We met Kamali di1 on a warm winter day in February. When I called to inform her about our visit, she graciously said, “Aunus na, moh tapai haru ko lagi samay banauchu” (Please come, I will make time for you). Her metal workshop is located on West Sikkim’s Sikkip highway, slightly below the road. I first heard of Kamali di in 2024 from our director Prava Rai. A woman blacksmith! A man mostly comes to mind when one thinks of blacksmiths, a gendered occupation. But here is Kamali Bishwakarma, a 44-year-old woman lohar (blacksmith) who has been forging ahead for twenty-eight years.
Pointing to the framed certificate adorning the wall, Kamali di shared that she underwent blacksmith training in 2020 at Jorethang’s State Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj. “I was the only woman in a group of ten, but I was intent on attending to learn more. Even our instructors were surprised to see a woman blacksmith.”
Under a tin shed, surrounded by occupational paraphernalia, she greeted us brightly with a Namaste. She sat on a wooden stool, with her anvil and hammer in the front, the bellows, and the fire on her side. Pointing to the framed certificate adorning the wall, Kamali di shared that she underwent blacksmith training in 2020 at Jorethang’s State Institute of Rural Development & Panchayati Raj. “I was the only woman in a group of ten, but I was intent on attending to learn more. Even our instructors were surprised to see a woman blacksmith”. She added that the ten days of training, alongside accommodation at Geyzing Panchayat Hall with other women, travel, and food, were government-funded. Showing us her metal grinder machine, she said, “I am very grateful to SIRD’S instructors. I learned how to use this machine during my training. It helps us solely in grinding, but people don’t understand its usage and say products created with it aren’t good. But I am thankful to the creator of this machine as it helps us, even for a bit, as earlier we sharpened blades by hand. After grinding, we apply pine, otherwise, the products get spoiled”. She added that her ex-husband had undergone the very same training sixteen years ago.
Despite not knowing that she would become a blacksmith, from an early age, she enjoyed shaping hasiyas (sickle), making kitchen knives, doing repair work, and even sharpening knives... Kamali di shared that her baba Chandra Bahadur Bishwakarma and daju Ratna Bahadur Bishwakarma later taught her blacksmithy...When asked if from a young age she knew she would become a blacksmith, she shared a Nepali proverb “Das mann ma ek mann lai pani thaha thiyena”.
Kamali di was born in Nichgaon, soon after her family moved to Sikkip. Their family consisted of her father, two mothers (biological and step), and a brother ten years her senior. Being poor, they didn’t own land and lived on other people’s land, where she learned to farm, look after animals, and chase monkeys. She recounted being called hurtful phrases by people like “Oralle ko chori” (daughter of a cave dweller). Both her baba (father) and daju (brother), worked as blacksmiths. Laughing, she reminisced about her childhood, saying she used to play with their hammers and misplace them, with her daju saying, “Where did this monkey hide it?” Despite not knowing that she would become a blacksmith, from an early age, she enjoyed shaping hasiyas (sickle), making kitchen knives, doing repair work, and even sharpening knives. Her baba used to see her work and say, “She is going to take care of me”. Then her Ama (mother) Jari Maya passed away, and a year after her death, she eloped. Kamali di shared that she married early after being persuaded by a kuttuni (matchmaker), expecting a good life and to continue her studies. But life turned out differently than she had envisioned. Her daju did come to take her home, but she didn’t return. “I guess this was my karma as I didn’t return home but stayed and endured suffering”. Kamali di shared that her baba Chandra Bahadur Bishwakarma and daju Ratna Bahadur Bishwakarma later taught her blacksmithy. She got teary-eyed as she remembered her daju who passed away, “He began doing labour work from 14 years old to look after us when baba fell sick. I hope he rests well. He taught me everything he knew”. When asked if from a young age she knew she would become a blacksmith, she shared a Nepali proverb “Das mann ma ek mann lai pani thaha thiyena”. (Literal translation: "If I had ten hearts, even one heart didn’t know this would happen". Meaning this was something she hadn't thought of).
Photo: Samiksha Gurung
“I make everything, for instance, weapons like khukuri (Nepali short sword), khurmi (woman’s khukhuri), hasiya (sickle), talwar (sword), bamfok (knife), chedo (cleavers), etc. Tools like kata (pitchfork), kutte (shovel), churi (kitchen knives), and musical instruments like the machunga, etc. I always recognise the tools I have made”.
