99 
effect is obtained by scraping over the surface with a 
small tool shaped like a bradawl (PI. XI, fig. 1). 
(7) Economic POSITION OF THE TRADE. 
At the present time the industry enjoys considerable 
prosperity. The demand for bangles suitable for low- 
caste Hindu women and for the hill tribes is a stable one, 
influenced by no fluctuations of fashion and dependent 
only upon the general well-being of the province. When 
food supplies are abundant with prices at a normal level, 
and work readily procurable, women of the labouring 
classes are able to indulge their fancy in bangles ; their 
tastes are conservative and a good demand in conse- 
quence is experienced for arm ornaments made from the 
chank shell. The Swadeshi movement has assisted this 
industry materially particularly among the more well-to- 
do castes and during the height of the agitation the 
demand for more highly ornamented. chank bangles 
increased markedly and gave a much-needed impetus 
to the manufacture of bangles of the more elaborate 
patterns. This factor now “exercises less influence on 
the trade, its place being taken by the more healthy 
influence for good exercised by the advertisement of the 
best productions of Dacca at the provincial exhibitions 
held from time to time during late years. Several of 
the leading Dacca manufacturers occasionally stage 
exhibits, sometimes even sending workmen to demon- 
strate the methods employed. These exhibitors have 
had the enterprise to make up a number of chank-shell 
ornaments in semi-European style — flower pattern 
bangles, long chains, brooches, buttons and even small 
figures of gods; for these there appears to have been a 
remunerative demand capable of considerable extension 
as the manufacturers and dealers become more enter- 
prising. An excellent advertising move would be for 
them to arrange with the dealers in Indian artwares at 
the great cities most visited by tourists to stock a 
quantity of the best and most ornamental chank produc- 
tions turned out by their workshops ; both because of the 
intrinsic beauty of many of these articles and of the 
interest attaching to their origin and to the custom 
prescribing their use among a great section of Indian 
tribes and castes, such articles should find many 
purchasers among European and American ladies. 
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