Research Insights
A detailed list of insights gathered from our field visit to the Variya Prajapati Community for the case study. This list comprises of insights based on various aspects like our conversation with different stakeholders in their craft production, online data available on the community and also our observations of the community and their lifestyle during our visit.
Insights in-Depth
Craft Making and Process
Takes high involvement of time, manual labour (more input less return: hard work is more but the income is less- ₹ 10,000 for entire)
Mud procuring is done from the nearby villages which are in the vicinity of 3 km to 7 km.
Primitive/manually operated tools are used( throw and other tools).
Tool seems long lasting and can be repaired.
There is availability of electricity but electrical throws are not used.
They can either make or sell the products at a time so they choose to make them and seek ‘vyaparis’ to do the selling.
They fire the products once in 10 days.
They make 20 products per day and 400-500 pieces per month
If electronised they are still required to sit along with it.
The making process involve 6-7 different processes.
The price rate of the product depends on the demand in the market.
Different drying process for the Tawa and pots.
The furnaced products are stacked and stored outside the house.
The collected branches (fuel for kiln) are kept outside to dry in sun. this causes problems the monsoon season.
firing is also done based on the calendar (Gujarati calendar) considering the auspiciousness of the days
Charpai used as drying platform.
Season & Craft
The production is done for 8 months during the winter- summer season. The production is not carried out during monsoon season (4 months).
The production stops during rath yatra (by end of June) and resume during Navaratri time( starting of October) based on calendar and auspiciousness.
No fixed employment during off season.
No other work is done along with pottery.
Pottery is time consuming and a fulltime job.
A want of stable employment for women irrespective of age
Lifestyle
Women have a voice in discussions.
Bikes, vehicles and smartphones are considered as luxury over the possession of bicycles.
Believed that other jobs provide better income
Electricity for lighting, fans and water systems
They migrated from nearby villages called gunjara which around 6-12 kms away..
Women want to work, young girls are also involved in the working.
Women don’t work in the market.
Mode of transportation : personal vehicle – bike/bicycle
Welcoming in nature.
Not enough money for medical emergency cases.
Middlemen (Vyaparis)
Vyaparis come almost every 10-15 days, twice every month
Vyaparis take the commodity as per their choice from the entire community
They buy the products in wholesale; Wholesale not being more than 150 in number.
They are the major source of contact for artisans with the market
Vyaparis come from Ahmedabad, Bhawra, Surendranagar, Kathiawadi, and across Gujarat.
Vyaparis control the rate of the product
Locality & Environment
25-30 families living in the society
15/30 still practicing the pottery.
Only 2 people in the next generation are continuing
All family from a single descendent.
Vessels washing outside their houses.
Pakha road( not much developed ) road in the society.
Presence of sewage problem.
Comes under a bigger locality of industrial/residential area.
Becharaji is filled with CCTV
Changing Occupation
They change and try new occupations during the offseason -monsoon
Younger generations do not practice pottery and don’t want to continue the craft ( which their tradition).
Low income in pottery
Marriage is one of the reasons for discontinuing the craft.
Young boys are encouraged to go to school/college and pursue other occupation/ opportunities
Younger generation doing their own business as well .
Change in occupation to catering, rasoi making.
Market
Range of the products: the number of the products is less in the market and the design is primitive.
Only 3-4 certain products are being are made
They sell these products at half the rate if the product is unsold for 15-20 days.
Fluctuation in the market demand in both sides of the production and marketing demand.
Price rate of the products are very low.
Offseason Effect
Some rest at the home during the offseason.
Some craftsman go to dukan for smaller jobs.
Some craftsman do majduri (labour work).
Koi maal bacha he toh who bechte he.
Packing of Gutka is done by women from their home.
Gruh Udyog help women for employment.
Gruh Udyog is provided them with work
They get work but have t agree to any amount named.
Help by Organizations
Government schools do not take fees for primary classes.
Gram panchayath provides food, clothes, water, housing, electricity regardless of registration.
Gruh udyog provides subsidies (mehsana district).
Gp provide with bag,pencil, notebook every year.
Requirement of (online) form entry for procuring any requirement.
Gas subsidy provision.
Provision of taad patri (tarpaulin) to the craftsmen during monsoon season. For subsidiary at 1200-1500 for 4500 worth materials
Maruti
Maruti’s CSR presence helping in building toilets, water tanks, paver blocks.
Maruti presents its proposal first to sarpanch in the gram panchayath and the necessary document are prepared.
Sakhi Mandal
For women empowerment and employment
List of many possible areas of opportunity in various aspects of the influence of seasons on crafts.