She says a blacksmith’s job is multifaceted, requiring multiple skills. They cannot work without a fire, so she carries mud to build the forge. Coal is needed for the fire, which she either buys or sometimes makes from driftwood she finds in the river or lying around. She also makes and carves the wooden handles for her tools, saying that dried Sagun (teak) is the best.
Kamali di’s working day lasts from 8-8:30 am to 5 pm. Her aaran (metal workshop) is open six days a week, with Sundays off as she attends Christian Mass. She works even during festivals like Dashain-Tihar (Dussehra/ Diwali), only occasionally going out with family and friends. On being asked what she makes, smiling, she answered, “I make everything, for instance, weapons like khukuri (Nepali short sword), khurmi (woman’s khukhuri), hasiya (sickle), talwar (sword), bamfok (knife), chedo (cleavers), etc. Tools like kata (pitchfork), kutte (shovel), churi (kitchen knives), and musical instruments like the machunga, etc. I always recognise the tools I have made”. She says a blacksmith’s job is multifaceted, requiring multiple skills. They cannot work without a fire, so she carries mud to build the forge. Coal is needed for the fire, which she either buys or sometimes makes from driftwood she finds in the river or lying around. She also makes and carves the wooden handles for her tools, saying that dried Sagun (teak) is the best. In January 2025, for ten days, she exhibited and sold her tools in a government-provided stall at Jorethang’s Maghey Sankranti Mela2 for the third time. She is very grateful for Leela phupu’s (aunty) encouragement as her products sold well, regretting that health issues stopped her from making more.
Thak-thak-thak. As she explains the process, her voice is interspersed by the sounds of metal being moulded... “It is tough, but I am happy. Some people said blacksmithy is for men, daughters shouldn’t act over smart. But I believe anyone can do this work. Women are pilots and everything else now. This work is done just sitting on the ground and requires effort.”
Her workday is composed of making new tools or repairing tools. “I buy metal from Jorethang bazaar; it costs Rs 50 to 60 for a piece. At first, I beat the raw metal and make a blade like this one for the hasiya (sickle), then we beat it again by hand after heating it”. Thak-thak-thak. As she explains the process, her voice is interspersed by the sounds of metal being moulded. “If I work fast, I can make a medium hasiya blade in 15-20 minutes, larger ones for cutting firewood require about half an hour”. The metal temperature constantly needs to be monitored, she adds, “If you don’t learn to handle metal properly, it will burn you. You have to use the tongs like they are your hands”. I asked how she finds her work, to which she answered, “It is tough, but I am happy. Some people said blacksmithy is for men, daughters shouldn’t act over smart. But I believe anyone can do this work. Women are pilots and everything else now. This work is done just sitting on the ground and requires effort”. In this era of technology, Kamali di wants people to remember Nepali culture and traditions. “Blacksmiths are an important part of our society. How would one plough a field without tools? Technology has brought in all kinds of products, but many local people say those tools aren’t very helpful. They tell me that factory-made shovels become loose, bent, or break easily”. She emphasizes quality as it will harm her reputation as a Kami3 woman blacksmith. “I don’t mind when people call me kami or kamini, but it makes me angry when they use crude words like dangra. People think of certain castes as big and others small. I don’t believe in such things and focus on doing my job well”. She added, “People say only kami people make good blacksmiths. But it’s not like that; if people learn, they can also be good blacksmiths. This profession is not limited to a caste. If professions are according to caste, then being a woman, I shouldn’t be a blacksmith as this profession is said to belong to men. Isn’t it?”
"Blacksmiths are an important part of our society. How would one plough a field without tools?"
"I don’t mind when people call me kami or kamini, but it makes me angry when they use crude words like dangra. People think of certain castes as big and others small. I don’t believe in such things and focus on doing my job well".
"People say only kami people make good blacksmiths. But it’s not like that; if people learn, they can also be good blacksmiths. This profession is not limited to a caste. If professions are according to caste, then being a woman, I shouldn’t be a blacksmith as this profession is said to belong to men. Isn’t it?"
