Material Culture

Ragi Kana is a vibrant rural market setting, teeming with colour, culture, and commerce. As student volunteers working with Ragi Kana, it was not just a day of tasks but provided us with a nuanced understanding of multiple aspects. One of which is the intersection between tradition and commodification within a marketplace.

At the textile stall, we had exquisite Ilkal, Patteda, and various other sarees, kurtas, and daily wear crafted from sustainable & traditional fabrics like khadi, cotton, and silk, each piece a testament to Karnataka's rich heritage. However, behind the allure of these garments was hidden a complex narrative- while the artisans painstakingly crafted these products, but the volunteers are selling them, highlighting a disconnect between the producer and seller. Additionally, while marketing for this stall, we were prompted by the intersection between craftsmanship and commercial imperatives. Further, as one of our research projects focused on textile motifs and their embedded folkloric elements, the textile stall along with the handloom corner served as points of introspection, prompting us to look at the regional textiles including the themes woven in these textiles, enhancing our understanding of folklore's role in crafting them.  

Further navigating through the shops, we encountered wooden toys brought together in colourful displays at the shop from different regions. The story's characters now stand as commodities to be bought by eager buyers, raising questions about the commodification and commercialization of cultural heritage. Many parents were eager to buy these in addition to engage with the traditional games present in the space; trying to reduce screen time consumption of their kids and letting their children experience the joy of a lost childhood. In this sense, the game stall commodified memories and sold them to parents who desperately wanted their children to escape the virtual world. The owner guided the children through the games, encouraging them to win the games to boost their self-confidence in order to develop their interest in offline board games. Most of them involved strategies and, therefore, needed their full participation. Quite a few parents & children were excited to understand and play the games, others were just attracted to the concept of playing a game. To them, these games were something to add to their collection and/or to be left forgotten in a corner of the house. These games became an amusing factor for them to buy to cater to their stubborn kids. 

After a tiring session of shopping and games, one cannot ignore the tempting Ragi snacks & beverages that fill the air with their aroma, sparking conversation about the intersection of taste, traditional food culture and health consciousness with a focus on the nutritional value of millets. Multiple vendors sell homemade snacks made of ragi, like laddoos, murukku, cookies, nippat and salad, chaats, pakodas, vadas, puliyogare, and buttermilk. The snacks sold were free of preservatives and could be kept for a week or so without getting spoiled. The main focus of these delicious snacks was the usage of ragi, keeping their cost reasonable to attract buyers and promote the usage of ragi in everyday food consumption. It was enlightening to learn about the various products made from ragi, which were quite tasty and packed with benefits- ragi helps with digestion, reduces the risk of heart disease, and boosts skin and hair health. Overall, their efforts are commendable in promoting superfoods like ragi on a large scale, evident through the santhe's name, 'Ragi Kana' as well. 

Amidst celebrating cultural heritage, another point that could not be ignored was the economic reality- the prices, primarily regular or higher, posed a barrier to accessibility. Who can afford to indulge in these products thus remains a point of privilege. We, the student volunteers, were surprised to learn the price of certain organic goods and preferred to put on the 'we will buy later, that secretly means never' smile. People often came to look at the stalls and spent their Sunday morning hardly purchasing anything. The goods that sold the most were daily items like farm-grown lentils, rice, pickles, dairy products, and the infamous ragi. Products like skincare, textiles, and jewellery rarely made it to the buyer's list and were present for diversity. Taglines like pesticide-free, naturally sourced, and eating for better are fading away or reserved for people who care for the environment and themselves, willing to spare dimes. 

Ragi Kana is a microcosm of cultural capitalism, where culture and commerce co-exist. It underscores the significance of such initiatives in bringing forth and preserving tradition while reflecting and raising awareness about ethical consumption to ensure sustainability.