flower of the wood - Design Clinic Scheme

Transcription

FLOWER OF THE WOOD
Need Assessment Survey of Sholapith cluster, Mandirbazar block, South 24 Parganas, W.B.
Survey by
Saurabh Kumar,
for
DCS, MSMEs
www.designclinicsmsme.org
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Photo: Kalidas Nasker making Sholapith rose flower at his unit in Bazarberia village
Dedication
This survey report is dedicated to all the efforts,
the entrepreneurial spirit and life of the Sholapith
craftsmen and craftswomen of Mandirbazar block in
Diamond Harbour subdivision of South 24 Parganas
district, West Bengal. The Sholapith products are
handcrafted to create one of the most beautiful and
outstanding masterpieces of the modern world.
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Photo: Pinki Purkait and her family members making Sholapith chips flowers
Acknowledgement
Contributors:
Many individuals are owed thanks for their valuable
inputs to this report, including:
DCS for MSMEs team:
Ali Imam Abidi
Ashok Mondal, DCS coordinator, east zone
Jaimin Dave
Jitendra Singh Rajput, DCS coordinator west zone
Kirti Parmar
Pinki Panchal
Purandar Datta
Ravindra U Jumani
Rupali Rai
Shashank Mehta, Project Head, DCS for MSMEs
Soumen Ghosh
Sudev Mandal
BWWA, Kolkata team:
B. S. Kayal, CEO, BWWA, Kolkata
Deshbandhu Nasker
Debprosad Purkait
Sholapith cluster team, Mandirbazar block, 24
Parganas (South), WB:
Arjun Paik, Ratneshwarpur
Basudeb Halder, Maheshpur
Bishradeb Halder, Bazarberia
Biswanath Gayen, Maheshpur
Chinibus Mistry, Bazarberia
Debashish Sarader, Gokulnagar
Debu Gayen, Makhimpur
Jayanta Gayen, Pukuria
Kalidas Naskar, Bazarberia
Kalipada Mondal, Gokulnagar
Pradip Sarader, Gokulnagar
Sanath Halder, Maheshpur
Sanath Halder (he works with Kalidas Nasker) ,
Maheshpur
Satyaranjan Halder, Bazarberia
Satibrata Halder, Bazarberia
Sudaib Purkait, Gokulnagar
Subhankar Halder, Maheshpur
Sushanta Gayan, Pukuria
Uttam Halder, Bazarberia
by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs), Government of India (GOI), Bengal Women
Welfare Association (BWWA) or National Institute of
Design (NID).
Many thanks to Mr. Nitesh Chandra, Country Manager
E Factor India for his valuable contribution in financial
and business insights related to the development of
Sholapith cluster into a vibrant one.
Funding:
This project is funded by DCS for MSMEs, an initiative
of the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
(MSMEs), Government of India (GOI), Bengal Women
Welfare Association & National Institute of Design.
Disclaimer:
The analyses and views expressed in this report are
those of the author and are not necessarily endorsed
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Photo: Shola seedlings at Satyaranjan’s farm in Bazarberia village
Acronyms
AITC
B2B
B2C
BWWA
CBDFC
CFC
CPI(M)
DAP
DAS
DC
DCS
DCW
DP
DRD
DSIR
GOI
IED
INS
MFIs
MSMEs
MSMED
NAS
NID
NSCBIA
RBG
SC
SJBCEB
SPU
SSU
: All India Trinamool Congress
: Business to Business
: Business to Customer
: Bengal Women Welfare Association
: Common Business & Design Facility Centre
: Common Family Centre
: Communist Party of India (Marxist)
: Design Awareness Programme
: Design Awareness Seminar
: Development Commissioner
: Design Clinic Scheme
: Design Clinic Workshop
: Design Projects
: Department of Rural Development
: Department of Science & Industrial Research
: Government of India
: Importer Exporter Code
: Indian National Congress
: Micro Finance Institutions
: Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises
: Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development
: Need Assessment Survey
: National Institute of Design
: Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport
: Royal Botanic Gardens
: Scheduled Caste
: Sir Joseph Banks Centre for Economic Botany
: Sholapith Primary Unit
: Sholapith Secondary Unit
ST
STU
UK
USA
WB
: Scheduled Tribe
: Sholapith Tertiary Unit
: United Kingdom
: United States of America
: West Bengal
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Photo: Sholapith artichoke petals at Biswanath’s secondaty unit
Contents
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Executive summary
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1.0 Introduction
About DCS for MSMEs
About NID
About BWWA
About the design consultant
Purpose of Sholapith cluster NAS report
NAS methods
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2.0 NAS of Sholapith cluster, Mandirbazar block
About DCS for Sholapith cluster
Scope of NAS for Sholapith cluster
NAS approach and methodology
NAS techniques for Sholapith cluster
Sholapith cluster of Mandirbazar block
Findings and Recommendations
Sholapith cluster: form production to customer
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3.0 The twenty Sholapith units, Mandirbazar block
The Sholapith cluster units: Introduction
The twenty units of Sholapith cluster
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4.0 Value chain analysis of Sholapith cluster
Sholapith cluster: VCA
Sholapith cluster: Findings
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5.0 Recommendations
Sholapith cluster: Highlight recommendations
Sholapith cluster: Conclusion
6.0 Appendices
Tools, Chemicals, Machines, etc. of Sholapith cluster
Step by step process of Sholapith rose flower making
Step by step process of Sholapith dying
Sholapith products made in the cluster for export market
Sholapith products as seen in the foreign market
NAS schedule, Sholapith cluster
Sholapith resources on internet
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Photo: Sholapith sunflower at Sushanta Gayen unit, Pukuria village
Executive summary
Shola is a plant which grows in the tropical wetlands
all over the world. The Shola wood is used to make
flowers and other decorations. These beautiful finished
products are used the world over on various occasions
like marriage, festivities, religious ceremonies,
private celebrations as well as brought to daily use as
decorations. The specialty of the Shola products is that
they are very light weight, flexible, absorptive of colour
as well as fragrance which once induced in them can
last for months on end.
skill is the one and only that most craftsmen possess,
with no fall back option in case the Shola craft business
becomes unviable.
This report outlines the entire process of Shola
products production in Mandirbazar block in West
Bengal. Also outlined are the people behind the Shola
craft and the over all human network which makes this
beautiful art possible. To prepare this report twenty
Shola craft units in the region were studied, insights
were obtained and some relevant business and design
recommendations were subsequently were arrived at.
Highlighted recommendations:
It was found that Shola craft is the key engine driving
the economy of Mandirbazar block. A remarkable
feature of this economy is the existence of a healthy
balance between everyday work, environment and way
of living of the local people. Unfortunately, this balance
is continuously threatened on account of destruction
of the ecology of the Shola plants and the unfavourable
balance of power in favour of the exporters as well as
the raw material suppliers. Compounding it all is the
fact that in addition to being illiterate, the Shola craft
- Improve cooperation between the educational
(research, art, design, technology, business and
management) sector and Sholapith cluster to ensure
that training needs are met, while reducing burdens on
the Sholapith cluster
The Sholapith craft plays a valuable role in building a
local economic sustainability and a contemporary local
society in Mandirbazar area. A stronger and a sturdier
cluster model will help the environmental, social,
cultural & physical well-being of the Sholapith cluster
to evolve.
- Explore other strategies for promoting growth of the
Sholapith cluster
- Improve effectiveness of public sector participation in
Sholapith cluster activities
- Aim to turn local talent into productive skills and
jobs in tune with the advancing diverse needs of the
Sholapith cluster, locally, nationally and internationally
- Create vision for Sholapith cluster, nationally and
internationally
In view of the challenges and opportunities present
for the Sholapith cluster, a multi-pronged approach
needs to be undertaken for the cluster to reach its full
potential and better the lives of those dependent on
this intricate art for their sustenance. Specifically, a
CFC needs to be set up that will:
- Improve financial assistance, both public & private
participation, for the business startups and for unit’s
business growth
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Photo: Sholapith artichoke petals at Biswanath’s secondaty unit.
