Beed, Banjara crafts and The Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar.....

Beed, Banjara crafts and The Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar.....

Tucked away in the heart of Maharashtra, almost at the centre is Beed. Not many people , even in our own state must have heard of this district. Hot, rugged and historical, it is even spiritual as the famous Parli Vaijnath Jyotirlinga Shiv temple is located here. It does hit headlines when there is discussion on the plight of sugarcane labourers. The district also has a large number of women from the banjara community. The challenges here are many and so MSRLM had identified it as a district which needed to be included in the "intensive strategy" which meant providing it with dedicated staff and team at the district, block and village levels.
Two years of dedicated work by the team has resulted in the creation of over 14000 Self-help groups and many opportunities for livelihoods, some farm and some non-farm. Amongst these the Banjara handicrafts have been unique and significant.
It is therefore heartening to see thirty SHGs from Beed at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart in Gram Vikas Bhavan, GVB, Kharghar. They have come from different talukas of Beed, Parali, Ambajogai, Dharur, Gevrai, Majalgaon and Shirur. Each one of them has worked hard and put in great efforts to make good quality products and bring them for the ten day exhibition and sale at GVB.
An array of products in the processed food section include various types of paapads, kurdaayi, saandge meaning fryable items. There are different types of mouthwatering chutneys, pickles, murabbas, masalas, shevaaya. Organic jaggery, thaalipeeth flour, baajraa flour and aamla candy are other interesting products. And must certainly not miss out rural fruits like kavit (wood apple)  and bael fruit ( golden apple).
The health freaks can get different kinds of organic pulses like moong, toor, harbaras, groundnut, millets. And after you have had your fill of spices and food products you can indulge yourself in purchasing bright and multicoloured Banjara artefacts. These include colorful bags, jute bags, pouches, purses, mirror work patches, bangles, sofa covers, wall hangings.
The ethnic ghaagra odhnis in colourful combinations will certainly be difficult to resist. With Navratri barely three months away it would certainly be a good idea to stock up the original, handcrafted ethnic products which will make you stand out in the crowd during Daandiya and Garbaa Raas.
At Parali taluka in Beed district is the temple of Lord Shiva which is one of the jyotirlingas. Every year, a very big fair is held here on Mahashivratri.
Women from such a holy place are now at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, in Gram Vikas Bhavan at Kharghar exhibiting tgeir products. Besides selling their products, they may have many interesting stories to share. Wouldn't it be great fun to join them and know more about their lives?
MSRLM will be organising free classes in bangle-making, warli and mehndi during the weekend on the 18th and 19th May 2019 at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart.
Let your hair down, indulge yourself here because it wouldn't mean having fun only but also add value to other women's lives.....