Kamali di hopes to work as a blacksmith until she is 60 or 70. “I enjoy my work. I am habituated to getting caught up working and don’t like staying home. I am not very interested in sleeping, watching TV, or using my phone. My children say, Ama, please rest. But I tell them, Nani (children), I don’t like resting as my body hurts even more. Then they say, fine, but please don’t overwork yourself”. She shared that she suffered a lot after marriage. She recounts that her in-laws were good people; her ex-husband was the problem. “After separating, I am quite happy. I pray to God that if I die and am reborn, I never see him in all 7 lives”. After two years of marriage, her eldest son was born, but they struggled financially, doing odd jobs. Soon after, her stepmother passed away, then her baba passed on his nihai (anvil) and bhatti (bellows) to her as he wanted her family to be financially stable. Her ex-husband had a drinking problem, alcohol is something she dislikes even now. But she loved him and believing he would change; she stayed by his side for decades. They learned blacksmithy from her baba and daju and began working together, yet he wasn’t interested in work. When she married, she barely knew housework, but soon she began to work and manage their house. They built a house in Birdhang, where they lived with their five children (two sons and three daughters). Kamali di recounts repeated instances of domestic violence, yet she continued to work hard and pushed ahead. She shared, “I used to carry 50kgs of rice up the hill to our Birdhang home yet he wasn't pleased. He was also not very interested in our children’s education, constantly giving them chores”. Kamali di studied till class three and always yearned to study more; she regrets that her four children couldn’t complete their studies and hopes her youngest daughter will graduate as a lawyer. The last straw for her marriage was when her husband brought another wife. She decided to leave, taking her children with her. “It has been a decade since our separation”.
She shared that she suffered a lot after marriage...She recounts repeated instances of domestic violence, yet she continued to work hard and pushed ahead...“It has been a decade since our separation”.
“If we don’t cradle courage within our palms, nothing is possible”.
She shared that it has been about four years since she converted to Christianity from Hinduism. “I feel like all Gods are the same no matter what religion one follows. I believe all religions are one. No religion is above another. After all, it is about love and kindness”.
As her story unravels, Kamali di finishes a hasiya blade and begins working on kitchen knives for us. She shared that it has been about four years since she converted to Christianity from Hinduism. When asked about her experience, she answered that it is good; fellow Christians were helpful when she was ill. She added, “I feel like all Gods are the same no matter what religion one follows. I believe all religions are one. No religion is above another. After all, it is about love and kindness”. She begins hammering a knife blade, saying, “Sometimes, metal specks get into my eyes. It has occurred thrice now”. Since then, on the doctor’s advice, she wears spectacles even though she dislikes them. At times, she also gets injured while making wooden handles. Sometimes, her body hurts like a roller running over her; she says it probably stems from the deep wounds her ex-husband inflicted. She shared that she also struggled with mental health issues and has received treatment for it. “When people go through a lot and overthink, their minds become messed up, but I thought of my children and decided to live”. After her separation, her in-law kaka (uncle)Aryan Silal4 , who is a supportive father figure, advised her to come to Sikkip, providing her with space for her metal workshop. Since then, six years have passed. Kamali di had a tough life, but she pushes forward, saying, “If we don’t cradle courage within our palms, nothing is possible”.
Sometimes, her body hurts like a roller running over her...She shared that she also struggled with mental health issues and has received treatment for it.
Photo: Samiksha Gurung
After her separation, her in-law kaka (uncle)Aryan Silal, a supportive father figure, advised her to come to Sikkip and provided her with space for her metal workshop. Six years have passed since then.
Our conversation gets interrupted as her grandson Satyam offers her amlas (gooseberry). “He is my daughter Birshika’s son; she works outside, so I brought him here to live with me and to educate him”. She tells him to offer us amlas and instructs him to get her small hammer. At present, she lives in a rented accommodation with her baba who is eighty-two, Satyam, her eldest son Krishna, his wife Samiksha, and their son Simon. She begins to fan the fire with the bellows. I have never seen anything like it before; she pulls a string, making it blow air. She says it is tough to beat metal and use the bellows simultaneously. But now, Krishna works alongside her as a blacksmith, which makes her happy. Regarding her income, she says she is working hard to educate her daughter. Sometimes, she has to borrow money, but she is managing. “I am content with my sons and daughters, my grandchildren, my daughters-in-law and son-in-law. My younger son and two daughters are married as well. I am educating my youngest daughter through this job, she is studying LLB. My hopes and wishes now rest on my family”. Having faced many hurdles in life, she doesn’t want to treat anyone badly. Smiling, she says she would always like to extend a helping hand to people.
