(FAMOUS) Shazar - The Identity Of Banda

Shazar - The Identity Of Banda, Ken Rive and Bundelkhand

What's so Famous about Banda? Guess and Write. Your list may be long or short. No matter. But what's top the list? And I can bet its Shazar Stone. The Stone of wonder, the stone of glory and of infinite history...It's Shazar Stone. For most Bandaists, Shazar is the identity of Banda. The Stone of Wonder, The stone of Glory and of infinite history. Its Shazar.

Shazar was discovered about 400 years ago in Banda. The one who discovered it, was an Arab. He was mesmerized by its colorful patterns  which looks like leaves and trees and so he named it Sazar (in Arabic it means tree). Due to regional touch, Sazar became Shazar. In Urdu, it is called Haqiq and in Hindi it is Sphatic. In English, Shazar is known as Dendrite Augite. It is homogenous stone and found in different colors and patterns. Augites are basically of Four types: 

1. Plane Augite

2. Ring Augite

3. Lenin Augite

4. Dendrite Augite

Dendrite Augite is Shazar and is also known as Tree Augite and Fungus Augite. It is found exclusively in Banda's Ken River. The specialty of the stone is colorful patterns of leaves, trees, mountains, animals etc. There is a local myth about Shazar. It is believed that stone prints impression of any object which lies infront of it for a long time. But its not true. There is a scientific process behind formation of images on Shazar stone. Actually, the patterns we see on shazar are nothing but entrapped fossils of fungus( basically algae). A fungus, which is entrapped between two or more pieces of shazar stone, produces either acid or base. This acid/base makes the stones translucent and acts as an inorganic glue which coagulates the separate stones to one. The fossils of fungus left inside the stones looks like patterns of leaves or trees and add beauty to the stone. 

Because of its uniqueness, the stone was exported to foreign countries until last few decades. But due to cold eye behavior of Govt., its export has been declined to a nose-hit level. In fact, still there exists a small industry of Shazar stones to cater demand of local and national market. But the stone is still popular in middle-east and this ensures cent percent success of export program if resumed again.

The stone of glory and beauty should get its worthy praise and fame. There is need to give some major boost-ups to the industry but without Govt.'s help it seems near impossible.

Some Facts About Shazar Stone