1.0
INTRODUCTION
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1.1 About DCS for MSMEs
In February 2010, Shri Dinesh Rai, Secretary, MSMEs,
Government of India in association with National
Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, announced the
launch of the nationwide Design Clinic Scheme for
Design Expertise to MSMEs, a unique and ambitious
design intervention scheme for the country’s micro,
small and medium scale enterprises. The focus is
to support the development of globally competitive
industries that will form the foundation for India’s
future prosperity. The scheme targets MSMEs expected
to become drivers of high-wage jobs and long-term
economic sustainability.
Any manufacturing/service enterprises defined under
the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises Development
(MSMED) Act, 2006 and based on the limit for
investment in plant and machinery/equipment for
manufacturing/service enterprises as notified from
time to time fall under MSMEs. The Scheme applies
to enterprises within the clusters/industrial clusters
approved by the DC MSMEs.
Purpose 1. To increase awareness about the value of design and
establish design learning in MSMEs.
2. To increase competitiveness of MSMEs products and
services through design.
Objectives 14
1. To create a sustainable design ecosystem for the
MSMEs sector through continuous learning and skill
development.
2. To promote use of design by MSMEs for developing
products and services that are market led.
3. To focus on building the design capability of MSMEs
to enable them to improve business performance as
well as compete in the global market. 2. Design Awareness programme (DAP)
a. Need Assessment Survey (NAS)
b. Design Clinic Workshop (DCW)
3. Design Projects (DP)
Key principles 1. Adopting a rigorous, yet applicant friendly process.
2. Promoting and disseminating design concepts in
regional or local languages, which are understood by
the MSMEs.
3. Establishing benefits without overwhelming the
MSMEs.
4. Learning from other successful design-support
programmes.
5. Establishing systematic processes for design and
product development in MSMEs.
The design awareness seminar is a sensitization
seminar, aimed to create a platform for MSMEs units
to interact with design experts, industry experts and
academic experts to create awareness & understand of
design methodology and benefits of design to MSMEs
in their business strategy, product-service, process,
operations and branding & communication. To take
design to a higher level of manufacturing functions, it
is very important to develop an understanding of the
design scenario and environment at an early stage of
conception for MSMEs.
The Design Clinic Scheme has been developed by the
National Institute of Design (NID) for easy percolation
of design thinking philosophy and maximizes benefit
for MSMEs units.
The next stage of activities is the design awareness
programme, focused on exploring industrial
functions and activities to develop a holistic map
of MSMEs clusters and units. The design expert/s
generates design information about products, market
scenario, technology, communication, research and
development, and various industrial functions along
with human factor study for ergonomics, safety,
The DCS is divided at three broader levels:
1. Design Awareness Seminar (DAS)
These activities are helpful in smooth transitioning to
several levels of design intervention in industrial and
business activities of MSMEs.
convenience, learning and skill up gradation through
design research. The programme provides design
remedies for identified opportunities through the
design clinic workshop with the members of the
clusters.
To strengthen and bring a long term engagement
between power of design and the clusters and in order
to understand the design needs and design problems
of the cluster, design projects are identified during
the need assessment survey and discussed during
the design clinic workshop. Projects which require
intensive design observation and interventions, can
be taken up as design projects with the help of design
experts. Projects can be related to design intervention
in area of product/process /strategic areas where
design can help in generating solutions and value for
individual or group of MSMEs.
The project reported here is the outcome of the
second phase of the DCS activities i.e. Need
Assessment Survey (first part of the Design Awareness
Programme). The NAS is done for the Sholapith craft
cluster, Mandirbazar, 24 Parganas (South), WB. This
survey is a combined initiative of DCS for MSMEs
team at NID and BWWA, Kolkata.
(http://designclinicsmsme.org/)
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1.2 About N.I.D.
& Technology, Government of India recognizes NID as
a scientific and industrial design research organization.
NID has been a pioneer in industrial design education
after Bauhaus and Ulm in Germany and is known for
its pursuit of design excellence to make Designed in
India, Made for the World a reality. NID’s graduates
have made a mark in key sectors of commerce,
industry and social development by taking role of
catalysts and through thought leadership.
National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad is
assisting the Ministry of MSME, Government of India,
as a nodal agency for implementing the scheme. As
part of the scheme a Design Clinic Centre and its
regional centres are being set up to reach out to all
parts of the country. For easy percolation of design
thinking and philosophy and maximum benefit for
MSME units the Design Clinic Scheme is divided at 3
broader levels. These activities are helpful in smooth
transition in to several levels of design intervention in
industrial and business activities of MSMEs.
Photo: National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
The National Institute of Design (NID) is
internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost
multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design
education and research. The institute functions as an
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autonomous body under the department of Industrial
Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry,
Government of India. Department of Scientific &
Industrial Research (DSIR) under Ministry of Science
1. Design Sensitisation Seminar
2. Design Awareness programme
a. Need Assessment Survey
b. Design Clinic Workshop
3. Design Projects
1.3 About B.W.W.A. Kolkata
Photo: Mr. B. S. Kayal, in an interview with the NAS researcher
BWWA was set up to meet the dual objectives of
poverty alleviation and women empowerment.
BWWA, incorporated under the Companies Act,
1956, Ministry Of Corporate Affairs, Govt. of India,
carries out microfinancing activities. In West Bengal,
BWWA works to bring a ray of hope in the lives of
the poorer section of the community and in particular
empowerment among women. Poverty and inequality
mutually reinforce and bring about the degeneration of
a society. The world’s largest democratic republic faces
a long and demanding struggle to eradicate the evil of
glaring socio-economic disparity, which can destroy
the very fabric of democracy, if left unchecked. It is this
disparity in West Bengal that BWWA aims at fighting
through sustainable planned intervention.
office of BWWA in village post South Bishnupur,
Mandirbazar block of Diamond Harbour subdivision is
engaged with the Sholapith cluster units.
(http://www.bwwaindia.com/background_history.php)
It started as a Micro Finance Institution (MFI) in
March 2009 under the leadership of Mr. Bimalendu
Sekhar Kayal. BWWA opened its first microfinance
branch at Rajpur (near Narendrapur) in South 24
Parganas district of West Bengal in March 2009.
BWWA started with 2 branches in the year 200809 only in the state of West Bengal and today it has
opened 8 branches across 3 districts in West Bengal.
Photo: Deshbandhu Nasker and Debprosad Purkait of BWWA in
Till date, BWWA has disbursed a total of Rs. 160.76
lacs among 2484 women seeking financial assistance.
Loan outstanding stands at Rs. 135.82 lacs. At, BWWA
the repayment rate is recorded at 99.88%. The local
Bazarberia during NAS
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1.4 About the design consultant
research, Project management, Design management,
Product design & development, Experience design
and Brand & Communication design. All the previous
practical work experience and exceptional design
dexterity prepares me for a Strategy Designer with a
focus on socio–business balance.
Aligning business + design of the products and
the services would be at the core at the strategy
formulation and implementation.
NAME: Saurabh Kumar
DATE OF BIRTH: 19th May, 1980
NATIONALITY: Indian
ADDRESS FOR COMMUNICATION
Flat no. C - 301, Pushkar Apartment 1,
Near N.I.D., Paldi, Ahmedabad, Pin: 380007, Gujarat,
India
EMAIL: saurabhkumar.in@gmail.com
WEBSITE: www.designhumon.com
Saurabh Kumar is a Strategic Design Management
graduate, with a work experience of six years in the
design industry and equipped with Design thinking,
Strategy design, New Business development, Design
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ORGANIZATIONAL EXPERIENCE (as on 15th of July,
2011)
* A.
ORGANIZATION: DESIGNHUMON Consultancy
Services.
