Boru – a wooden writing instrument.

Wondering what that is? Well here’s what happened. I went to this popular stationery store the other day… Yeah yeah correctly guessed… Venus on Deccan. (I set a record that day… I went in and spent only 5 bucks… that’s by far a record!)  So I d gone there to buy some butter paper / tracing paper. Why did I want that? Once a friend wrote to me on a piece of tracing paper and I found it interesting. It makes that particular crumpling sound when you open and read. Love the sound. So I in turn wanted to write to a friend using the same… so there I went, bought it (for Rs. 2) and on my way out saw this big bottle of ink. It was meant for calligraphy… 890 bucks a bottle. Yeah that’s expensive for a bottle of ink. And right next to that I saw a group of bamboo sticks. Only thing they weren’t just bamboo sticks but bamboo sticks that you write with! And I was absolutely delighted… (also because it cost only 3 bucks!)

    I have always been fascinated with anything concerning paper and ink. Calligraphy is an extremely beautiful form… Something like what Mr. Achyut Palav does. I totally want to attend one of his workshops when I have the time. It’s not just the handwriting you know… you can paint and do other stuff too. Anyway… so..  I had to wait the whole day to reach home before trying it.. No need to mention how  earnestly I was waiting to see how it writes. Finally did. Sigh… Nothing seems better in life than putting black ink on paper with a wooden pen… (a little romanticism once in a while can do… heh.) nevertheless… it WAS wonderful.

The ‘BORU’ is a light wooden pen like instrument fashioned out of bamboo. Its different from the ‘TAAK” which has a nib at one end. Both these were used in the olden days to write on paper and parchment.  The Boru has only a point at the writing end. You dip it in ink and it can write almost a whole line before you need to dip again. You can cut and shape the point to whatever shape you want since its made of bamboo. I found it to be extremely light and easy to write with. If you hold it an inch away your strokes will be much more free-er and easy. Great to let your fingers loosen before sketching. 

So I just did some time pass with my brand new Boru and the ink. Made a couple of book marks for friends. Had a spare frame so put it into that. Here’s a revelation – anything looks good if you put it in a nice frame!