The Binjhal tribe, spread mainly in the Indian states of Odisha,, has agricultural life and handicraft traditions at its core. Iron sickles are perhaps the most important of agricultural implements for the Binjhal community.
The Binjhal iron sickle, a simple yet effective tool, has two essential components: the crescent-shaped iron blade and the cylindrical bamboo handle. The downward end of the iron blade fits well inside the bamboo handle, allowing a good grip while working. The sickle is slightly blunted at the tip, which provides added safety to the workers in the fields from accidental cuts, especially during hasty harvest movements.
Mostly used by Binjhal farmers for cutting crops, clearing spaces, and harvesting grains and vegetables, sickles are about everything made with bamboo and iron from their immediate environment, showing their dependency on natural materials and the traditional blacksmithing skill. Over generations, sickles have turned into symbols of utility and tribals' relations with their land and self-sustained living.
The Binjhal tribe's use of such indigenous tools reaffirms the urgent need to preserve tribal knowledge systems that in many cases are more sustainable and environment-friendly when compared to the modern versions.