DURATION: January 2010 - Present
DETAILS: Work as a Design Strategist, Industrial
designer & Brand expert - Chief Strategy Officer,
DESIGNHUMON Consultancy Services, India.
* B.
ORGANIZATION: DMA Yellow Works Pvt. Ltd.
DURATION: September 2010 - December 2010
DETAILS: Worked as a Senior Strategist with DMA
Yellow Works, India.
* C.
ORGANIZATION: LUMIUM Innovations,
Ahmedabad.
DURATION: January 2010 - September 2010
DETAILS: Worked as a Strategist, & Design Manager
with LUMIUM Innovations Pvt. Ltd. India.
* D.
ORGANIZATION: Automotive Division, TATA Elxsi
Limited, Bangalore
DURATION: June 2006 - May 2007
DETAILS: Worked as Senior Design Engineer at
Automotive division with TATA Elxsi, India.
* E.
ORGANIZATION: Two wheelers Division, HONDA R
& D, Gurgaon
DURATION: January 2004 - May 2006
DETAILS: Worked as a Senior Designer with HONDA
R&D, India
* F.
ORGANIZATION: Lifestyle Department, JAYANITA
Exports, Delhi
DETAILS: Worked as a Designer with JAYANITA
EXPORTS, India
EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND
* A.
PROGRAM: Masters in Strategic Design Management
INSTITUTION: National Institute of Design.
Ahmedabad (www.nid.edu)
DURATION: June 2007 - October 2009
* B.
PROGRAM: Masters in Strategic Design
INSTITUTION: Politechnico di Milano, Milan
(polidesign.net)
* C.
PROGRAM: Graduation in Lifestyle Accessory Design
INSTITUTION: National Institute of Fashion
Technology, New Delhi
DURATION: June 2000 - September 2003
Photo: Maheshpur village, Mandirbazar
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1.5 Purpose of Sholapith cluster NAS report
In order to assist in the development of DCS strategy
for Sholapith craft, the NAS of the current and
potential stakeholders in Sholapith cluster villages in
Mandirbazar block was carried out. This report seeks
to put forward the efforts and activities of individuals
involved in the Sholapith cluster initiatives through
three deliverables:
1. Review of the current
- core context of the cluster
- the people (craftsmen, exporters, buyers,
associations and the government agencies and other
important individuals who make this cluster) involved
- the place where-all this cluster exists
- the product and service developed by the
cluster
- the holistic system, of concept to customer
approach of the cluster, and
- the future direction for the cluster
development
2. Analysis of challenges in Sholapith cluster’s sociobusiness approach, in context to culture, process and
ethics.
3. Recommendations for addressing those challenges.
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1.6 NAS methods
To ensure a comprehensive and in-depth survey, the
following three sets of methods were undertaken to
study the various aspects and diverse possibilities in an
endeavour to produce this report.
1. An all-inclusive literature, web, other relevant
report review was conducted on a diverse range of
topics important to the success of Sholapith cluster
sustainability & evolution, locally and worldwide.
2. Interviews were conducted with a total of twentyeight cluster stakeholders, including the Sholapith
craftsmen, executives from BWWA, exporters,
buyers, designers and design institutions, economic
development professionals, cluster development
professionals, management professionals and
educators.
3. Base line data was compiled for the Sholapith
cluster, using best available data resources from the
main stakeholders. Critical data, which if revealed
could adversely impact the competitiveness of
individual units have not been included in this report
and confidentiality requests have been upheld in their
best interests.
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Photo: Children playing in the open field with Kalimandir in background in Bazarberia village
2.0
NAS OF
SHOLAPITH
CLUSTER,
MANDIRBAZAR
BLOCK
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2.1 About DCS for Sholapith cluster
The office of the Development Commissioner
(MSMEs), Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium
Enterprises, GOI formulated the plan to implement the
Design Clinic Scheme (DCS) for design expertise for
Sholapith cluster in Mandirbazar block of 24 Parganas
district, WB. The scheme is approved by GOI under
the 11th five-year plan and national manufacturing
competitiveness programme.
3. Design Projects (DP)
The DCS for the Sholapith cluster is supported and
implemented by the east zone office of DCS for
MSMEs, Kolkata in association with the Sholapith
cluster association, an associative of BWWA, Kolkata.
The seminar was organized by the MSMEs cluster
Association, BWWA, Kolkata for their members to
interact with the Design experts/subject experts.
The interaction was intended to design sensitize the
members of the Sholapith cluster units by providing
opportunity to the participants to understand design
methodology and benefits of design. The member
from the east zone office of DCS for MSMEs, Kolkata
introduced participants to the DCS and the design
experts generated design awareness through case
studies and good design practices presentations.
In total, twenty units were chosen which represented
the Sholapith cluster in the Mandirbazar block for
NAS under DCS for MSMEs. The units representing
the Sholapith cluster are registered as MSMEs units
with the Government of India. According to definition
of MSMEs, all the representing units of the Sholapith
cluster are classified as micro enterprises, since their
investments in tools, plant & machinery does not
exceed twenty-five lakh rupees.
The DCS for Sholapith cluster is divided into three
phases:
1. Design Awareness Seminar (DAS)
2. Design Awareness Programme (DAP)
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The DAS for the Sholapith cluster was successfully
held on 18th of February 2011 in presence of the
member of the Sholapith cluster units, team from east
zone office of DCS for MSMEs, Kolkata and team from
BWWA, Kolkata. The seminar was held at the PWD
guest house in South Bishnupur.
After the successful conduction of the DAS, DAP for
the Sholapith cluster was planned by the east zone
office of the DCS for MSMEs, Kolkata and BWWA,
together.
DAP is aimed to generate design awareness within
the Sholapith cluster members with cluster centric
design information and participatory workshop for
better understanding the role and benefits of design
in industrial context of cluster. Out of the fund allotted
under the DCS for MSMEs, to Sholapith cluster for
DAP, 25% is contributed by BWWA, Kolkata through
collection from the Sholapith cluster units or already
existing Sholapith cluster units’s fund.
To generate more insights relating to cluster units,
products, operations and market and deliver contextual
design diagnosis and remedies the DAP is divided in 2
segments:
- Need Assessment Survey (NAS)
- Design Clinic Workshop (DCW)
In order to understand the design needs and design
problems of the Sholapith cluster, the expert designer
was appointed to conduct an intensive design research
to map the present scenario and opportunities for
design intervention in the clusters through interactive
learning, guidance and training. This aims to serve, as
a base for addressing the general design needs of the
Sholapith cluster and working out design solutions
in the following DCW with the units of the Sholapith
cluster.
The NAS which may last for 10-15 days for the
Sholapith cluster in Mandirbazar block is part of the
DAP done under the DCS for MSMEs which will be
followed by DCW. In the interactive DCW conducted
by the design experts, the cluster members learn the
creative problem solving techniques/design process
to explore opportunities and develop breakthrough
solutions. Through interactive discussions and
workshop activities, remedial solutions are generated.
The workshop could be for 1-5 days depending upon
the need of the clusters and the number of units
covered under NAS.
Further, the DAP will be followed by Design Projects
for the Sholapith cluster, Mandirbazar block.
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2.2 Scope of NAS for Sholapith Cluster
Sholapith cluster products are known worldwide for
their profound beauty and longevity at quite affordable
prices.
Sholapith craftsmen and craftswomen, while mostly
poor and unexposed to the demands of the global
marketplace, are talented and open to innovation,
especially when it creates opportunities to access new
markets.
Today, only a handful of craft units in the Mandirbazar
block region engaging 1000 labourers thrive. Many
of the existing and the potential Sholapith units are
threatened by competition from Thailand, China
and countries who are also, the biggest exporters of
Sholapith products.
The competition of Sholapith products with alternative
materials – in particular, plastic – is increasingly
threatening the future of Sholapith cluster.
