A visit to the overcrowded marketplace, with vendors attracting their customers with a variety of readymade Diwali decorations, rangoli patterns, sky lanterns
BHARATI PAWASKAR
, rows of lighting, lamps of various sizes, shapes and designs - mostly made of plastic - one notices the absence of beautifully handcrafted artistic products that truly represent the labour of love which goes into their making. Most of the shelves in the shops are overflowing with ready-to-use products, while the handcrafted ‘akash kandils' and earthen ‘diyas' are sold on the empty footpaths, street corners or neglected roadside spaces. Does it mean that real art has no takers?
Dangling on a string and dancing with the wind, these colourful, eco-friendly ‘akash kandils' hang freely between the barks of coconut trees at an empty space at the fork of roads just outside Margao. For the couple Dipika and Devidas Naik this corner seems to be lucky, to sell their handcrafted ‘akash kandils' every Diwali. Preferred and purchased by those who still have the craze for anything that's handmade, the Naiks sell around 500 sky lanterns each year in just four days prior to the festival of lights. It's a yearly routine for the past 13 years for them to travel from their home in Betakiwada, Borim to Margao to sell their products - sky lanterns during Diwali and star during Christmas.
"Over the years people have grown a liking for our artfully crafted ‘akash kandils' and hence we travel all the way from Borim to Margao," shares Dipika, a newly elected Panch at the Village Panchayat Bori, who admits having had less time at hand to do more of ‘akash kandils' this year, due to the constant VP meetings which she had to attend. "This year we could make around 250 ‘akash kandils' in three sizes, as we began working on them late, in the month of August instead of March," briefs Dipika's husband Devidas who works in Margao. Though educated his brothers do not have any job, so the entire Naik family is into ‘akash kandil' making, but his brothers sell in and around Bori, while he and Dipika come to Margao.
"We are not ashamed to do this business. We really have no choice, but to make and sell these to support our family as well as the education of our children," says Dipika whose eldest daughter Priyanka is studying MBBS, the second Diksha is doing civil engineering while son Amit is still in school.
When the Naik couple began making ‘akash kandils' commercially some 15 years ago, they priced it for Rs 150 each. Gradually as the cost of material excelled, they hiked their price to Rs 200 each. "It is from last year that the smallest size is sold at Rs 250. The medium sized are sold at Rs 400 and the largest for Rs 500 each. We earn around Rs 25,000 - 30,000 net profits after deducting the cost," states Devidas.
He points out that the coloured paper (foli) that cost Rs 21 for a dozen last year, is gone up to Rs 40 this year. "Since we were regular customers, the stationary keeper charged us only Rs 30. The golden decorative paper is available for Rs 5-10 each. The good bamboos are sold between Rs 60-80 each. They cost Rs 35-40 earlier. The profits are not much, compared to the hard work, but we enjoy our art," smiles Devidas.
"Though others in our extended family prefer to use thermacol and sell in and around Bori, we have stuck to the traditional way using eco-friendly bamboo, though it is strenuous, to peel the bamboos, cut them into small, thin strips, dry them well and then stick them together to make the basic structure," states Dipika. Admitting that it was their economic condition which pushed them towards this seasonal business, the couple is happy to share that each of the ‘akash kandils' that they make, gets sold.
Making an ‘akash kandil' by hand is a tedious task as it involves lot of labour and hard work. Gone are the days when youth in the neighbourhood used to gather and make their own ‘akash kandils' and ‘narkasur' efficacies. Now one gets these readymade in the markets, though for a price. "It's cheaper to make them at home but today most of the people don't have time, though many like us still like to make ‘akash kandil' by hand," says Pradip Karekar, a goldsmith from Margao who along with elder brother Uday, makes ‘akash kandil' at home every year for his family. "It hardly cost us Rs 50 to make a medium sized ‘akash kandil' this year," he quips. Endorsing this Premanand Lotlikar, a customer who came all the way from Benaulim to buy two similar looking ‘akash kandils' from the Naik couple, says, "True, but who has time to make it? I come here every year to buy these beautiful handmade ‘akash kandils'. It reminds me of my own childhood Diwali, when we used to make them by hand. Time rules! But old habits die hard!"
