The concept of the wooden blocks children play with is old. In my ancestors’ home town, Bhera, district Sargodha ( I am sure in other old houses also), the wooden gauze was made of small blocks. These handmade, lightwood blocks were prepared in perfect size, shape and pattern: easily joined together, as children play jigsaw puzzles, without any glue, hinge, clip or nails. The gauze was fixed in a frame in front of the window. It provided light, fresh air, and the sound of Azan and prevented the birds from entering the room. They moreover, added to the beauty of the window. The gauze could be easily dismantled and damaged blocks replaced. A few pictures below show the small wooden blocks, and how these were joined together to assemble a wooden gauze.
Antiques and Artifacts Related to Bhera. Shared with Courtesy: Zahid Mumtaz and family. Part 2. To be continued
