Stone writer

Eldest of the six brothers,Younus started working at a very young age of 13. He learnt the art from one Sultan Singh and his uncle,Yousuf. Sultan Singh didn’t know Urdu,so all his Urdu work was done by Younus and,in return,Sultan gave him tips on the art. “If you want to learn this art,you need to be sharp and focus on how the other person is doing. You can learn it in two-three months or you might take years,” he says.

Younus started his career by working on sil-batta,a kitchen stone grinder used to make chutney. “In 1964-1965,engraving used to be very cheap,around five paise a letter. Today,it costs Rs 10 a letter for Urdu,Rs 5 for Hindi and Rs 6 for English,” he says. Engraving on black stone is costlier — Rs 20 a letter.

Younus’s works of art are not only used in cemeteries but also schools and colleges. One of the most memorable is his engraving on a statue of late Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. Some of his works can be seen at Fatehpuri Masjid,Parliament Masjid and Darul Uloom Deoband.

Father of five children,Younus wishes his sons learn this art someday. “I fear that this art will also die,” he says. He is willing to teach it free. He has successfully taught his younger brother,Mohammad Yahya.

With technology taking over art,computerised engraving is also available these days. “But there is a big difference between the quality and finishing of the two,” Younus remarks.

“I used to engrave fast but with increasing age I have become slow,and I don’t have much strength either,” Younus says. He takes two-three hours to complete one piece and earns Rs 600-700 a day. At times,when there is little work,he reduces the rates to Rs 7-8 a letter in Urdu from Rs 10. “It’s better to be working,” he says.

Engraving is not as simple as it seems. It involves writing on the marble,then engraving it and lastly painting it. With declining quality of stone,it becomes difficult to do the job well. So much so that now Younus does not put his name on every piece of work.