Tuesday, March 24, 2009

ZARI HAT KE, ZARI BACH KE... YE HAI BAMBAI... MERI...

A 10 minute walk away from Sion station leads to Indira Qureishi Nagar. A climb up an iron ladder here culminates in a 20 by 10 feet room with faded walls lined intermittently with hooks, each holding a dusty, dull shirt, kurta, or trouser. The owners of this apparel sit around large frames in fives or sixes, stitching onto a common cloth the curves of a unified design, with gold or silver coloured threads, beads and mirrors. The style is Ari Zardosi, lighter than actual Zardosi, which uses far heavier material. The former sells far more than the latter because it's more wearable in hot, humid weather and less expensive. In and around Indira Qureishi Nagar, every second house has its upper floor converted into such a workshop making it one of Mumbai's largest centres for Ari Zardosi work.

The workmen say they procure the material – beads, threads, mirrors, needles – from the area itself because it's cheapest here. "Even the cutting chai here costs Rs 2 instead of Rs 2.50," the chaiwaala complains interrupting. "If I raise the price, they'll stop buying." And so on for other basic necessities, which makes the average Zardosi worker's income of Rs 5000 a month (including overtime) barely sufficient. Many claim a dhani, or owner of these workshops can earn upto Rs 25,000 monthly going by the business around: "Even the needle makers who make specialized needle for ari zardosi work have a daily turnover of Rs 1500." The finished ari zardosi work is supplied to every class in every world, from stores in Ghatkopar and exclusive showrooms in town, to designers in Europe and the US. The workers embroider their designs on the material provided, ranging from cotton and silk, to even denim, as per marked outlines, but don't cut or shape the final product.

26 year old Mudassir has been a worker for 7 years. Attracted by the craftsmanship from a young age, he gave up his studies, after his articulation exams for this profession, wanting to earn soon. "I learnt zardosi work here itself, but worked in Madanpura for a while before shifting back here three years ago," he says. Mudassir is very savvy and as adventurous as he is ambitious. He asks us a question on media in return for every answer on zardosi. He introduces us to Waseem Akhtar, an 18 year old, who owns and manages one of the area's oldest workshops. "My father shifted to Kolkata recently, with the family because my grandparents were there, leaving me in charge," he explains. Waseem is studying his BSc and hoping to do a fashion designing course thereafter, to take his business to greater heights.

This settlement, originated over 30 years ago with people from UP. Few workshops consisted, and still do, of Bengali workmen. But recently there's been a large influx of workers from Bihar, who today make up nearly half the worker's population. Why did hundreds of workshops spring up here? Some put it down to people belonging to the same profession living and working together, so as to pose a united front against extortion and rioting. Some to the connectivity and cheap availability of raw material in the area. But the truth to the mushrooming of this settlement of diverse migrants stitching similar threads lies in the story of any family tree, as much as in the story of Mumbai: One unit employed 10 men, most of whom saved and started their own units, and so on. In a time when everyone accuses poor migrants of leeching into productive areas, the productivity of this erstwhile marshland stands apart as having grown from the enterprise of migrants, spurring the government to provide connectivity so that cheap craftsmanship, among other services, could meet the city's demand. To continue doing so, the migrants, in turn, ensure that the effect of rupee appreciation on exports is less felt by them – by beating down the prices of their raw materials, and their chai.

No comments:

Post a Comment