Given the very expensive raw material, the limited
electricity, the need to buy many inputs, inadequate
telecommunications and road infrastructure, and
a labour force that does not always understand the
efficiency demands of the market, Sholapith craft
producers fight an uphill battle against the efficient,
low-cost alternate products and their manufacturers.
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Statement of Work: The NAS will conduct a value
chain assessment to better understand the constraints
and design opportunities for the Sholapith crafts
industry in Mandirbazar block.
Deliverables:
This value chain analysis will build on the study
of the global marketplace for Sholapith aimed at
understanding the competitiveness of the local units in
the global context and will clarify:
Limitations: The end market study for Sholapith
products has been carried out using secondary data as
the exporters and buyers are spread wide and far and
could not be interviewed in the time frame available.
1. competitiveness strategy (end market) for the
industry (focused on improved efficiency, improved
quality/differentiation, and/or changes in demand)
2. the constraints and opportunities along the value
chain, especially in light of internal conditions in
Mandirbazar and changes in the global marketplace
(the threat of China, south-east asian countries and
others)
• the relationships among actors that either inhibit or
contribute to competitiveness
• the actual and potential sources of learning and
innovation in the chain, and
• the distribution of benefits from the bottom to the top
of the chain.
3. the design interventions required to benefit the
cluster including the workflow processes.
The researcher will develop a draft report and – after
receiving comments from this mission – a final report.
2.3 NAS approach and methodology
The author of this report is a registered design
consultant with the DCS for MSMEs. The author was
engaged by the east zone office of DCS for MSMEs,
Kolkata to carry out the NAS for the Sholapith cluster.
The BWWA team of South Bishnupur played a major
role in selection of the units, organizing and fixing up
appointments with the Sholapith cluster units for NAS.
attempted to enter the export business on their own
but have not been successful.
This field study was conducted over nine days period
from 3rd to 11th of May 2011. Given this extremely
short time frame and the complexity of the subject,
it was not possible to explore in detail all of the niche
opportunities for the export and buying system
of Sholapith products. These niches were chosen
according to current strengths and export growth
potential within broad and specialized markets.
Therefore, in addition to helping identify key trends
of the Sholapith products, success patterns, export &
buying behaviour and obstacles to direct exporting by
the Sholapith units, a thorough research was done on
the internet, for more detailed insights.
The twenty selected Sholapith cluster units for the
survey were chosen on criteria covering maximum
diversity of Sholapith product range. The chosen units
together showed a wide variety of skills sets, knowledge
base, product mix, size of business and the complete
positioning of their products and their businesses in
the market. The twenty units were spread over seven
villages in the Mandirbazar block of South 24 Parganas
district. The seven villages are listed below:
No field surveys or correspondence with appropriate
governmental agencies were initiated due to time and
financial constraint. Due to the time limitation in the
survey, most of the studies related to the exporters,
the buyers and the end-users were done online and
through telephonic interviews.
1. Bazarberia
2. Gokulnagar
3. Maheshpur
4. Makhimpur
5. Matilal
6. Pukuria
7. Ratneshwarpur
Photo: National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad
The study conducted during the NAS was carried
out in two distinct phases. The research focused on
the Sholapith cluster units’ perspective, and involved
interviews with members of the working group,
executives of the cluster association involved and
profiles of twenty cluster units who have been active in
producing Sholapith products and are in direct contact
with the exporters. A few of these units have at times
Basic anthropological, botanical, geographical,
commercial and sociological information search related
to Sholapith cluster was collated using the Internet.
All the data was read, filtered and reference links were
prepared. The Internet accounts were at times diverse
and data of publication is not the criterion of quality.
27
the Sholapith cluster has proved to be the fastest
and the most time saving way to understand and
analyze both the supply and the purchase side of the
Sholapith products and the cluster’s global reach. The
understanding from the desk research was essential to
guide the research tools used for field research.
2. Studying government published data
GOI and government of foreign countries have
published a great extent of data online that has been
used to understand the system of the Sholapith cluster,
its advantages, scale and its future scope, which are
available through books, documents, internet, etc.
1. Use of internet
Photo: NAS orientation at Bishrabed’s unit, Bazarberia village
A strong emphasis was placed on studying the backend and the front-end scenario of the Sholapith
cluster in depth, right from the process of Shola plant
farming to the end-use of the Sholapith products,
worldwide.
2.3.1
Orientation for NAS to the Sholapith
unit members
Internet is one of the most efficient sources of
information to understand the day-to-day Sholapith
global landscape. Sholapith business related
information which indicates what type of products are
sold, how they are sold and bought, in what quantity
and at what cost, sold to which type of customers
including their geographical location and so on were
collected. Using the various search engines like www.
google.com, www.yahoo.com were used for modulated
searching.
For most of the research related to exporters, buyers,
B2B /B2C business, worldwide customers, internet
proved to the best and most prominent means of
extracting information for Sholapith research.
3. Interview with industry experts involved in Sholapith
crafts
Interviews were conducted with a few exporters from
Kolkata and people involved with the Sholapith cluster,
locally.
2.3.3
Field research of Sholapith cluster
Field research comprised of quantitative and qualitative
research of Sholapith cluster and its elements. The
objective was to investigate the craftsmen’s level
of understanding and knowledge of the process of
creating the end products from the Shola plant. In
addition, their understanding of the business end was
also sought to be investigated.
The survey started with the base orientation about NAS
to the members of the Sholapith units. On the first
day, there were personal introductions, brainstorming
sessions about the scenario of the cluster and the
future direction and highlight issues were discussed.
2.3.2
Desk research for the Sholapith cluster
Desk researches (secondary research) done for
28
These data are related to Sholapith history, social,
raw material, products, financial, economical aspects,
etc. Although the GOI websites did not prove to be
of much use in terms of updated data regarding the
Sholapith cluster.
Quantitative research
Diagram: Relation between Etsy & Gayen Enterprises with Google
The main focus of this quantitative survey/research of
the Sholapith cluster units was to know numerical data
in form of numbers, what, when, how often, etc. to
profile the target of the members of the units, the kind
of products they make, etc. and in what proportion.
A structured questionnaire was prepared that mainly
contained pre-defined questions which yielded closed
-ended answers, like profile of the members: age,
education, the length of time they have been in the
business, other business engagements, the kind of
products they make, their exporters, buyers, etc.
The quantitative research consisted of a total of twenty
face-to-face structured interviews conducted across
seven villages of Mandirbazar block.
Techniques involved for the quantitative research;
- Interviews: personal & group meeting
- Review of relevant literature
- Review of Internet material
- Work samples
The discussions were targeted to yield more of self/
thematic responses. The discussions revolved around
themes like member’s day-to-day activities, the living
conditions, the member’s level of inclination to the
craft sector, hindrances in their Sholapith business,
issues with exporters and the local dealers, medical
issues, family issues, financial issues, educational
facilities, etc.
units were engaged in interviews and discussions.
The clusters members included both craftsmen and
craftswomen and their age ranged form eighteen to
seventy two years.
Most of the qualitative insights were targeted in the
member’s natural environment. The timings were
usually not decided before hand, but the interviews
were usually conducted after their work timings
in their homes, at the lunch/dinner times, while
spending time with the members in the market areas,
etc.
The interaction was spread to all craftsmen of the
unit and the family members of the unit owners. A
total of fifty five individuals from the Sholapith cluster
Qualitative research
The aim of the qualitative data was to get in-depth
insights usually rich and detailed insights about the
‘why’ and ‘how’ of the Sholapith cluster touch-points.
Mainly the in-depth interviews and the observational
behaviours of the members of the units, in-home
environment, in-unit environment, living conditions
and a lot of hidden insights were targeted. The
discussions with the members were at times kelp
very open ended and friendly. The questions and the
discussions were designed on the spot, rather than predefined questions and their order.
