1. Introduction: Where Function Met Beauty
In the lanes of Lokepur, Birbhum, the familiar sound of hammering metal still rings from Bholanath Karmakar‘s old shop — a sound steeped in centuries of quiet pride. It is here, in this rural part of Bengal, that artisans have long transformed ordinary tools into lifelong keepsakes. One of the most extraordinary embodiments of this enterprise is the Sherpai, a series of measuring bowls that once anchored every agrarian household.
At first glance, a Sherpai may look simple: wooden bowls of graduating sizes and their polished surfaces dressed in bright brass. But look closer, and you see a living history etched into every curve. The Sherpai is more than a container — it is a story of precision, patience, and the poetic beauty of ordinary life. Once used to measure grains, pulses, and oil, these bowls now measure something else entirely — the artistry of Bengal’s rural soul.
2. Origin: From the Fields to the Artisan’s Bench
The word Sherpai comes from ‘ser’ and ‘pai’, traditional units of weight. Long before weighing scales and plastic containers entered rural kitchens, these bowls served as the trusted yardsticks of daily trade and household use. Farmers would pour their harvest into Sherpais — one ser, half a ser, a pai — their livelihoods quite literally measured in the graceful curve of a handcrafted bowl.
They were simple, plain, and highly functional. But with the passing years, something magical began to unfold. In the 1940s, Kamalakanta Karmakar, an artisan of the blacksmith community, started finding some aesthetic appeal in the utilitarian nature of these bowls. He began decorating them with thin sheets of brass that were embossed with intricate designs – floral vines, geometric borders, or undulating sunbeams. A tool of trade had gradually morphed into an artistic creation. This craft found its spiritual home in Lokepur village near Siuri in Birbhum district, where later generations of Kamalakanta, along with his students, perfected the technique.
3. How It Flourished: The Hands that Measured Time
For centuries, Bengal’s economy revolved around agriculture, and with it came an entire ecosystem of tools, rituals, and crafts. The Sherpai fit naturally into this fabric. It was not just a measuring device, but a symbol of fairness and trust in rural trade. A well-made Sherpai, balanced to perfection, was a mark of an honest merchant and a dependable household.
Creating a Sherpai is a slow and almost meditative endeavor. The craftsman starts with a seasoned wood block, spinning and shaping it until a smooth bowl is produced. Then the surface is darkened by using natural herbal dyes. Next is the brass — thin sheets cut precisely to contour the wooden geometry. Each sheet received embossing by hand using small machines before being fitted to the bowl. The visual contrast of golden metal, against blackened wood was an appealing combination that presented both rustic and regal qualities.
Traditionally, Sherpais were made in sets of twelve, each slightly larger than the next, so they would nest like a family. For farmers, these sets were cherished, polished, and stacked — not only functional, they added an air of quiet beauty to the home.
As Bengal’s folk art flourished through temple fairs and rural haats, the Sherpai was begun to be recognized beyond the village. During the time of the Indian National Struggle, the political leaders, in search of their roots, had come across the art of Sherpai and termed it as ‘Suri Bowls’. With time, the Urban collectors also took interest in these measuring bowls, spreading their recognition as a distinct craft of rural Bengal, transcending their utilitarian nature.
4. Two Distinct Variations: The Measure and the Memory
Over time, the Sherpai evolved into two distinct forms, reflecting the changing needs of society and the artisan’s imagination.
4.1 The Functional Sherpai: A Tool of Everyday Life
This was the Sherpai in its most unrefined state, as an instrument of accuracy. Farmers, merchants, and housewives handled it every day; its smooth surface had been worn down through many years of careful use. The brass inlay was minimal or sometimes completely absent, and the shape was functional, but there was a certain raw beauty in it.
Sadly, with the change of measuring techniques and arrival of weighing machines, this kind of Sherpai is hard to find out now, and it is on its verge of extinction.
4.2 The Decorative Sherpai: An Object of Beauty
As modern measurement tools replaced traditional ones, artisans turned the Sherpai into a decorative treasure. The brasswork became more elaborate, the motifs more expressive. No longer bound by function, these bowls became canvases for storytelling. The surfaces were embellished with birds, flowers, and geometric borders — each image reflected the beat of rural life.
Today, these ornamental Sherpais are treasured as collectible folk art, sold at handicraft fairs, and displayed in homes as representations of Bengal’s cultural heritage. The quality remains — a simple bowl, remade by people and made beautiful.
