SHELVES AND CUPBOARDS Two things exist from my boyhood days till date is shelvesand cupboards or almirah. In my boyhood days almirah was a luxury. Almirah hastwo advantages over shelves. One is it can be closed and locked. Other is comparingto shelf dust accumulation is very less. In offices very important files etc.are kept in Almirah. In homes costly items are kept in almirah. This posting isa nostalgic look in to both the items.
Gopalakrishnan 19-1-2022 1. Shelves to keepstudy books When I was about 10 my father made two shelves andfitted on wall to keep text books, note books etc. One for me and another formy brother. Really keeping books on stand gave neat appearance. We had to siton floor, study books and write in note books all home works. If in the nightin the light of lantern. 2. Almirah Almirah was available in the homes of rich people andin offices. Teacher’s room had only table and shelf for keeping teachers items. 3. Table with sidecupboard A small size cupboard was made below the drawer in thetables on one side. It had 2 or 3 planks fitted across to keep files, papersetc. This type of table cupboard continues even today. While studying incollege my father made a table with cupboard for me in mango planks. Thoughwidely mango wood is not used for furniture, we had big mango tree which had goodwidth. This was cut and made as planks and wood works were made of it. Myfather made a cot with mango wood, till date it is available in my home innative. So more than 55 years, it has no damage. 4. Additions toshelf Two additions were made to shelf. One was back plankand second rising of planks to about 5 inches so that the top plank also can bewell used. These type of shelves were more useful in tea shops, library etc. 5. Half almirah andfull almirah As the living status of people increased most homeshad two almirahs, one for men and another for women made of teak wood or jackwood, mostly the almirahs were half almirah, which was more beautiful than fullalmirah. This type of almirah continues till today. It has a big mirror in the front, in the centera drawer with lock fitting to keep important things. Even after dressing tablecame, still many like the large mirror in the almirah for dressing. I am havingsuch a half almirah in teakwood purchased in 1977. Other than it had to bepolished, no other repairs has done. On the top sides are raised for about 2inches on all sides for artistic beauty. Most keys on it unless going out ofthe station. 6. Introduction ofsteel furniture. By 1965’s the steel furniture started appearing. Infact wooden items were pushed out. All furniture in steel, spray painted, anddepend on the thickness of the steel sheet used the cost varied. Godrej was famousin the field and their products were costly because of thick sheet used. Fromdustbin to large cup board, steel furniture appeared. Shelves too appeared insteel. 7. Coming back ofwooden furniture By about 1990, wooden furniture again appeared and bythe time it became very costly. Now also people purchase steel almirah for moresafety than wooden one. Steel furniture are there, slightly priced low thanwooden furniture. Processed wood is widely used in wooden furniture. 8. Retaining steelfurniture Most homes have retained the steel furniture, unlessthey became very old and parts not available in market. 9. Kolu stand cumshelf Kolu stands are in the market for keeping dolls. Thesteel planks can be arranged as steps. Being sturdier, most Brahmin homes havepurchased it. After Navarathri, dolls are kept in hard board boxes on the loftand steel planks are assembled as shelf. 10 Present daysteel almirahs There are many added features in steel almirahs. Manyhave wardrobes. Many safety features to keep valuables are there in steelalmirahs. 11. Interior work In new construction interior works wardrobes arearranged lofts. Dressing table is incorporated. There is provision to keepsteel almirah inside the interior work so that a steel almirah will not spoilthe beauty. 12. Wall fittingcupboards and show cases Part of interior work, now show cases (modified cupboard) are incorporated in walls. Cupboard are made instead of plank using backsidewall. Under the show case almirahs are made to keep miscellaneous items. RCCthin slabs are provided to keep things instead of wooden or steel planks. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/2131399537.1351556.1642596663197%40mail.yahoo.com.
