Hirkanis of Raigad at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

Hirkanis of Raigad at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

Raigad, the impregnable fort where the great Chatrapati Shivaji Maharaj was crowned is known to all of us. However not many would know the legend of a valourous mother by the name, Hirkani, who sold milk at the Raigad fort. One evening, while she was engrossed in selling milk, the gates of the fort were closed and she was unable to leave it. However her maternal yearning to go back to her wailing child , gave her the strength to climb down the steep hills to be with her child. This was beyond belief even for the Chatrapati till she performed the feat again. In reverence the benevolent Shivaji Maharaj named the ledge as the Hirkani Burj.
Hirkani literally means a small little diamond. MSRLM works for the empowerment of women through SHGs, capacitating them, honing their skills and providing them support so that gleam like diamonds.
Organising forward linkages is one of the activities which is done by providing a platform for SHGs to sell their products.
Saras melas are held in districts, divisions and state. Yet there was a constant demand for a permanent market  which has been made available by way of the shops at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart in Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar. Every ten days, one district comes to exhibit the products of their SHGs at the stalls in GVB.
This time , it is Raigad, a district reverberating historically with the inspiration of the great Shivaji. An enigmatic and fascinating district with its forts, beaches and the famous bungalows of Mumbaikars.
The SHGs of MSRLM are rugged just like hills and soaring just like the waves of the  beaches of Raigad. Though the district was under the Non-intensive strategy of implemtation , and therefore did not have a full team till last year, it is now an intensive district with full support of the MoRD.

Presently SHGs from Raigad district have come with their products to the Mahalaxmi Saras Mart at GVB, Kharghar. These include agarbattis- incense sticks, earthen cookware, cashews, masalas, different kinds of papads and kurdaaiya, the famous poha papad, organic rice and pulses, naachni biscuits, fish pickle, dry fish, home made laddoos, artificial flowers, bamboo products, footwear.
All these products will be available till 20th April at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart at GVB, Kharghar.

This weekend, the  13th and 14th April, an added attraction will be the Warli painting classes by the original artisans from Palghar, henna - mehndi art and pottery making.
The mehndi is free of cost,  paper and colours are to brought to learn Warli painting and pottery making is at a nominal cost.

So for those living at Kharghar, Panvel and Navi Mumbai, please come to the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar, immerse yourself in the simple joy's of life like painting, purchase products made by the SHGs of Raigad, bring joy to their lives. As for yourself, escape the ordinary, do something different, your eyes will also shine just like our Hirkanis.