Once, Bhera was renowned for various smithy crafts, particularly the daggers, swords, and cutlery. As per the record in 1911, there were around 20 workshops in Bhera, producing cutlery … even exported abroad. The craftsmen of Bhera were well-known for their mother-of-pearl work on swords, daggers, cutlery, walking sticks, and ivory and precious stones. Mother of pearls is not a craft in its own right. It gives the best results when used in combination with two other crafts.
Unfortunately, the art has disappeared from Bhera, because the master craftsmen are no longer alive … lack of demand and patronage. For more details, see the book Crafts of Sargodha – Crafts and Craftsmen of Punjab Vol.III. Project of Publication of Books on Handicrafts, by the Handicrafts and Design Directorate, Punjab Small Industries Corporation, Lahore, 2010.
Zahid Mumtaz
