Traditional craftsmen have often restricted themselves to creation, while middlemen profit out of their hard work. It is not just access to resources that is stopping our artisans from taking control of their own business
From regal elephants and camels to Lord Buddha, Ganesha and Natraj, there is hardly anything that his hands cannot create. Devi Lal Kumawat of Buddha Art and Craft has been breathing life into sandalwood and kadam (Anthocephalus Cadamba) for as long as he can remember.
Born and brought up in the Shilp Colony of Jaipur, “It was inevitable. After all, it was in my blood!” he says.
After being a crafts man for around two decades, it has only been now that Devi Lal mustered the courage to venture beyond the pink city (and come to Delhi) to showcase his wares. It took him two decades to build up the courage to travel a mere 259 km between Jaipur to Delhi and try his hand at selling directly to customers at the famous Dilli Haat!His pieces are usually bought by wholesalers who even export them to Europe and America. Back home, for all the hard work that Devi Lal puts in, he claims to make a profit of just around Rs 5,000 a month with which he has to run a family of six. “The cost of raw material and labor teamed up with electricity bills leave me with very little in my pocket. Most of the profit goes to the middleman,” he says.
What stopped him from exploring direct channels earlier? He says that potential customers both Indian and foreign used to come to his workshop, but he was not confident enough to talk to potential customers as he could not speak their language!
Devi Lal had started helping his father at a very young age, balancing both school and work. However, when he was in third grade he had to say goodbye to school. “I wanted to continue my education but my family needed a helping hand and did not have the money for me to keep studying.”
“It is primarily a lack of education, which has stopped me from expanding my business. I was not aware of the nitty-gritty of starting my own business and the marketing tactics that go along with it. Language is another barrier. It is mostly foreigners that are interested in these kinds of crafts, and I don’t speak their tongue!” says Devi Lal, sad but not yet giving up.
So, what gave him the courage to finally make the trip to Delhi?
“I have invested a lot in my sons’ education. Now that they are in college, I can rely on them to start a business of our own, instead of just producing the goods. Their knowledge and ability to communicate in English has helped us a lot in terms of directly dealing with customers. This is why we thought now was a good time to come to Delhi.”
At Dilli Haat, apart from publicizing his work, Devi Lal expects to get firsthand experience and understanding of the market. He is hoping to get in touch with exporters and wholesalers directly, and is even carrying extra pieces with him, just in case someone wants to order right away! So, how has the new experience been?
Devi Lal claims sales of Rs 3,000 on an average, everyday. Which he says is very profitable.
Devi Lal is just one among the many who have a similar story to tell. The Indian handicraft industry, with more than 30 million artisans and weavers (Crafts as Industry- Jaya Jaitly), has enormous strength and potential. More often than not, it is assumed that people like Devi Lal are held back because of lack of resources. And a lot of focus has been put over the years in making those resources available through a variety of means, including self-help groups, micro credit schemes and other interventions. Perhaps these interventions address just part of the problem and language, like in the case of Devi Lal is a critical ingredient that needs to be added to the various intervention packages.
The good news for Devi Lal and his family is that his sons are already on track to a better destiny. The question is, how long will it take to set the other thirty million craftsmen-entrepreneurs free.
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