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| June 25, 2006 | Sunday | Jumadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1427 |
The unsung heroes
LAHORE, June 24: The archaeology department has failed to recognise the worth of craftsmen engaged in restoration of monuments, as it is not willing even to pay them wages equivalent to that of masons.
After giving 35 years of his life to the work of restoring monuments in Punjab, craftsman Rifaqat Ali is still hoping against hope to get better wages.
“You will be surprised to know that the provincial archaeology department pays a craftsman not more than Rs300 for eight-hour duty a day while a mason charges at least Rs400 for that much time from the people.
“Today I feel uneasy while transferring the art to my three sons,” Rifaqat, who is engaged in restoring the southern part of Wazir Khan mosque these days, told Dawn.
“Low wages are not the only problem. A craftsman has to remain without work for a certain period of time sometimes more than a year when the department has no project at hand. During that period most of us turn to masonry for earning our livelihood. When the federal archaeology department hires us for a Unesco-funded project those turn out to be the better days, as it pays at least Rs500 per day.”
Rifaqat was 12 when his father brought him to the profession. His father was a security guard in the archaeology department. His father made him and his brother (Rifaqat’s uncle) pupil of Ghulam Mohyuddin, a famous craftsman of Chiniot.
“In the first year of my training I learnt how to mix colours. Thereafter, my teacher trained me in designing, fresco painting, stucco tracery work, cutting and cleaning of marble and mirror. I did not take me much time to master the art. My mentor would not charge any thing from me and my uncle, rather he would help in getting the work from private persons.”
A native of Shahdara Town, Rifaqat Ali has played a key role in restoration of several monuments in Punjab that include Badshahi, Wazir Khan, Sunehri, Marryam Zamani mosques, Darbar Shergarh Daud Badhki in Hujra Shah Muqeem, Darbar of Sufi Allah Dita in Tajpura and Darbar of Sufi Abdul Aziz in Kasur.
According to him, the best example of fresco and stucco tracery work can be witnessed in Wazir Khan and Marryam Zamani mosques. “To restore a monument to its original form is not an easy thing. We, the craftsmen, work hard without a day off to get the job done in time. But in return the department gives us neither reasonable wages nor any incentive. My uncle has already turned to masonry owing to this reason.
“I do not see better future of my sons in this profession but the passion for the art does not allow me to force them to switch to masonry.”
His elder son Basharat is working in Wazir Khan mosque and two younger sons — Sharafat and Shafaqat — are currently restoring Muhabat Khan mosque, Peshawar and Darbar Sharif Shah Ismail near Jain Mandir, Lahore, respectively.
Rifaqat has drawn some three-dozen paintings as well during his career. He had asked the federal archaeology department to rent him a shop in the Lahore Fort for displaying his work for sale but his request fell on deaf ears.
“When Queen Elizabeth arrived here in the regime of Nawaz Sharif, I and my team were asked by the federal archaeology department to do fresco and stucco tracery work, and plaster and cleaning of marble at Diwan-i-Aam. But its bill, amounting Rs450,000, has yet to be paid by the department. I have submitted a number of application to the department’s head but to no avail.”
What he wants from the government is the payment against the work he has done in the fort.
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