ਮਿਸਤਰੀ

Mistri (ਮਿਸਤਰੀ), pronounced mis-tree, is the Punjabi word for a mason or master craftsman, the skilled worker who builds walls, lays bricks and leads a construction crew. In everyday speech it also means a mechanic or all-round handyman, the person you call when something in the house needs fixing. The word comes from the Portuguese mestre, meaning master.

Meaning

On a building site the mistri is the senior mason: the one who reads the plan, mixes the mortar, lays the bricks straight, and guides the labourers working under him. Dictionaries of Indian usage describe the mistri as a master-craftsman, foreman or supervisor of manual workers. Away from construction, the same word covers the mechanic who fixes your scooter or the electrician who rewires a room. In Punjabi grammar it is a masculine noun, and its plural is mistriyan (ਮਿਸਤਰੀਆਂ).

Where does the word come from?

The word began life as the Portuguese mestre, which means master or teacher. Portuguese traders and soldiers were present in Gujarat from 1500, and the skilled Indian builders who worked on their forts were called mestre by the Portuguese for their craft. Over time the word entered Indian languages as mistri or mistry. The term was once an official job title: Indian Railways used the designation Mistri for its master craftsmen and supervisors until 2005, when it replaced them with supervisor and senior technician.

Mistri in everyday speech

In Punjab you will hear raj mistri (ਰਾਜ ਮਿਸਤਰੀ) for a building mason and makan mistri for the man who builds houses. If a tap leaks or a wall needs plastering, the usual Punjabi answer is mistri nu bulao: call the mistri. The word carries respect. A mistri is not an unskilled labourer but someone whose hands know the trade, and families often keep the same mistri's phone number for years.

Is mistri the same as a karigar?

No. A karigar (ਕਾਰੀਗਰ) is any artisan or skilled worker, from a weaver to a jeweller. A mistri is the specific kind of karigar who builds or repairs things: masons, mechanics and site foremen. Every mistri is a karigar, but not every karigar is a mistri.

What is the feminine form of mistri?

There is no common feminine form in everyday Punjabi. The word stays mistri even when used for a woman, because it is a job title rather than a descriptive noun. The plural is mistriyan.