Photo: Charuwala Mondal - Sholapith craftswomen, Gokulnagar
29
2.4 NAS techniques for Sholapith cluster
Photo: Suparna Halder, a Sholapith labourer, Maheshpur
Photo: Seema Purkait, daughter of Sudeb Purkait, Gokulnagar
To obtain the information and data required for
our quantitative purposes, the researcher relied on
a slew of techniques. Listed below is an exhaustive
enumeration of such techniques:
- Observation
- workplace area
- home
- friends & family
- Products & processes
- Local infrastructure
- Facilities: health, education, market, water, electricity
- Personal meeting: face-to-face
- Work samples
- Discussions
- Focus group
- Video ethnography
30
2.5 Sholapith cluster of Mandirbazar block
Mandirbazar block is dominated by thousands of small
businesses working from home. The twenty chosen
units for NAS are supported by these small household
businesses, which work in sync to meet the supplies
for exporters, nationally.
Photo: Sholapith product’s local movement in Mandirbazar block
Sholapith cluster is a concentration of small businesses
in the geographic region of Mandirbazar block in the
Diamond Harbour which is one of the subdivisions of
South 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. South 24
Parganas has the urban fringe of Kolkata on one side
and the remote riverine villages in the Sunderbans on
the other side.
The Sholapith cluster units are interconnected by
the markets they serve, the Sholapith products they
produce, their suppliers, their buyers, local/trade/
financial associations and the training institutions
(ex. Department of Rural Development, Kolkata)
from which members of the Sholapith units receive
training. The Sholapith cluster in the small villages of
According to ‘thefreedictionary.com’:
Cluster
n
1. a number of things growing, fastened, or occurring close
together
(http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cluster : Collins English
Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins
Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003)
and, according to ‘wikipedia.org’:
A business/industry cluster is a geographic concentration
of interconnected businesses, suppliers, and associated
institutions in a particular field. Clusters are considered
to increase the productivity with which companies can
compete, nationally and globally. In urban study, the term
agglomeration is used. It is also a very important aspect
of business strategies. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Business_cluster)
2.5.1
About Mandirbazar block in South 24
Parganas district
Mandirbazar is a town with a police station and a
community development block in Diamond Harbour
subdivision of South 24 Parganas district in the Indian
state of West Bengal, India. Geographical Location of
South 24 Parganas area: Latitude North 20´20” South
22’06” ; Longitude East 88’20”West 88’60”. Area is
8165.05 sq.kms.
Diamond Harbour subdivision is a subdivision of the
South 24 Parganas district in the state of WB, India. It
consists of Diamond Harbour municipality and nine
community development blocks: Diamond Harbour–I,
Diamond Harbour–II, Falta, Kulpi, Magrahat–I,
Magrahat–II, Mandirbazar, Mathurapur–I and
Mathurapur–II. The nine blocks contain two census
towns and 99 gram panchayats. The subdivision has
its headquarters at Diamond Harbour.
Facts:
The Community development block is a rural area
earmarked for administration and development in India.
A Block Development Officer administers the area.
A community development block covers several gram
panchayats, local administrative unit at the village level.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Development_
Block_in_India)
Gram panchayats are local self-governments at the village
or small town level in India. As of 2002 there were about
265,000 gram panchayats in India. A gram panchayat
can be set up in villages with minimum population of 300.
Sometimes two or more villages are clubbed together to
31
BHUTAN
NEPAL
I N D I A
BANGLADESH
West Bengal
South 24 Parganas
Photo: Location of Mandirbazar, South 24 Parganas district
2.5.1.2
Geography and climate
Rural area under Mandirbazar block consists of 10
gram panchayats, viz. Anchna, Nisapur, Ghateswar,
Krishnapur, Dakshin Bishnupur, Dhanurhat,
Jagadishpur, Chandpur, Gabberia and Kecharkur.
There is no urban area under this block. Mandirbazar
police station serves this block. Headquarters of this
block is in Mandirbazar.
Mandirbazar is located at 22.38°N 88.27°E. It has an
average elevation of 6 metres (20 feet). Mandirbazar
has the urban fringe of Kolkata on one side and the
remote riverine villages in the Sundarbans. A small
coastal region is on the extreme south, while the
Sundarbans mangrove forests form a remarkable
geographical landmark at the Ganges delta.
Presently Mandirbazar block and Diamond Harbour
subdivision as a region encounters some grave
problems like excessive density of population, which
overload the civic administration. It also lacks an
effective network of transport and telecommunication,
adequate health facilities, available drinking water, etc.
Agriculture, small micro industries and pisciculture
are all at their peak in the subdivision.
The Hooghly river is the main river which runs along
the west border of 24 Parganas district and enter the
Bay of Bengal.
2.5.1.1
History
After the Battle of Plassey (1757 AD), which concluded
with the British supremacy over Siraj-ud-daulah, the
rights of twenty four Mahals, which were under his
control, passed on to the British. The tract of land
conceded to the British included the present area of the
present region of Mandirbazar block which contains
the Sholapith cluster .
The climate in Mandirbazar is mainly tropical savanna
climate. (WIKI: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_
savanna_climate)The main seasons are summer,
rainy season, a short autumn and winter. Summer is
main known for excessive humidity, while the highest
temperature ranging from 38 °C (100 °F) to 45 °C (113
°F). At nights, a cool southerly breeze carries moisture
from the Bay of Bengal. Monsoons bring rain to the
whole state from June to September.
(http://www.wbagrimarketingboard.gov.in/Area/Rain.
html)
Winter (December–January) is mild with average
form group-gram panchayat when the population of the
individual villages is less than 300.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gram_panchayat)
The other four subdivisions of South 24 Parganas
district are Baruipur, Canning, Alipore and Kakdwip.
Alipore is the district headquarters.
32
24 Parganas (S)
January
12.1
February
11.9
March
April
May
June
July
August
46.6
50.9
118.3
254.7
326.4
319.5
September
261.9
October
215.9
Table: Rainfall by district and months in 24 Parganas (S) district (Ten years’ average 1996-2005) in millimetres
NoDevember cember
34.0
4.8
2.5.1.3
Banking and finance
minimum temperatures of 15 °C (59 °F).
2.5.1.2
Agricultural economy
Agriculture is the main stay of the people of
Mandirbazar. The land is level, which encourages
agriculture. Rice, sugarcane, timber, betel nuts,
coconut, wheat, sunflower, moong daal (pulses),
vegetables (mainly ladyfinger, potato, cucumber, onion,
brinjal), dates, tamarind, jackfruit, and fruits such as
mango, papaya are the principal agricultural products.
The agriculture mainly supports the local rural
economy. A considerable amount of people draw their
living from the agricultural sector. Poultry farming is
catching up in the area with many small businesses
involvement.
Every Monday or Friday, the weekly market is
organized in Pukuria village where the villagers buy
Banks near by Mandirbazar block are as following
1. AXIS BANK, MADHYAMGRAM
IFSC CODE: utib0000547
MICR CODE: 700211039
2. PUNJAB NATIONAL BANK, SOUTH GARIA
IFSC CODE: punb0320000
MICR CODE: non-micr.
Photo: Poultry farm, Pukuria village
their weekly needs such as cereals, vegetables, clothes
and other household items.
Consumption of fish with rice, particularly freshwater
fish, is known to be among the staple food in this
region. The local ponds and lakes are the major
source of fresh water fishes. The most common fishes
available are rui (rohu), catla, mrigal, chingri (prawn).
A part of the world’s largest mangrove forest
Sundarbans is located in extreme south west of
Mandirbazar block. The wetland floral diversity
shows several economically important wetland plant
resources of which large numbers of species are
used as medicines, paper pulp, thatching materials,
vegetables, food for water fowl, as green manure and
compost, water purifier and fodder etc. A few crafts
of economic importance to the people of Mandirbazar
block are Sholapith craft, terracotta, jute, bamboo craft.