“I am content with my sons and daughters, my grandchildren, my daughters-in-law and son-in-law. My younger son and two daughters are married as well. I am educating my youngest daughter through this job, she is studying LLB. My hopes and wishes now rest on my family”.
Kamali di never wants to stop learning and is interested in learning everything. She weaves dokos (baskets) to store vegetables, makes stools to sit on, and even keeps bees...Tailoring is also something she enjoys.
She says she would love to teach people blacksmithy. “No work is big or small. I believe that people learn through either rahar (interest), dukha (sorrow), or sukha (contentment)”. She adds that some women may feel more comfortable learning from another woman, and she welcomes women who want to learn. She is also open to teaching men.
Kamali di never wants to stop learning and is interested in learning everything. She weaves dokos (baskets) to store vegetables, makes stools to sit on, and even keeps bees. Smiling, she said it has been two years since she started beekeeping. She has three beehives, two near her work shop and one near her house. Tailoring is also something she enjoys. Years ago, she purchased a sewing machine to provide clothes for her five children. But due to financial difficulties, she had to sell it. Laughing, she said, “This money, we need it for something or the other. But who doesn’t need money?” Driving is something she yearns to learn. She adds, “But I have stopped doing other work. I can’t do everything I wish to as I don’t have the time”. She says she would love to teach people blacksmithy. “No work is big or small. I believe that people learn through either rahar (interest), dukha (sorrow), or sukha (contentment)”. She adds that some women may feel more comfortable learning from another woman, and she welcomes women who want to learn. She shared that her Ama used to do a bit of metalwork. On being asked, if she knows any other women blacksmiths, Kamali di said that she doesn’t know any woman blacksmiths and wishes to meet one. She is also open to teaching men. On being asked how people generally behave with her, she answered, “My dealings are mostly with men as this profession is as such. Before my son was here, at times, I needed help with cutting wood and making coal, I used to employ men. What they thought of me is on them. As of now, no one has raised a finger at me. I believe one should behave well, be it men or women”.
Photo: Samiksha Gurung
"I learned to make this treasured weapon of our ancestors from childhood. All the parts composing a khukuri hold meaning"... She adds that a khukuri made with care and effort takes around five days. But it is sold for Rs 2,500, barely covering the price of her labour.
Kamali di says that her favorite weapon to create is the Khukuri. Smiling, she reminisced her baba saying that khukuris have gotras (lineage/ clan). “I learned to make this treasured weapon of our ancestors from childhood. All the parts composing a khukuri hold meaning. The blade is called patti, and khol is the pattern on it. The small indentation in the blade is called kauri. The curve of the blade is called dhar. The small strip of metal bolstering the blade is called kajo. The metal inside the ber (handle) is called paro, the blade should extend inside it. The dap (cover) is made of teak wood and engraved with metal designs. The metal strips on the ber are called badheko and the metal tip is called kothi”. She adds that a khukuri made with care and effort takes around five days. But it is sold for Rs 2,500, barely covering the price of her labour. “People think making a khukhuri isn’t a big deal; they see it as just beating metal thak-thak. They don’t see the resources required like coal, metal, and wood, alongside hours of the blacksmith’s labour”. She also shared the story behind the khukuri’s kauri. In olden times, the khukuri blade was plain. But in battle, the blade got stained with blood, dripping onto the handle, making it hard to use the khukuri. Our ancestors then created the kauri, a small indentation on the blade that diverts the blood flow. “We still create the kauri, like our ancestors did, allowing the khukhuri to be grasped firmly”. She says that it takes many things to make one khukuri. One has to mould raw metal with a hammer, shape the blade, create the handle, and make a cover. Smiling, she adds, “Our lives are also like making a khukuri, we need many things to build a life”.
She says that it takes many things to make one khukuri. One has to mould raw metal with a hammer, shape the blade, create the handle, and make a cover. Smiling, she adds, “Our lives are also like making a khukuri, we need many things to build a life”.
