Paniki (cutting instrument) facts for kids
A Paniki is a special kitchen tool used mainly in Odisha, India. It's like a big knife with a sharp blade that's fixed to a wooden base. You use it by sitting down and holding the food you want to cut against the blade, often using your foot to steady the base. People use panikis to chop vegetables, fish, and meat.
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What is a Paniki?
A paniki is a traditional cutting tool. It has a long, curved metal blade attached to a wooden stand or footrest. Instead of holding the knife in your hand, you sit on the ground and use your foot to press down on the wooden part, keeping the tool steady. This leaves both your hands free to hold and guide the food you are cutting. It's a very common and useful tool in many homes in eastern India.
Where are Panikis Used?
Panikis are most often found in the Indian state of Odisha. Similar tools are also used in other parts of India, like West Bengal and Tripura, and in Bangladesh. In these places, a similar tool is known as a Boti. While the names might be different, the basic idea of a fixed blade for chopping remains the same.
How are Panikis Made?
Traditionally, panikis are made by skilled workers called blacksmiths. Blacksmiths are people who shape metal using heat and tools. In rural areas of Odisha, panikis are often made from wrought iron or from recycled steel. This means old metal pieces are given a new life as a useful kitchen tool.
Panikis and Culture
Panikis are more than just kitchen tools; they also have a special place in the culture of some groups of people. For example, members of the Mutkia Kondha tribe in Odisha consider the paniki to be very important. They even worship it as a deity, which means they treat it with great respect, almost like a god. Because of this, they do not use their feet to steady the paniki. Instead, they use a special type of paniki that has its own wooden stand.
Ancient panikis have been found with beautiful carvings that show cultural and religious symbols. This tells us that these tools have been important for a very long time.
Panikis in Art
The paniki has even appeared in ancient art! In the Ushakothi cave paintings at Ulapgarh, there are murals that show a woman using a paniki. Murals are paintings made directly on a wall. This shows how long panikis have been a part of daily life in the region.
