Journey of jewellery in 'Goyna Gram'

Near the capital city of Bangladesh, 'Goyna Gram' is a village with a rich tradition of jewellery craftsmanship dating back more than 150 years. 

The first process is assembling the beads; mostly housewives in the village do it. For each necklace, they get up to 40 taka. Beside their household work they can assemble seven necklaces each day. Vakurta, Savar, 10 September.

Previously, the jewellers used to make gold jewelleries but after the rise in gold prices, the jewellery artisans shifted to making silver jewellery.

A mixture of plaster mould is poured on the assembled beads. This process is called powdering and takes two to three hours to dry. Vakurta, Savar, 10 September.

After the 1900s, silver became less affordable as well, so they had to shift to brass and copper. 

A mixture of plaster mould is poured on the assembled beads. This process is called powdering and takes two to three hours to dry. Vakurta, Savar, 10 September.

In recent years, there has been a high demand for gold-plated jewellery. Nearly all the households in the village are related to making jewellery in some way. Because of its supply chain in all 64 districts throughout the country, it is popularly known as 'Goyna Gram' rather than its own name, 'Vakurta'. 

Previously used manual machines have been replaced by modern techniques; gas burners and air compressors are being used now. With these new machines, the production rate has increased five times. Vakurta, Savar, 10 September.

The artisans of this village make a wide range of jewellery, which includes earrings, rings, bangles, necklaces, bracelets, etc. All the glittery, sparkling jewelleries available in the big, glamorous shops are made in Vakurta. 

Fully developed bases are ready to sell to the whole sellers. Each pair of bangles is sold for one hundred to six hundred taka. These bangles are polished and coloured by the resellers, and the market price of each pair is five hundred to two thousand taka. Vakurta, Savar, 10 September.

Behind fully made fashionable eye-catching jewelleries, in shops lies the process of making these fashionable jewelleries, which is unseen by the majority.

A businessman has come from Bhaluka, Mymensingh, to buy jewellery for his shop. Alamgir has many customers from many districts. Alamgir says each shop has a product that costs from 10 lakhs to 50 lakhs taka. Vakurta, Savar, 10 September.

This photo story tells the journey of jewellery, their process of making it, and represents the hands behind the shine we see.

Some shops keep fully finished jewellery, they also have entered e-commerce. Customers come to these shops to buy jewellery for their own use, as it is cheaper here than in the market. Vakurta, Savar, 10 September.