A Boon to the Handicrafts Industry in India

Indian handicrafts form an extremely important part of not only Indian culture but also, Indian economy, especially rural economy. About 70 % of the Indian population stays in rural areas and a major source of their livelihood is the manufacture and sale of their handicrafts. In spite of showcasing a steady growth of about 15% per annum in the last decade, handicrafts industry remains one of the most neglected industrial sectors in India which becomes evident from the fact that while the global handicraft industry is pegged at US $ 400 billion, India’s share in it is only 2%.
In a situation like this, the annual Surajkund Mela, organized every year from 1st to 15th February, by the Tourism department of the Haryana government, acts as a respite for most handicraftsmen and artisans. Since, most of these handicraftsmen are settled in rural areas, this fair gives them the opportunity to exhibit their work to an urban audience, which today has inculcated that sense of aesthetics to appreciate their art. Moreover, people in the urban areas have greater purchasing power and are therefore more willing to contribute monetarily to this industry.
Dilip, who is from Bundi, Rajasthan, is a puppet maker. For the last 17 years, his family has been involved with this form of art. They make puppets by weaving cloth and stuffing it with cotton or wool. These could be in the shape of human or animal figures. The faces of the puppets are generally made out of wood and then painted. The cloth used is typically bandhani, a traditional tie and dye form of clothing in Rajasthan, and is embroidered with glass and thread work.
Dilip maintains that his family being involved with puppetry over the last so many years, has seen very little growth in this industry. He attributes several reasons for this. He says, “Earlier, puppetry was a major form of communication and entertainment for the masses. Today, with the advent of so many improved forms of the media, this art is slowly dying. Since it is rarely used for these purposes today, it is majorly used for purposes of decoration. It is assumed that the government has done quite a bit to develop the handicrafts industry, but in reality, it has provided very little funds to puppetry and puppet makers, which could provide it the impetus to grow.”
For craftsmen like Dilip, that Surajkund Crafts Mela is a boon. He says that he has been coming for the mela, for the last 6 years, and over this period of time, he has seen a steady growth of about 5%- 7% in his trade and income generation. He finds more takers for his art here, especially foreign visitors who say that they find his puppets really colourful and attractive. Moreover, he admits that though he sells them for a higher cost here than in his village, people generally are willing to pay that much. A puppet he makes could cost anywhere between 150- 700 rupees. On an average he sells about 10- 15 puppets, amounting to an average income of 3000-4000 rupees per day, which he says he “can not even dream of earning in his village”.
There are many like Dilip, who look forward to the Surajkund Mela, every year, for the reasons that this festival provides a real boost to their trade. They find here a lot of encouragement for their art, which is translated in the huge number of buyers who are willing to spend a decent sum of money on their works. For them, this is like blessing in disguise that accounts for nearly 35-40% of their annual earnings.