A couple of a Thakurgaon village has been pulling the gear of Mustard Crushing-drum (Ghani) for extracting oil for the last twenty-year. Failing to purchase a bull for pulling the gear of the Ghani, the couple themselves works as the bull for a long time daily.
GuabariKismot village under Gorya union of Thakugaon Sadar upazila was once inhabited by nearly 50 Kolus (the persons who extract oil from Mustard by pulling a sort of elongated gear placed inside a crushing-drum with the help of a bull) families. The eyes of the bull were blinded by tying pieces of cloth as the animal was set to pull the gear of the Ghani for the entire-day on the circular way.
Now, the Mustard is being crushed in the mills and the use of Ghani has almost been reduced. Moreover, the mustard oil extracted through machines being cheaper, the demand of the oil extracted from Ghani has also been decreased. As a result, most of the Kolus have abandoned their paternal profession and adapted to other jobs.
Khorgo Mohan Sen and his wife Rina Rani Sen of Guabari Kismot village are an exception. To supply people with pure Mustard oil, they have been stick to their paternal profession till today. Khorgo Mohan Sen is now 60 and his wife Rina Rani Sen is 55. Once they used to move the gear of the crushing wheel to extract Mustard seeds with the help a bull and could collect six to seven kilogrammes of oil.
However, the want forced them to sell the bull and for the last 20-year they themselves are pulling the gear of the Ghani and are now collecting one to two kilogrammes of oil only. Being aged and ill, they can no longer work for a long time now days. But, for the last 20-year they have been pulling the gear of the Ghani to maintain his seven-member family including three sons and two daughters.
At present, every kilogramme of Mustard oil extracted from the Ghani is sold tat Tk 400 while the same oil crushed in machine is sold at Tk 160 per kg. The oil cake is sold at Tk 70 per kg. The couple can crush four to six kgs of Mustard by pulling the gear of the ghani from 6 AM to 10.00 AM daily.
Ashesh Roy of the village informed once upon a time, there were many Ghanis in the village. But, now only one is left and due to want of any bull, Khorgo and Rina themselves pull the gear of the Ghani.
Rina Rani Sen informed they have no ability to purchase a bull that is why them themselves pull the gear of the ghani. Occasionally, his elder son also helped her to pull the gear, she added.
Khorgo Mohan Sen informed he failed to adopt to any other profession rather than their paternal profession. Earlier, the bull used to pull the gear of the Ghani but now they themselves pull that. He further said if any one helped them by donating a bull, they would be able to spend rest of their lives without any hard labour.
