In Pokhran, handicrafts are making women independent
The name of Pokhran tehsil of Jaisalmer, a border district of western Rajasthan, is written in golden letters on the world map. As soon as its name appears, every Indian’s chest swells with pride, because on May 18, 1974, former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and on May 11 and 13, 1998, former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee conducted nuclear tests in our very own Pokhran, making India a superpower in the world. Full credit for the tests goes to the great scientist Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, also known as the Missile Man of India. He played a main role in the said nuclear test. But the same Pokhran is now increasingly making its mark on the world stage in women’s empowerment. Women here are not only skilled in the field of handicraft but are also becoming financially empowered.
About 175 km from the world-famous tourist destination Jodhpur and 110 km from Jaisalmer city. Pokhran tehsil has a population of about 30,000 people only. This area is very backward from an economic point of view. But in the changing scenario, the residents here, especially women, have made local handicraft an important source of income. This is not only strengthening the economy but also giving a new identity to the region. While this work is being supported by HDFC Bank, the training imparted by the
NGO Urmul Trust is making a special contribution in enabling them: HDFC Bank’s Samagra Gram Vikas Project Parivartan and under the Marugandha Project run by Urmul Trust, Bikaner in three villages — Thatt, Chacha and Gomat of Pokhran with the aim of reviving traditional handicrafts and providing selfemployment to the village women. In November, December 2019 and January 2020, a total of 106 women from Chacha, Thaat and Gomat villages were linked with self-employment by giving them handicraft development training. During this training conducted for 21 days, the women were taught to spin the spinning wheel (charkha), filling the gatta (part of the charkha on which thread is rolled), stretching and weaving the clothes by running the handloom and khadi loom. Similarly, 18 women in Thaat village, 30 in Chacha village and 30 women in Gomat village were trained in cut-work embroidery.
The special thing is that the women who are always covering their faces with the ghunghat (veil) also promoted this art by getting their traditional handicraft weaving and cut-work training. On the other hand, the rural women who till now were hesitant to do their traditional handicraft, have now started learning that and are selfemployed at home. Now these women are supporting the family by working like men and earning their livelihoods, which is a classic example for this region. Udaya Devi of Thatt village, who was trained to make handicrafts a source of income, says that she had never done weaving before. She said that under the Marugandha project, Urmul has given them 21 days of weaving training and arranged permanent employment for them. On the other hand, Anu Devi of Gomat village says that after getting training from Urmul, the women of the village are not only becoming financially strong but also walking shoulder to shoulder with the men in running the family. She said that this employment has not only empowered her but has also given her a respectable place in society.
In this regard, Arvind Ojha, secretary, Urmul Trust, Bikaner said that the main objective of the institution is to provide employment to women from rural areas at home and make them self-reliant. The efforts of the institution have instilled courage in the women living in the veil, and their leaning is moving towards their traditional handicrafts. He said that today there is a need in such areas where there is a lack of employment, that such organisations should revive these traditional handicrafts and connect rural women with self-employment. Today, they are not less than men. There is a lack of encouragement to those women living in the veil. It may be noted that the Urmul Trust strives to connect women with their ancestral businesses and handicrafts in the districts of Jaisalmer, Bikaner, Jodhpur, Ganganagar, Hanumangarh and Nagaur in western Rajasthan.
This institution is playing an important role in reviving the disappearing art form in western Rajasthan. Hundreds of weavers and women doing embroidery are being made self-reliant by providing them with livelihoods. Arvind Ojha says that the Urmul Trusts are committed to enabling and empowering the lives of backward and disadvantaged people in the Thar Desert. The main objective is to augment the traditional arts and methods of employment in conformity with the modern market. The Urmul family has been travelling in the western desert for years in a participatory way, from enabling to self-reliance. With traditional weaving in Pokhran reaching the world market, now women are being made self-reliant with an enhanced income being generated. Strong and capable women can form the basis of the self-reliance of the entire family. This principle has been learned by the Urmul Trust in the last three decades working with desert communities in difficult conditions.
India is world famous in terms of handmade textiles and handicraft products. Indian handicraft is given special respect abroad. Tourists visiting India want to buy the handicraft product here. Its special contribution in strengthening the economy of the country cannot be denied. Presently, it is becoming a leader in the sectors that provide the most employment to the rural women of the country. However, handcrafters are still not earning as per their hard work. The biggest reason for this is the lack of a proper market for products. In such a situation, the cooperation of organisations like the Urmul Trust are playing an important role in making the women of the village self-reliant. There is a need to promote such institutions and their policies more.
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Charkha Features