Banjaras : Journey of Nomads to entrepreneurship

Banjaras : Journey of Nomads to entrepreneurship through MSRLM

How many of us can imagine a banjaraa lady, in a traditional colourful costume, adorning exquisite shell and silver jewellery as a part of self help group under MSRLM? Well, this is no imagination thanks to the social inclusion under MSRLM. Banjaras from Marathwada are a part of self help groups of women. As a clan they have always aroused our curiousity and also made us wary at times, thanks to Bollywood. One got the opportunity to see them occasionally, on streets, cheerful, full of life however speaking to them was forbidden.
My first face to face encounter with a cute old banjara lady was at Mahalakshmi Saras in 2017. The Mahalakshmi Saras are platforms for marketing SHG products through exhibitions cum sales held annually every year at Mumbai. Dressed in the traditional dress, adorned with traditional jewellery she welcomed me to her stall and made me try the traditional odhni. It was extremely fascinating to interact with her as she spoke in the local dialect. She had accompanied her daughter-in-law to support her in the stall which was full of attractive things. Ghagras, Kanchalis (blouses), batwaas(purses), kanguras(patches), exquisite traditional jewellery using coins and shells. That moment of pure , simple joy remained in my mind.
MSRLM supports empowerment of women through self- help groups (SHGs). Banjaras from Marathwada, essentially, Beed, Latur, Osmanabad have also formed SHGs. Banjaras or lamaanis are nomads or gypsies and live in Taandaas. The Banjara women wear colourful and bright costumes like ghagra and kanchali (top). They use mirrors, coins and shells to decorate their outfit.
The clothes are rich in tradition but the designs are rarely improvised. The choice of colours is also the same and the design routine. The community being closed no improvisation has been made despite the huge demand.
MSRLM therefore decided to train them and build their capacity for diversification and enhanced production of their craft.
Parli is a renowned town in Beed District, known for the Vaijnath Temple which is one of the jyotirlings of Lord Shiva. It is the largest taluka and also an intensive block under MSRLM.
We decided to engage artists to train 30 women in designing and for product diversification of the Banjara Art. They were permitted to purchase sewing machines with latest facilities using the revolving fund. Due to the use of machines the production increased and helped in expanding business.
Vimal Dhondiram Jadhav stays in Vasant Nagar taanda of Parli and is a member of the Rukmani Bai SHG. She undertook a training of 10 days and has become a master trainer. She has trained 40 women and has facilitated innovations in Banjara dresses, designed new patterns of batwas,  jute bags, patches etc. She is a member of the Village Organisation and they have purchased 40 sewing machines and material worth Rs.1 lakh to make new products. Her husband Dhondiram Ganpat Jadhav is also a part of the business. Previously they had  to migrate to earn a living to sugarcane fields in adjoining districts and state. Since 5 years they have stopped to go for work in the sugarcane fields. Their life has become stable. They have been able to get their 3 daughters married and settled. Two of their sons have become drivers and also settled after marriage. The daughters-in-law are now part of the SHG. Their products had a good market in Mumbai but now they are also able to sell their products in Aurangabad and Beed and other places.
Her relative Anita Sitaram Jadhav is also a member of the Rajeev Gandhi Swayamsiddha Bachat Gat at Parli.
She is happy that she joined the SHG as now she runs a small manufacturing unit for the last one year.
Both the ladies had come to Mumbai for selling their products at R-City Mall, Ghatkopar. Their products received a very good response in the mall and they could do a business of Rs.80,000. They felt that the training had intrroduced modern innovative design and creativity to them. It was easier to increase their production and propagate their art. This exhibition was the result of the training given in Beed district.
The inauguration of this cluster at Beed had been done at the hands of the Hon'ble Chief Minister of Maharashtra, who had tweeted about having visited the stalls along with Hon'ble Minister for Rural Development, Pankaja Munde and had seen the display of amazing work of sisters from the Mahila Bachat Gat (Self Help Groups) in Parli, Beed.
Encouraged by the response at the exhibition there which was a sold-out, Vimal Jadhav has many more plans for expansion. From being a nomad and a labourer in the sugarcane fields which entailed migration and instability for six months to being a stable entrepreneur, their journey displays the huge transformation. It is the beginning for many more.....