Photo: Samiksha Gurung
"I don’t ask for too much, but I won't ask for less. I want to continue my work and do it better". She hopes for a bit of help and support from others but never entirely depends on others. She wants to pass on her blacksmith skills to her son Krishna, whom she believes will make a skilled blacksmith. She is grateful for everything, and from the bottom of her heart wishes her family will prosper.
Going forward, Kamali di says she doesn’t have many wishes. “I don’t ask for too much, but I won't ask for less. I want to continue my work and do it better. I want to build a nicer metal workshop. I also don’t have certain necessary tools like a big grinder, welding and drilling machines, etc. If I had better machines, I could work even better. Sometimes, I wish someone would help me, but I guess it isn’t possible. The Sikkim Government could aid blacksmiths more”. She hopes for a bit of help and support from others but never entirely depends on others. She wants to pass on her blacksmith skills to her son Krishna, whom she believes will make a skilled blacksmith. Recounting her house in Birdhang, she says that if a road gets built, someday she hopes to settle there with her children. She is grateful for everything, and from the bottom of her heart wishes her family will prosper. She adds that her baba brought her up working as a blacksmith, and she is grateful that he showed her a path she could follow. She is proud of her work. Kamali di says smiling, “Although I don’t tell my story to everyone, I feel people should share their stories”.
She adds that her baba brought her up working as a blacksmith, and she is grateful that he showed her a path she could follow. She is proud of her work. Kamali di says smiling, “Although I don’t tell my story to everyone, I feel people should share their stories”.
- Didi: Elder sister in the Nepali language ↩︎
- Every year, a big mela takes place in Jorethang during the ‘Maghey Sankranti Festival’ in January ↩︎
- Kami: is a ‘Schedule Caste’ Nepali-speaking community spread across Sikkim, Darjeeling, Kalimpong, Dooars, etc. The Kami community, alongside the Damai and Sarki groups are said to be Dalits, they are also present in Nepal. ↩︎
- Her ex-husband was a Silal, a part of the Kami community ↩︎
Bibhusha Rai is a writer and researcher from Darjeeling. She works as the research and editorial support for the 'Sikkim Projec't website. She has a BA and MA in English Literature from the University of Delhi. In 2022, she was the second-prize recipient of the national Wingword Poetry Prize for her poem 'Darjeeling Tea'. She also was a research fellow in the Confluence Collective’s 2021-22 project 'Darjeeling Himalayas- Stories from Within' (funded by the India Foundation for the Arts), creating a women-centric narrative titled "Ringtong Kamaan: What is her Mundane?" alongside photographer Ruchi Dyeksang. She also enjoys illustrating and created a set of Darjeeling food stickers with the Pomelo, an online Himalayan magazine. Her interests encompass food, the stories of women, and identity.
I am deeply grateful to Kamali didi, who shared her story and time with us. My thanks to her family members and Mr. Aryan Silal for their warm welcome. Thank you Samiksha for your wonderful photographs and Nivesh daju for accompanying us. Thank you so much Prava Ma'am for encouraging me to write this article and Mona Ma'am for your invaluable feedback.
A marvellous article about a wonderful woman. Thank you for this! It sheds light on the unseen and unacknowledged courage of millions of women who forge a pathway through difficult circumstances in their lives.
Dear Roslyn Namgyal,
Thank you so much for your wonderful words 🙂
Most women who take on traditionally male roles often adopt a masculine demeanor, but she remains graceful, strong, and undeniably powerful. Your storytelling beautifully captured her resilience and determination, making her story both impactful and empowering.
Thank you for shedding light on such an important story. I look forward to reading more and learning about more such inspiring stories
Dear Jyotsna Rai,
Thank you so much for your lovely words. The Sikkim Project hopes to continue sharing inspiring stories of our resilient people 🙂
Heart warming!
She is a great example, of courage and consistency Heartiest congratulation to Kamali Di and the SIRD.
HOPE MANY MORE SUCH ENTREPRENEURS COME OUT IN OUR SOCIETY
She needs mentorship and handholding I hope the SIRD will create a small space for display and sale of our products in the institution to support her.
Dear Santa Pradhan,
Thank you for your kind words, we agree with your sentiments 🙂