Oil lamp, also known as hurricane was once used as one of the vehicles of light in every house of rural society. At present, hurricanes are found in a couple of houses in the countryside, but due to disuse, they have become unusable due to dirt and rust. Now the hurricane, a vehicle of thousands of years of tradition, is no longer seen in any home or business. Nevertheless, even 20 years ago, Hurricane was used in most of the houses. In addition, 20 years later, that has all changed.
Even 20 years ago, the image was such that after the whole day's work, women would get busy in the evening with lighting the house in the evening. With the evolution of time, hurricanes are disappearing from everyone's house in almost all parts of the country including Chuadanga district. With the social change, the image of every room has changed. The oil lamp of rural society is now a thing of the past.
The traditional hurricane of rural Bengal is now on the verge of extinction due to social change, science and technology and modernity.
The use of oil lamp is no longer seen now a day due to the use of electric lamps, chargers and solar power. Just as oil lamps are now hard to find in the rural areas of the district, villages without electricity may be impossible to find. But where there is no electricity, solar lights or charger lights have taken the place of oil lamp.
Every evening the hurricane chimney was opened, washed and cleaned and the cap was opened, kerosene oil was poured in, the cap was recapped, a match stick was lit between the wires and the fire was kept on the floor of the house. A type of cloth 5-6 inches long was used as a ribbon or thread. There was a specific gear for lowering and raising the light.
The speed of light could be decreased and increased by turning it by hand. At night when sleeping, the lights were dimmed and the hurricane was kept on all night. There were several types of cups then. Single, double, single, double, brass and silver.
But the use of silver, tin and clay lamps was very high. Torn pieces of cloth or jute twine were used as ribbons or filaments to light the fire in the lamp tube. The thin and long 5-6 inch length of that ribbon or fiber was inserted through the tube of the lamp. Every day some part of it was burnt. The next day, it was raised a little higher. At some point it was burnt and replanted. It was a special part of women's evening routine. Students used to study with this lamp. Also, all night work, like cooking, gardening, cottage industry, handicrafts, rice threshing, all the needs were met with this light. Oil lamp and lights are no longer visible.
People living in urban areas, especially the new generation, have not yet seen hurricanes and lightning. Experienced people think that in the digital era, this object named Hurricane will be seen in the memory museum at some point as a memory of the past.