THE GOAN
PANAJI
If you visit most Goan homes, you're likely to find a broom tucked away in a quiet corner of the aangan or courtyard, distinctly Goan and hard to replicate. The hiranchi jhaadu, made from the leaflets of the coconut palm, involves a time-consuming process of gathering the ‘chudta’ or ‘chutta’, separating the ‘hir’, and carefully weaving the pieces together to make a sturdy broom.
GI tag proposal
As reported by The Goan on October 13, the State government has proposed a Geographical Indication (GI) tag for the traditional broom, also known as Muugdyachi Saaran, Hiranche Saaran or Zhaadu. The move aims to recognise its distinct identity and preserve the craftsmanship associated with it. However, broom-makers believe that while the recognition could help the craft reach wider markets, more practical support will be needed to ensure its survival.
Ramkrishna K Gaude, Chairman of Sarvodaya Shiksha Mandal, believes that authorities must do more than recognise the broom’s traditional value. “The GI tag proposal and all that is fine; however, the real way the authorities can truly help us is by recognising all those who make these brooms across the State. If we market the well-made brooms and give them a good price, that will be one good way of preserving this tradition,” he says. For Gaude, identifying the people who continue to make the brooms, promoting their work, and ensuring they receive fair prices are important steps towards keeping the craft alive.
Changing uses
Despite changing household practices, the ‘saran’ continues to be used in Goan villages, carrying with it memories of how people once lived. Gaude recalls how the broom was an essential household item in homes with mud floors. “Earlier, as we had a mud house, the broom was used for ‘shen saraovpaak’, that is, sweeping cow dung across the floor,” he explains. Although fewer homes have mud floors today, the broom continues to find a place in Goan households, even as its uses and the way people live have changed.
Time-consuming process
However, its continued presence does not mean that the craft is without challenges.“It is a long process,” mentions Luiza Dantas, who has been making these brooms for almost 20-30 years. “Starting with getting all the ‘chuttas’ together, sometimes it is a fresh one, and sometimes it is a dried one. People usually prefer brooms made out of dried ones,” she adds. Gaude further explains that it can be made of both. “You can remove the chutta from the coconut tree and use that, or you can take the one that has fallen on the ground as its fronds have already dried up.”
Once the ‘chuttas’ are collected, turning them into a broom requires patience and careful handiwork. Maria Fernandes, owner of Swadeshi Joy, walks us through the process. “First, the green palm leaves are cleaned and separated from the ‘hir’, or sticks, using a knife to remove the green parts,” she says. The sticks are then polished, while coconut shell coir is softened by beating it. The polished hir is arranged one by one and woven into a plait with the coir. The plait is rolled tightly, with a coir string tied around it to form the handle. More coir is then plaited and wrapped around the broom to hold it together.
Need for support
The time and effort involved in making each broom also raise questions about whether a GI tag alone can help sustain the craft. Fernandes, who has conducted several broom-making workshops to promote the tradition, is unsure if the proposed recognition will change the fortunes of Goa’s broom-makers. Having hosted a lot of broom-making workshops to promote this dying art, Fernandes points out, “Yes, buyers have indeed reduced as several factory-made items are available for sale now.” Dantas believes that the GI tag will indeed open larger markets for these brooms. “I know many people say that the demand and sales have reduced, yet almost every house in Goa will have a hiranchi broom,” she insists.
Making a single broom can take one to two days, and finding a coconut plucker to cut the palms remains one of the major challenges. For the hiranchi jhaadu to remain part of Goa’s everyday life, the tradition must be preserved alongside the livelihoods of those who practise it. A GI tag could give the broom greater recognition, but fair prices along with better markets and support for its makers will be just as important. Keeping the craft alive means ensuring that the knowledge passed down through generations continues to be valued, practised and carried forward.
