Durgaas from Yavatmaal at The Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

Durgaas from Yavatmaal at The Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar....

There is something so delightful in the first drop of rain. The pitter patter sound and the whiff of fresh wet earth engulfs us in a sea of emotions and cushions us with hope.
MSRLM provides that cushion to self help groups from rural areas. Just like that fresh drop of rain it brings freshness into the life of rural women through social and financial inclusion leading to sustainable livelihoods.
Supporting small enterprises of SHG women is one among the several mandates of MSRLM.
Many of the SHGs produce handmade goods or create handicrafts. They need support for marketing and branding apart from backward and forward linkages which is provided through MSRLM.
The Mahalakshmi Saras Mart at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar is one such initiative for providing market linkages to women SHGs from rural areas to market their produce. Every ten days SHGs from a new district come for the exhibition.
This week SHGs from Yawatmal are there with their products. On my visit there two days ago, I was greeted by a group of bubbly women waiting to show all their goods. That their products may not be of urban standards or may not have a great finish didn't matter to them. All that mattered was they had got this opportunity to.come to Mumbai.
When I questioned them about the lack of finesse they weren't dissapointed or upset. In contrast they enthusiastically expressed a desire to learn. Their simplicity was so overwhelming.
Yawatmal, derives its name from "Yawat", meaning mountains and "maal" meaning a string or a row. It is also known for its famous Durga Utsav which is second only to that of Kolkaata.
The SHG women empowered to be Durgaas under the Mission through MSRLM Umed looked resplendent and full of life like those rows of  hills.
They showed me the various kinds of bags, purses and artificial jewellery they have brought. A lot of them have brought the popular goat milk soap beneficial to the skin. There are a lot of food products like masalas, papads and pickles.
Mumbaikars would love the unpolished tur daal, the authentic, organic turmeric ( smells divine) and mahuwa laadoos. Some SHGs have brought hand made godhadis, quilts, handmade brooms and 'toplis",  small little baskets. They also have pure honey and chyawanpraash.
So this weekend just drop in at the Mahalakshmi Saras Mart, Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar and buy authentic products made by the SHGs of Yawatmal. You may be often getting drenched in the rains  . How about getting drenched in a rain of emotions for a change????

P.S The Yawatmal SHGs will be there till 20th June 2019