I entered this factory unannounced, interrupting him as he filed the shoulders of a newly cut bat, and he gestures that he needs to go back to work.