Photo: Moong Daal cultivation, Maheshpur village
3. UNITED BANK OF INDIA, RAINAGAR
IFSC CODE: utbi0rgrc12
4. STATE BANK OF INDIA,
KRISHNACHANDRAPUR
IFSC CODE: sbin0005735
(http://www.onefivenine.com/india/villag/24Paraganas-South/Mandirbazar)
2.5.1.4
Transportation
In Mandirbazar in the Sholapith cluster area, almost
all the units in the villages have now been connected
with brick roads. The cluster villages exist along the
motorable road running across Diamond harbour on
west and Jaynagar on east. Kolkata in north is almost
equidistant from both Diamond harbour and Jaynagar.
These roads and bricked paths now carry goods and
33
Photo: Local bus transport service, Mandirbazar block
Photo: Motorized 3-wheeler transport service, Mandirbazar block
Photo: A father & a son riding a bicycle, Mandirbazar block
ideas throughout Mandirbazar. Today isolation is a
thing of the past and the people are learning about
each other more and more. Every major center of
population is now connected by regular bus services
in the adjoining region. People walk to cover small
distances and for long distances they have many
options such as bicycle, three wheelers, buses, jeeps
and trains to travel to Kolkata.
the offering.
Three-wheeler vehicles, both peddled and motorized,
are the most widely available option in the region for
transportation.
The people of Mandirbazar in the native language are
referred to as Bengali and are ethnic community native
to the region of Bengal.
Regular bus service is available to transport people
from Mandirbazar to Kolkata and major towns.
A 61 kms railway line connects the region of
Mandirbazar to Sealdah, Kolkata. For example, LKPR
Sealdah EMU/34725 takes passengers to and from
Lakshmikantpur to Sealdah, Kolkata. Some other
projects for extension of rail communications are in
34
Population & gender: In the 2011 census, Mandirbazar
block had a population of 1,83,093 out of which 94,627
were males and 88,466 were females. Decadal growth
for the period 1991-2001 was 14.54 % for Mandirbazar,
against 20.89% in South 24 Parganas district. Decadal
growth in West Bengal was 17.84%.
The Closest airport is Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose
International Airport (NSCBIA), Kolkata. The drive
from Mandirbazar to the NSCBIA is 73 kms (Approx.).
2.5.1.5
Demographics
Photo: Train route from Lakshmikantpur to Sealdah (on Google)
Language: Bengali or Bangla is an Indo-Aryan
language of the Mandirbazar block. It has evolved from
Magadhi, Prakrit, and Sanskrit.
village has a number of pokhars (ponds), which are
a great source of fresh fish. A host of gourds, roots
and tubers, leafy greens, succulent stalks, lemons and
limes, green and purple eggplants, red onions, broad
beans, okra, banana tree stems and flowers, green
jackfruit and red pumpkins add to the vegetarian part
of the meal. Recently the food inflation is causing a
major hindrance to healthy life of the local population.
Typically people live in mud houses/bamboo
houses with dhaan (rice) roof. The major source of
employment in the region is Sholapith craft.
2.5.1.6
Culture
2.5.1.8
Drinking water
The cultural milieu in Mandirbazar reflects the
Photo: Mud house with rice straw roof, Ratneshwarpur village
usual cultural characteristics of similar small towns
in Bengal and is far from being influenced by the
cosmopolitan culture of the metro city, Kolkata. The
community continues to perpetuate the Bengali
cultural manifestations like drama, recitation, classical
music, songs and dances.
Every year during Ram Navami ‘Ramayan’ popular
television series made by Ramanand Sagar, is still a
extremely a big hit, which goes on continuously for 7
nights. The stories of Ramayan and Mahabharata is
played and it is in-acted by the local youngsters in the
evenings in the temple premises.
2.5.1.7
Food
Photo: Moong Daal cultivation, Maheshpur village
Rice and fish are traditional favourite foods, leading
to a saying in Bengali, machhe bhate bangali that
translates as ‘fish and rice make a Bengali’. Every
Photo: http://www.soesju.org/arsenic/wb.htm
35
people of this sub division are Diwali and Holi.
2.5.1.10
Costumes
Women from the Mandirbazar region commonly wear
the Saari, often distinctly designed according to local
cultural customs. Among men, western dressing has
greater acceptance. Men also wear traditional costumes
such as the Kurta and Dhuti, often on cultural
occasions.
2.5.1.11
Education
Photo: A typical pokhar in the Mandirbazar block
The region depends on community deep tubewells
for drinking water supply installed by the local
government.
In a survey conducted in 2006 The ground water in
the South 24 Parganas district which contains the
Sholapith cluster region has been tested for arsenic
contamination. Arsenic is a carcinogen which causes
many cancers including skin, lung, and bladder as
well as cardiovascular disease. (http://www.soesju.org/
arsenic/wb.htm)
Photo: Women in Sari, Bazarberia village
2.5.1.12
Health
The local pokhars caters to all other needs of water
supply.
2.5.1.9
Festivals
Durga Puja in October is the most popular festival in
Mandirbazar. Other major festivals celebrated by the
36
Mandirbazar region has an average literacy rate of
82%, higher than the national average of 59.5%; with
male literacy of 86% and female literacy of 77%.
The district Diamond Harbour is very equipped with
primay schools, Shishu Sikhsa Kendra, Junior School,
Secondary School, Madrasa, Higher Secondary School.
Photo: A student on her way to school in Mandirbazar block
Mandirbazar block has a few local doctors. To get
medical facilities, people from the region also travel
to Mathurapur, Diamond Harbour, etc. The common
health problems of the people of this region are
common-cold, fever etc. The close by medical facilities
are available in Mathurapur, Jayanagar. Advanced
medical facilities are, however, distinctly absent.
In Mandirbazar block, in 2008, tests confirmed
patients with health issues like Dengue and
Chikungunya from among the other health issues.
2.5.1.14
Local market
The things of daily needs are available in local kirana
shops, vegetable markets , fish markets and the like.
fresh vegetables, fish, meat, poultry and fruits are
generally available in these markets. There is a ‘haat’
every Saturday in the nearby Pukuria village where all
the Shola raw materials as well as end products are on
sale.
Photo: Children playing cricket in Diamond harbour
2.5.1.13
Sports
Besides other Indian sports, cricket and football
(soccer) is the passion of the younger generation.
Photo: Vegetable market, South Bishnupur in Mandirbazar block
2.5.1.15
Places of Interest
are total of 294 legislative seats from 19 districts
of WB, which went to polls for West Bengal 2011
Assembly elections. Out of total 294 seats, 294, 68
seats are reserved for SC and 16 seats are reserved for
ST candidates.
South 24 Parganas District comprises of 30
constituencies. They are Baruipur East, Baruipur
West, Basanti, Behala East, Behala West, Bhangar,
Bishnupur, Budge Budge, Canning East, Canning
West, Diamond Harbour, Falta, Gosaba, Jadavpur,
kakdwip, Kasba, Kulpi, Kultali, Magrahat East,
Magrahat West, Maheshtala, Mandirbazar, Metiaburuz,
Partharpratima, Raidighi, Sagar, Satgachia, Sonarpur
Dakshin, Sonarpur Uttar and Tollygunge.
Major places of interest for tourists near Mandirbazar
region are Diamond Harbour, Bakkhali, Ganga Sagar,
Sundarban, etc. In the tourism industry, Bakkhali beach Mandirbazar (Vidhan Sabha constituency) is an
and Diamond Harbour have earned popularity as picnic assembly constituency in South 24 Parganas district.
spots mainly for the Kolkatans.
It is reserved for scheduled caste candidate. In the
WB assembly elections 2011, Joydeb Halder, an
2.5.1.16
AITC candidate won the election and gained over the
Government and Politics
candidate from CPI(M). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/
Mandirbazar_(Vidhan_Sabha_constituency)
The main players in the regional politics are the All
India Trinamool Congress (AITC, the Indian National
2.5.2
Congress (INC), the Left Front alliance (led by the
Historical context of Sholapith cluster
Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M)).
