SWAT:
Faced with an onslaught of modernity, centuries-old traditional water mills or jranda as they are locally known in Swat, are disappearing fast.
Indigenous water mills have been in use custodial battle since time immemorial.
They are powered by fast-flowing water channelled from a canal or stream which turns the heavy grindstone producing flour.
Since Swat valley is blessed with a myriad streams and canals, thousands of traditional water mills are scattered across the valley, milling flour for locals, practically free of cost.
But with the introduction of new technology, water mills are fast disappearing fast from the countryside and with them, an ancient symbol of our culture.
“The taste and standard of the flour ground in water mills is far superior to flour ground in flour mills and that is why people from far-flung areas bring their grains to water mills,” said Umer Khan, a social activist from Shinkat village.
“Flour ground in a water mill is natural and does not spoil for years.” Traditional water mills do not pollute the environment, nor do they require electricity or fuel, he added.
Despite the fact that there are mechanised flour mills in Shinkat and its suburbs, more than 10,000 people living in villages prefer to grind their grains in a very famous water mill known as Druz Garai Jranda.
“Flour ground in traditional water mills remains safe from insects and other pests for one whole year. This is why you can see loads and loads of sacks filled with grains waiting for their turn,” said Gul Zameen, while milling flour.
While there is a long list of benefits attached to flour ground in water mills, the one disadvantage is that it is time-consuming. It takes several hours to grind a single kilogramme (kg) of wheat.
Javed Khan, a student of grade nine, who was concentrating on his book, was also waiting in the queue.
I travelled for two hours to come here to have my maize ground by the water mill, he told The Express Tribune. “I am studying for board exams, so I brought my books along, because I have to wait for my turn.”
The water mill is owned by four brothers. The brothers take a small quantity of grain as payment which is ten times less than what flour mills charge.
“We have been operating this mill since childhood but we charge less than mechanised flour mills. We take 50kg flour for grinding 2,000kg, said Umara Khan, one of the owners of the water mill.
“We arrange food and tea for our customers as well,” he added. The mill has been in their family for generations.
Traditional water mills are environment-friendly and do not consume energy.
The government in partnership with non-government organisations should improve on their design and technology to preserve them and encourage their use.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 20th, 2012.
COMMENTS (4)
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Great feature article ET. Next time, make sure such articles are longer, with more details, more photos etc. I am tired of reading about bombs, jalsas and politics.
Well! Waziristan especially the area of Kaniguram Valley and around has already done away with this tradition unfortunately due to many factors including shortage of water and non-maintenance of water channels. One other disadvantage of shifting to mechanical wheat grinding is the lack of taste. The bread made of water grinded wheat or maize flour used to be very tasty
who cares for such indigenous and harmless source of grinding grains. it could be more useful to generate electricity but who will make use of it?
Fazal: Its good to reflect about this very vital centuries old technology, which has zero operating cost and zero carbon emission.
Grafting on the this technology with minimum investment can benefit ( electricity and water lifting uphill) those communities.
There has lot of work been done but dissemination of these learning could be done based on the interest of donors who have focused on climate change, poverty and environmental issues.