Our object in focus this month is this set of grain measures called kunke or sherpai from West Bengal, India. They are made specifically in Lokepur village in Birbhum district. The word sherpai is derived from two terms: ‘ser’ and ‘pai’ that are units of weight used in Bengal before the metric system was introduced as the standard for weights in 1956. Ser is a unit of weight equivalent to 80 tolas (1 tola = 11.664g). This equals 1 ser to almost 1 kilogram and ‘pai’ equals half a ser.
Traditionally these measures would be in a set of twelve and shaped allowing them to be stored stacked on top of each other. The largest measure stacked at the bottom would be 1 mon or maund (equalling 40 sers), followed by ½ mon, 10 ser, 5 ser,2.5 ser, 1 ser, 1 pai (half a ser), 1 adh pai (half pai), 1 pau (quarter of a ser), 1 adh pau (half pau), and 1 chhotaak (1/16th of a ser equalling almost 2 ounces). The twelfth piece would be an ornamental cap at the top of the set of sherpai. The total height of the stack would be well over five feet. Sets of eight, seven, or six measures were common for families with smaller requirements.
Kunke or sherpai are usually made using mango, palm or sheesham wood. The circular shape of the measures is first achieved by hand-shaping and then turning the wood on a lathe machine. The wood would attain a dark hue over time with constant use. However, with the sherpai being made for decorative purposes, more recently, a natural dye made using myrobalan and gooseberry is applied onto the surface of the wood. Two brass bands, one at the top and one at the bottom are first fitted onto the sherpai. Brass ornaments crafted by engraving punching, and piercing techniques are prepared separately and then fitted onto the surface of the wood.
Ornamented kunke or sherpai were used in the households of wealthy farmers. Grain measures used by less wealthy people would not have been as ornamented. Since the standardisation of weights to the metric system, the use of grain measures like these have reduced. Kunke or sherpai are now made mostly for decorative purposes. Presently, there is only one family practising the craft in Lokepur village, making this craft an endangered one. There have been efforts more recently by organisations like the Daricha Foundation in West Bengal who ran a project called ‘Saving the sherpai’ in 2023. More information about this project and details about the craft family they worked with together with images of the craft documentation is available to view on their website here.
We have seven examples at The South Asia Collection. We think these could be from different sets owing to two main reasons. The designs on some of them are evidently different to each other and the type of wood appears to be different too. In the possibility that it could be a set, it is highly likely that it is an incomplete one because the size difference between the largest measure and the second largest is more than the standard difference of measurement between two measures.
The seven kunke or sherpai are on display in our New Acquisitions display area. Do drop into the museum to have a look at them.