Well-preserved historic craft, purely handmade,
Following the West Bengal State Assembly Election
Sholapith decorations, lifestyle and religions products
in 2011, the AITC and INC coalition under Mamata
are the exemplary handicraft trade of the modern
Banerjee of the All India Trinamool Congress was
world. Sholapith craft was a ubiquitous trade widely
elected to power (getting 225 seats in the legislature).
distributed, but largely centered in and around the
The Left Front for the past 34 years had ruled West
local needs of the Mandirbazar block region. A major
Bengal, making it the worlds longest-running
portion of the products catered to the needs of the
democratically elected communist government. There
capital city Kolkata, WB. Maheshpur village in the
37
Photo: Sholapith decoration in festivals in WB
Photo: Sholapith birds for decorations
Photo: A couple in Sholapith headgears during marriage in WB
Photo: Sholapith decoration in mandir at Sanath Halder’s house
Prior to the export based business in the modern
scenario, the overwhelming majority of the Sholapith
products was essentially used in Bengali marriages
(topors: headgears used in Bengali weddings), pujas,
decorations at shops and homes, etc. and the business
were mainly, local. Now the businesses have evolved
to cater to the international users and occasions such
as decorations at weddings, gifts items, Christmas,
etc. Therefore, the designs have evolved to meet such
modern needs. The products made are low-margin
commodities. The profit made by the Sholapith cluster
units mainly depends on the huge volume orders (in
thousands, sometimes in tens of thousands).
Photo: Sholapith Goddess Durga by Manjusha, WB
Mandirbazar block was the epicentre of the Sholapith
craft in the past which mainly focussed on the
traditional religious and ceremonial events before the
demand for production for exported oriented market
of Sholapith products emerged. As the export market
for the Sholapith products opened up, the exporters
from Kolkata, Tuticorin, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore
started giving production orders to the scattered
Sholapith businesses in Mandirbazar block.
2.5.3
Sholapith products: traditional ‘vs’
modern
38
2.5.5
Sholapith craft and it’s training
The knowledge and skills required to produce beautiful
products from Sholapith have passed from previous
generation to the newer. With the changing demand
for different kind of Sholapith product designs from
international buyers, the craftsmen and craftswomen
have adapted themselves, accordingly.
The unit managers impart training to their craftsmen
and labourers to develop designs as per the order
received by the exporters.
Photo: Sholapith training centre in Maheshpur village
Photo: Shola flower fragrance diffuser by Peralessence, USA
2.5.4
The modern outlook of Sholapith craft
and its business
The Sholapith craft is at an important stage of
transition. A larger variety (almost 99%) of products
are produced for export. Like many other crafts,
Sholapith craft began to evolve in the late 1990s, with
a majority of new entrants drawn from diverse social
and business backgrounds into the Sholapith products
scenario. The craft underwent a major expansion a
decade ago, in response to the fast-growing foreign
demand for Sholapith decorative and lifestyle products.
The many different designs of Sholapith products in
use are available all over the Internet world.
The younger generation started to move out of the
local businesses and tried, not yet successfully, to
tap the export market of these kinds of products.
Frequent trips to cities have brought exposure and new
opportunities for the Sholapith business, which may
turn into some positive developments in the future.
Today, in the local economy it holds a very significant
role in engaging a large chunk of the population of the
region. Number of craftswomen engaged in making
Sholapith products is on a high, since the men are
generally busy in developing the business and dealing
with the exporters in Kolkata and other cities of India
and trying to develop newer business opportunities.
Internationally, the Sholapith faces tough competition
from similar produced by China, Thailand, USA
and other countries. Even the products face close
competition from fresh flowers/paper flowers, corn
husk flowers, cloth flowers, plastic flowers, in case of
Sholapith flower products.
In the local village of Maheshpur, Sholapith craft
training school, supported by Department of Rural
Development, Kolkata is run where hundreds of local
women attend the training. They learn the ways to
develop the new products made out of Sholapith.
2.5.6
Sholapith craft’s contribution to local
economy
Sholapith cluster has successfully contributed to the
local economy. Provides means of livelihood to tens
of thousands of families in the region of Mandirbazar
block. Although many younger people are moving to
cities in search of job opportunities, the Sholapith craft
and its business remain a foundation of satisfied living
and a source of nourishment in every sense for the
people engaged with it.
39
2.5.7
Findings & recommendations
The Sholapith cluster is the lifeline of thousands of people in Mandirbazar block region.
SHOLAPITH CRAFT:
The findings from the survey of the cluster
CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL
as part of the Mandirbazar block and its eleECONOMY
ments gives out many interesting discoveries.
The discoveries comprises of traditionally
SHOLAPITH CRAFT
rooted way of life of the people and the environment in and around the Shola wood, its
AND ITS TRAINING
craft and its business. The Sholapith craft
has been sustainable locally in the region for
hundreds of years. With changing ambitions SHOLAPITH CRAFT:
and the requirements of the local people the TRADITIONAL VS MODERNITY
craft has moved out from its region to become
a lifestyle product of international standards.
SHOLAPITH CRAFT: HISTORY
A WAY OF LIFE
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
DEMOGRAPHICS
FAMILY & COMMUNITY
AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY
SHOLAPITH CLUSTER
OF MANDIRBAZAR
BLOCK
BANKING & FINANCE
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
GOVERNMENT & POLITICS
Some of the finding & recommendations for
Sholapith cluster of the Mandirbazar block
are as following:
SHOLAPITH HISTORY
FINDING
- The knowledge and the skill among the people engaged in the craft is intact and limited
since hundreds of years. It is striving to evolve
to cater to the high demand of increasing
variety and quality of international standards
of Sholapith products both for local as well as
for the international market.
RECOMMENDATION
40
INTERNET
PLACES OF INTEREST
TELE-COMMUNICATION
LOCAL MARKET
RECREATION
LANGUAGE
FOOD
HEALTH
FESTIVALS
SPORTS
DRINKING WATER
ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
EDUCATION
SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
ARCHITECTURE
- The Sholapith craft needs a strategy framework to highlight the historical values of the
craft and connect it to the modern needs of
the buyers and customers. This needs creation of hiring trends, planning, design &
development, sales and marketing, branding
& promotion experts strategy team for the
Sholapith cluster.
GEOGRAPHY & CLIMATE
FINDING
- The region is adversely affected by summer,
severe rainfall at times and floods which interrupts the life in general and the Sholapith
business in particular.
- In the rainy seasons the Sholapith production is affected due to shortage of craftsmen
availability. The craftsmen get involved in
preparing the field for rice cultivation during
this season.
who work throughout the season. An additional payment system along with the regular
payments for the work has to be brought in
for the craftsmen.
- In every village in the cluster region a permanent shade with the electricity, drinking
water and toilet facilities has to be built which
can be utilized by multiple units as and when
needed.
- The cluster needs its own permanent waterproof Shola sticks warehouse which can be
used by the units to keep their raw material
and access it as per their need. The availability
of raw material in good condition is a priority for all the units. The raw material can be
bought in bulk by the clusters which would
cost lesser for the units.
- The Agricultural interests and confidence in
the region is going down with people opting
to take up alternate work or businesses for
better income.
DEMOGRAPHICS
FINDING
- The overall population of the region and
those engaged with the craft is getting older.
The younger population is moving to cities
for better job prospects and the local population has started to take up alternate businesses with better returns in comparison to
returns from Sholapith business.
RECOMMENDATION
- For severe weather conditions in summer
and rainy seasons the cluster needs a regular
supply of orders and permanent craftsmen
- Most of the production in the cluster is cone
by craftswomen. The women engaged in the
craft have to balance their household and the
craft activities all the time. The situation is
- The urbanization of the region is pushing
the Shola raw material production away.
really pressurizing for them since they do not
get enough time for their own wellbeing and
cannot focus on the developments of their
children effectively. It is a bit of silent exploitation by the overall regional system itself as
they are seen as mere workers.
