go 



Benofal are distinofuished and sold under a different 

 series of trade terms. The ranoe of these terms under- 

 goes considerable reduction at this stage, as it is now 

 only a matter of the quality of the working- section or ring 

 and not of size and^shape in addition to colour and quality 

 as is the case with regard to the classification of shells. 



The grades of shell-sections recognized by bangle 

 workers in outlying districts are usually five in number 

 and are as follows : — 



First quality. — Titktitti. — The working sections sold 

 under this title vary in price from Rs. 17 to Rs. 22 per 

 100 pieces according to size and quality — the average 

 working out at about 3 annas each. As is indicated by 

 the name, these sections should be cut from Tuticorin 

 shells of perfect quality. In actual practice, the highest 

 quality of Rameswaram and a quantity of the best 

 selected Ceylon shells from Neduntivu and Mannar are 

 usually utilized for the production of TItkutti rings. 

 These are usually bought on credit in Rs. 100 to Rs, 300 

 lots. 



This particular quality Is required almost exclusively 

 for the manufacture of highly ornamented bangles of 

 churl and bala descriptions as both these require to be 

 highly polished and for this purpose the Tuticorin grade 

 is the one best adapted on account of Its great hardness, 

 fine grain and perfectly white colour. 



The second quality termed Jadki, also hails from the 

 Tuticorin and Rameswaram fisheries but is slightly 

 inferior to the TItkutti grade which forms a " selected " 

 grade. The inferiority of the Jadki grade is expressed 

 usually in some slight defect In respect of colour or the 

 presence of a worm hole. The price of working sections 

 made from this quality is from Re. i to Rs. 2 per 100 

 less than similar sized TItkutti ones. 



Patti is the third grade, priced from Rs. 2-8-0 to 

 Rs. 3-8-0 per 100 sections less than those of the TItkutti 

 grade. They are cut from good quality Jaffna shells. 

 The large compound bangles so freely used by Santal 

 women are made generally from this quality. 



The fourth grade, Dhola, is cut from dead shells 

 imported from Ceylon. The price for useful sized 

 sections ranges from Rs. 8 to Rs. 12 per 100 or from 

 Rs. 5 to Rs. 6 per 100 less than for Patti. 



