Local Names of Masonry Tools used in Manipur, India

Here is a list of the tools used by the brick and concrete masons of Manipur. These are the local names of the tools that they are known by in Manipur. The names of these various tools differ with region. 

Hope that this is of use to anyone, it definitely helped me out in communicating and understanding the local masons more properly. 

1. Horai/Saw: A regular saw. Used to cut bamboo/ wood to make form-work etc.
2. Pothap/Trowel: A rectangle aluminium section used as a trowel to smoothen and level fresh plaster surface. It is much longer than other trowels in the list and is preferred by masons for its light weight. 
3. Nariyal Brush/Brush: A coconut fiber brush used to dust of surfaces and clean.
4. Yopak/Grubber: A type of grubber, used to mix, move about concrete components like stone aggregates(chips), sand and cement. Used for digging.
5. Baerchand/Spade or Shovel: Also used for mixing and moving about concrete mixes.
6. Oocha Pathap/Trowel: A trowel made of wood. Also used to flatten and level while plastering of surfaces.
7. Gayanti/Pickaxe: Used for digging foundations, beds etc.
8. Kernel/Brick Trowel: Used for applying mortar during laying of bricks.
9. Pipe Level/Water Level: Used for marking levels using a reference.
10. Plaster Oocha/Square Trowel: Used to smoothen plastered surfaces, to give a clean finish.
11. Garai/Metal Dish: Used to mix plastering cement in small quantities. Also used to carry mixes, sand, stones etc.
12. Tub/ Metal Tub: Slightly bigger than the garai. Used for carrying sand, stones, cement and also used as a measuring standard for the various concrete ratios.
13. Noong Dhang/Hammer: Used to hammer nails.
14. KG Noong Dhang/Sledge Hammer: Known according to the weight of the mallet, e.g. Do Kilo(2 KG) Noong Dhang, Panch Kilo(5 KG) Noong Dhang, etc. Used to break stones for leveling course, if the need arises.
15. Sherni/Chisel: To make small indents, grooves on concrete surfaces prior plastering. 
16. Kan Hai/Lever: It is a long solid cylindrical rod with a crow bar like mouth on one end. It is used to bend bigger diameter steel rebars. It is also referred to as a "Dai"
17. Tok/Lever: It is a long iron hollow cylindrical rod with a flattened mouth, like a shovel. It is very effected in digging small diameter holes.
18. Jam Phat/Lever: It a solid cylindrical rod used to move heavy objects.
19. Boldoo/Nut & Bolt: A regular nut and bolt.
20. Droom Boos/Tamper: Used to flatten the ground before applying the leveling course.
21. Satcha Ooloom/Plumb Bob: Used to check if the surface is vertically straight or not.
22. 6mm Dai/ Lever: A smaller version of a "Kan Hai". It is referred to by the size of the mouth/claws e.g. 6mm dai(to bend 6mm rebars), 8mm Dai (to bend 8mm rebars)etc.
23. Toori/Paint Brush: Used to apply wet mixes on surfaces.
24. Sadoo/ Coconut Fiber Brush: Used while plastering and smoothening of surfaces to flick water on the surface. the masons prefer to use this during plastering over any other sprinkler. 
25. Tara Brush/Metal Brush: Used to clean rough surfaces.
26. Kochi/Claw: This is a metal claw with a handle. It is used for tying rebars together with binding wires, during laying of iron rebars fors before pouring of concrete.
27. Polang/Basket: It is a basket made of cane. Used to carry stones and also used during washing of stone aggregates.
28. Dolai Polang/Basket on a carriage: Used for carrying heavy stones, mixes. Operated by two.
29. Fita tape/Tape: Long measuring tapes. 30m or more.
30. Inchi tape/Tape: Pocket tapes of smaller lengths. 3m to 5m.
31. Guniya/Steel T-Square: Used  to mark right angle lines. 

Names of other important construction materials:

1. Brick : Chekk
2. Sand : Lei-Ngoi
3. Stone Chips : Noong/ Chips
4. Water : Ee-Shing
5. Earth : Lei-Bak
6. Steel Rebars : Yot

There are several other tools as well. But the majority of it has been covered above.

The names of some tools mentioned above are similar in various parts of the India.