Shiva Lal BK: The Iron Craftsman

Practitioner of a Vanishing Art

by Eena Shrestha

14 November 2017

Utkrishta Mulmi takes a good overall picture of Mr. BK's workplace and residence.

Today we went on a hike to Taudaha, on a quest to find the lapsi plum to make achar with. A journey through the forest and a collection of seven kilograms of plum later we came to a settlement. As we walked past a shed, we heard the sound of hammering and sizzling fire.

And we knew we had stumbled upon a blacksmith’s workshop. We had to enter and meet him and learn more about what he does and how. The blacksmith was a 63 year old Shiva Lal BK. He has been working from the age of 16.

Tools by Mr. BK can be seen in the four photographs below including one being heated in the forge, a khurpa, a kuto, and a chimta. Photo credits go to Utkrishta Mulmi, Anita Bhattarai, and Eena Shrestha. 

He worked in Makwanpur district until he was 46 years old then he migrated to Kathmandu in the hope of better earnings and livelihood. He currently lives in the shed that serves as his workstation as well as his shop. It’s not much to look at but that is the home and he pays Rs. 5000 rent.

His work is to make new iron utensils such as the spade, digging tools, hammer, khukuri, the sickle hansiya used to cut grass and the sickle khurpa used to cut wood. As he sat there, we saw him heat, pound, and sharpen a sickle for which he charged 40 rupees. That may not seem like much but then, the khukuris and other tools that he makes can cost as much as 3000 rupees or more.

He was a nice man, dressed simply and gave us information easily and pleasantly. His living, working, and sales shop was relatively free of smoke and strong smell of burning. He was very generous to let us interview him and give us his time. He talked to us as he worked the forge, hammered the heated metal and used a file for a bit.

We watched as he put the iron in the forge. Once red hot, he brought it out and hammered it until he created the shape of a digging tool and then he dipped the hot iron which was now grey into cold water.

Mr. BK's residence, workplace, and shop above, both photos by Utkrishta Mulmi. 

Photo credit Anita Bhattarai.

The Kami or the blacksmith are one of different craftsmen of Nepal. He works the iron. Then there are the Tamrakars who work with copper and Sunars who work with gold. The village blacksmith uses fairly primitive tools to work with, the hammer, the primitive small anvil, the forge which used leather bags and now has a small blower. The fuel that they use is wood coal.

The "black" in "blacksmith" refers to the black fire scale, a layer of oxides that forms on the surface of the metal while being heated. Smith comes from the old English word "smythe" meaning "to strike."

It was a pleasure for us to be with him and spend a little time with him after our adventures in the forest.