The Maler, or Mal Paharia tribe, is one of the primitive tribal groups of Jharkhand, living mainly in Rajmahal Hills, in districts like Sahebganj and Dumka. The Maler community practices subsistence farming and skills for forest livelihood. Among their basic agricultural tools is the iron scythe, which serves a variety of purposes from clearing vegetation to harvesting crops. The farming implement is made of iron with a semi-lunar-shaped blade at the tip with a pointed edge. The blade edge is blunt for easy controlled cutting, particularly of large shrubs or harvesting certain vegetation. The tang of the blade on the opposite end of the pointed tip is inserted into a hole at one end of the long wooden handle, the insertion securing the blade.
Despite the simple construction of the scythe, it is made for the rough terrain of Rajmahal Hills where the Maler tribe follows the practice of small farming. This scythe's long wooden handle affords leverage, while the shape and attachment of the blade permit its efficient utilization in repeated movements involving sweeping cuts or simply clearing vegetation. Such a useful tool is indicative of the indigenous knowledge and ingenuity of the Maler tribe, ensuring their subsistence and sustenance over the generations. It demonstrates that traditional communities invented tools for use in their surroundings even before industrial farming tools became a reality.