5. References in Popular and Cultural Memory
While Sherpais are not commonly depicted in films or literature, they remain a quiet presence in the memory of Bengal. In many old homes, Sherpais still occupy wooden wardrobes, remnants of a time when artisanship was an integral part of everyday life. The artisans like Bholanath Karmakar and Ruma Karmakar, master craftworkers from Birbhum, have carried this art into contemporary making. These artisans are now recognized for preserving a tradition of joining metal and wood, art and function.
Today, the Sherpai is becoming more visible as an icon of sustainable craft; the use of natural materials, hand-made details, and functional forms appeals to contemporary ideas of slow, mindful making. The Sherpai has entered back into cultural awareness, not as a tradesman’s tool, but as a durable crafted object.
6. Current Status: Between Legacy and Survival
Like many rural crafts, the Sherpai stands at a crossroads. Its practical purpose has faded — replaced by industrial containers and digital scales. Yet, what remains is something far more profound: the artistry, the symbolism, the identity of a craft that refuses to vanish.
In Lokepur, Bholanath Karmakar and his family are still holding the legacy of Kamalakanta Karmakar. There are hardly any other artisans who take an interest in preserving this age-old craft of Bengal. Even many family members of Bholanath are indifferent in this matter.
So, in 2013, with the initiative of the then BDO of concerning Khoyrasole block, Md. Israr featured Sherpai in the district diary of 2013. Even, he assured the training of self-help communities in order to ensure the continuation of this craft.
Every year, this training camp is held, following his footsteps. Sherpais are seen in fairs organized by the government, like Sabala Mela and more such events. These have helped to carry on the legacy.
With smart help through training, fair-trade selling, and design change, this heritage can have a lasting future. The Sherpai’s story, after all, is one of adaptation. If it could evolve once from a tool to an art form, it can surely evolve again to find relevance in the modern world.
7. Conclusion: The Measured Heartbeat of a Craft
Every Sherpai tells a story — not of grandeur, but of grace. It speaks of the farmer’s trust, the artisan’s patience, and the enduring rhythm of rural Bengal. Its wooden base carries the earth’s sturdiness; its brass glimmer mirrors the light of the sun that nourished the fields it once measured.
To own a Sherpai is to possess a moment in time; a reminder that even within the most utilitarian of objects, beauty may reside. In its simple, unpretentious shape rests the spirit of Bengal’s folk imagination: art is not separate from life but life itself.
As the world races toward mass production and transient functionality, the Sherpai humbly yet powerfully asserts that the genuine criterion for any craft lies not in its use value but in the heart and hands behind it.
REFERENCES:
NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE ARTICLE
1. Bongodorshon Information Desk. “বীরভূমের সেরপাই : ভোলানাথ কর্মকার ও জেলা প্রশাসনের উদ্যোগে প্রাণ ফিরে পাচ্ছে এই শিল্প”, Bongodorshon, February 20, 2025. https://www.bongodorshon.com/home/story_detail/birbhum-s-bholanath-karmakar-and-district-administration-kept-the-sherpai-or-suri-bowls-alive
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5. Sengupta, Dayal, “সের-পাই বাঁচাতে প্রশিক্ষণ”, Anandabazar Patrika, August 5, 2015. https://www.anandabazar.com/west-bengal/purulia-birbhum-bankura/%E0%A6%B8-%E0%A6%B0-%E0%A6%AA-%E0%A6%87-%E0%A6%AC-%E0%A6%9A-%E0%A6%A4-%E0%A6%AA-%E0%A6%B0%E0%A6%B6-%E0%A6%95-%E0%A6%B7%E0%A6%A3-1.187556
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WEB PAGE
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3. Daricha. “Sherpai”. Last accessed November 3, 2025. https://www.daricha.org/sub_genre.aspx?ID=133&Name=Sherpai
4. Indian Textiles and Crafts Repository. “Sherpai measuring bowls”. Last accessed November 3, 2025. https://www.vastrashilpakosh.in/search/recordPreview/nift_del-349-cfp?t=Sherpai%20measuring%20bowls
5. National Crafts Museum and Crafts Academy. “Kunke (Grain Measuring Bowl)”, Last accessed November 3, 2025. https://nationalcraftsmuseum.nic.in/artifacts-detail/31534
6. Project Tarasha. “Bholanath Karmakar”. Last accessed November 3, 2025. https://tarasha.org/artist/bholanath-karmakar
7. The South Asia Collection. “Sherpai or Kunke”. Last accessed November 3, 2025. https://thesouthasiacollection.co.uk/collection/sherpai-or-kunke/