Health Products, artifacts and more from Buldhana SHGs....

Health Products, artefatcs and more from Buldhana SHGs....

The alarm buzzed and with it my mind thinking about the long day ahead. Apart from the usual routine at home, I was to travel to Pune and from there to Madurai for an International Women's Conference.
My mind floated towards the SHG women from Buldhana who had come to Saras Bazaar at Gram Vikas Bhavan, Kharghar. I had planned to meet them too on my way to Pune. My heart fluttered with anticipation of their reaction.
To the SHGs , Mumbai or Navi Mumbai represented Mahalakshmi Saras. They always imagine that their products would get a huge response and so come with a lot of hope. However Saras Bazaar is MSRLM's regular shop; it is certainly not Mahalakshmi Saras though it has all the semblance of that because products from SHGs from all over Maharashtra are available at our dedicated store and also available online through the E-Saras app for customers in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai. With all these thoughts in mind my routine work at home ended and after getting ready , I was on my way to meet the SHGs of Buldhana.
I was more or less aware of the kind of response my visit would evince yet I was overwhelmed by their warmth.
The enthusiasm of each one of them to show their product and explain their speciality was heartening.
The morning time seemed just appropriate for divinity and why not when Sulbha from the Jai Malhar Apang gat ( group of differently abled ) showed me the beautiful cute little dresses, crowns and other attractive articles which they had brought to adorn Gods and Godesses in the festive season. The articles were not only handmade by the disabled but were also reasonably priced.
The very next stall was of health products including Musali Powder. Shalini More of the Bhimai Mahila Bachat Gat showed me the raw material and also explained the entire process of planting and harvesting the crop and the method of processing it into musali powder. Additionally she explained the health benefits which included support against diabetes, acidity, obesity since it has saponin and sapogenin in it. Her earnestness and knowledge were impressive.
There was more of health in store for me as Chaya of Sahyadri gat also showed me her ayurvedic health products to cure diabetes and other ailments. Like most people wanting to lose weight I was particularly fascinated by the Silam Powder which guarantees weight loss in three months. Chaya said she had used it personally and gained results. That goaded me immediately to purchase a pack at Rs.150/- .
Some SHGs had brought agarbattis' incense sticks and some had brought dresses for children. Some brought nachni (ragi) flour, sago- sabudana flour, saandge, shevaaya' papads and spices.
My mouth watered with the taste and smell of various chutneys like groundnut and garlic chutney, flax seed chutney and rice and jowar puffs.
Of course, the usual organic products like different pulses, tur dal, moong dal, urad dal, chana dal, are also there. Organic ghee from Gir cows enticed me with their aroma.
Roasted chana and organic gur made me remember the heroine from the epic film "Jai Santoshi Maa" as also of the health benefits of eating them. Health freaks could also buy their Sunflower seeds at earthly prices in contrast to the high cost they coughed up in urban health stores.
Another interesting product is the "godambi" which is a cross between cashews and pistas and is packed with nutrients. Fleshed out from the thick black kernel with hands , it tastes yummy and is extremely beneficial to health. One could therefore gorge on it, both for taste and health.
The Instant readymade Idli and Dhokala Mixes would be a blessing for the working women and for those hosting unexpected guests.
Finally, my eyes were drawn to the colorful items like small purses, bags, wall hangings, table mats made in wool. The market for such products in Mumbai would be negligible despite the fact that these rural products were really attractive. Maybe a little tweaking in the variety or the items which had been made by the women would do the trick and their art could find life.
All said and done, the SHGs from Buldhana had come with great stuff and there was a great variety to choose from. So pick up your purses and shopping bags and rush to the Saras Bazaar at Gram Vikas Bhavan. Their products are certainly a sold out and their attitudes endearing. My meeting with them had transformed my morning, it had become extraordinary by their extra dose of love.....

P.S. SHGs from Buldhana and Jalgaon will be displaying their products for sale at Trimurti Prangan in Mantralay on 25th September 2019