Subscribe in a reader | Subscribe by Email Skill needed to make Punjabi bed
By JAYAGANDI JAYARAJ
jaya@thestar.com.my
Be it a dance, craftwork, food or an artisanal skill, traditional art and craft can only be preserved if it is taught and passed down to the younger generation by the experts. This new column highlights individuals who play a part in the preservation works and the younger ones who strive to carry on with the tradition.
NOT far from the Gurdwara Sahib temple in PJS 7/15, there is a small workshop that produces custom-made furniture.
Skilled workers from Punjab, India can be seen assembling a prayer altar or varnishing a large chair made to a customer’s specifications.
When there is an order for the traditional Punjabi bed or better known as a Manjaa, these men will be kept busy knotting ropes to fill the wooden bed frame.
“You can rarely see the beds these days and it is also difficult to find skilled craftsmen who are able to knot the ropes to make the bed right,†said carpentry workshop owner Jaswant Singh.
Jaswant Singh, who has been making the Manjaa for the last 10 years, started due to requests.
“I grew up sleeping on these beds and am aware of the benefits so I thought other people and the younger generation should also have a feel of it.
“I brought in some skilled workers from India to make the beds and continue with the tradition,†said Jaswant Singh.
His customers are mostly Punjabis but through word of mouth, others are also placing orders for the bed.
Customer Charanjeet Kaur said she bought a Manjaa to own something that represented her Punjabi identity.
“We had it in my grandparents home and now that I am married, I also want it in my home,†said Charanjeet from Old Klang Road.
The single bed is placed in her living room and used as a day bed.
Jaswant Singh said a Manjaa is believed to reduce backache.
The beds are usually two to three feet above the floor compared to modern beds, for better ventilation.
“When I was young, we would sleep underneath the bed during a hot day,†he said.
Jaswant Singh said only an expert could make the knots and that the first and the most important knot was known as the Life Knot.
Traditionally, jute is used for the knotting. Sometimes nylon ropes are also used.
“Once the first knot is done right, the rest is not difficult. With the passage of time, the ropes might loosen but these can be tightened,†he said.
Manjaa
Manjaa is a traditional Punjabi bed and is made out of knotted ropes and a wooden frame. The wooden structure does not involve the use of nails to hold it together. The first knot when tying the Manjaa rope is called Jee or the Life Knot. Traditionally, jute is used for weaving but nylon strings are also gaining popularity due to being easily available. One does not require a mattress to sleep on the Manjaa but a thin mattress can be used for more comfort.