RECOMMENDATION
- A awareness program has to be launched in
the cluster region to engaged the young talent
to be part of the Sholapith craft in different
capacities.
- The knowledge and the skills is to be effectively passed from the senior craftsmen to the
younger generation it the region.
- A common training centre can be developed
where the younger population with interest
in Sholapith craft can be given training in the
business and product design of the Sholapith
products.
- There is a greater need to empower the
women workforce in the region to play a bigger role in the Sholapith business and community development.
FAMILY & COMMUNITY
FINDING
- Majority of the families members who work
as craftsmen or craftswomen at the cluster
units earn as low as Rs. 30 (approx.) per day.
41
- The families in the local community are
competing with each other to get production
orders from the same local units.
- The poor families solely depend on the
Sholapith craft as they do not have their own
farmlands or any alternate source of income.
RECOMMENDATION
- The cluster has to move out of the exporters
clutch who rule the Sholapith business and
develop its own export authority. This will cut
down the middlemen profits and bring back
better income for the cluster, the craftsmen
and bring over all prosperity in the region.
- A common facility centre (CFC) has to be
developed to tap the international market
and connect to the buyers and the customers
directly.
BANKING & FINANCE
FINDING
- The local banks and finance institution do
not support loans for the Sholapith craft.
There is a issue of transparency in the local
mechanism and the units and the crafstmen
fear they have to pay bribes and pay interests
much more than the actual amount.
RECOMMENDATION
- Engage local and nationalized banks and the
financial institutions for entering into a pact
with the cluster, under which the country’s ef42
ficient lender would provide easy and affordable credit to Sholapith units and craftsmen.
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
FINDING
- The local roads within the villages are kaccha or made up of brick and mud which hinders the movement of people and motorized
vehicles. This in turn affects the fast movement of Sholapith raw materials and products
between units.
RECOMMENDATION
- Engage the local government and the panchayats to speed up the infrastructure developments in the region. Instead of making
mud and brick roads, the roads shola be made
pakka using concrete and charcoal which
would be less expensive in long run since it
would require less maintenance every year especially in rainy seasons. Better roads would
facilitate easy movement for the people and
vehicle carrying the raw material and finished
products.
INTERNET
FINDING
- The units engaged in the Sholapith business
do not have internet facility to support their
business except a one or two. The members
are not at all computer literate.
RECOMMENDATION
- Set up a Common Computer Training
Centre (CCTC) which will help the units
members and the craftsmen to learn using
computers. They can be effective in connecting to exporters & business, learn new design
softwares to design products with better
specifications and do a research about new
market and product opportunities.
- Engage research, business and design experts to impart better training to the cluster
units and the craftsmen.
FOOD
FINDING
- The prices of cereals, vegetables, fish, meat,
fruits etc. is increasing rapidly. The food inflation is threatening to throw majority of general population as well as those engaged with
the Sholapith craft to poverty.
RECOMMENDATION
- Encourage the cluster & the farmers and
promote better agricultural practices in the
region to produce high yield and better quality food products. The aim is to bring in the
food security in the region and cut down the
unwanted food price inflation. Bring in the
perspective of community and collective farming among the farmers.
DRINKING WATER
FINDING
- The ground water in the region and South
24 Parganas district is tested positive for
arsenic contamination. This is a dangerous
situation as arsenic is a carcinogen since the
population entirely depends on the ground
water for drinking water supply.
RECOMMENDATION
- Waterquality standards should be revisited,
especially for chemical contamination by Arsenic, and more research done.
- The local government and the panchayat
need act in advance to secure the arsenic free
drinking water supply in the cluster region.
Central Government should encourage state
governments to develop community based
water quality monitoring guidelines.
- The cluster community need to be trained
and empowered to manage their own drinking water systems, including quarterly
(minimum) monitoring of water quality. This
should be part of a well planned and implemented campaign to generate awareness,
change attitudes and behaviour.
ELECTRICITY SUPPLY
FINDING
- Majority of the craftsmen do not have electricity supply in their houses. In unfavourable
summer and rainy seasons, it is impossible
to work inside the house. Even in days with
good weather conditions the work ends by
6:30 p.m. after which the sunlight is enough
to continue the work.
Photo: Kundurani Halder’s workplace with no electricity facility
Photo: Craftsmen temporary shade made up of bamboo, rice
straw and plastic sheets
RECOMMENDATION
- Immediate uptake of small scale renewable energy generation (grid connected and
off-grid) units in cluster region is needed to
ensure quality generation of electricity and
supply at local level to ensure supply of electricity to all units and the region in general.
- Introduce sustainable sources of electricity
supply in the cluster region. Evaluate opportunity for solar and wind powered electricity
generation in the region.
ARCHITECTURE
FINDING
- The Sholapith cluster run their units from
this houses. Especially the front rooms and
the veranda are used as the workplaces and
the to store raw materials. The units also have
workplaces which they take on rent.
- Many of he owners of the Sholapith units
and almost all the craftsmen and craftswomen live in houses made up of mud, bamboo
and rice straw.
RECOMMENDATION
- Efforts by the central and the state government should be made to ensure that the
house in the cluster region are pucca (brick
and concrete) with permanent walls and
permanent roofing. The permanent nature of
the house would facilitate the people such the
house is able to withstand the peak summer
and rough rains and the weather conditions
in general of the place throughout the year.
- The houses should have disaster resistant
technology to be able to withstand earth43
quakes, cyclone, floods, etc.
- Most importantantly the spaces should be
designed to help the units and the craftsmen
to organize their Sholapith work, store their
Shola wood safe and totally water proof and
utilize the space most effectively for their
peak production orders.
EDUCATION
FINDING
- The Sholapith unit owners have studied
on an average till primary schools. And the
thousands of the craftsmen and the craftswomen do not have any educational qualification. They all depend on the Sholapith craft
which is highly skill based work which does
not require any formal education. Most of the
children goes to private schools for education.
RECOMMENDATION
- Revisit the government plans for rural education and ensure the education is met for
all with the help of qualified teachers, school
infrastructure, and the quality education.
- Introduce subjects on creativity, design and
technology in the basic curriculum in government schools and private schools which in
long run would help the regions innovation
capability. The schools will be the microcosm
of the cluster and the region in general.
- Need for a visionary educational framework
to strengthen institutional partnerships between the government, local bodies and the
community in the task of adult education promoting equity and quality for all in the region.
- Set up of a research centre for Shola plants
to increase its yield and improve Sholapith
use. The education and the raining programs
should also focus on the awareness and better
design practices.
Photo: Children playing in front of a government school building
in Gokulnagar village which is barely functional
44
HEALTH
FINDING
- Due to lack or healthy food, clean drinking water and sufficient medical facilities,
the health of the general population and the
craftsmen and craftswomen involved in the
Sholapith craft is not healthy which affects the
cluster if the situation is not attended soon.
Photo: A women is washing utensils in a pokhar. Most of the
pokhars in the region are polluted and not fit for use.
- The cluster region do not have any hospital
or a medical facility centre. For health issues
or any major treatments the people have to
travel long distances since the local region
does not support sufficient medical facility.
RECOMMENDATION
- Train and enhance capacity of local health
centres and panchayats to effectively own,
control and manage public health services.
- Ensure representation of existing cluster
community group and the general population
on existing medical facilities centres may help
facilitate their work and feedback to the community.
- Promote access to improved health-care at
household level through the village level volunteer worker.
LANGUAGE
FINDING
- Bengali is the main language in the region.
The population in the region do not speak
or write or do not even understand other
languages such as hindi or english. This is
a big hindrance for the people involved in
the Sholapith craft as this business requires
constant interaction with exporters or may be
buyers who speak hindi, english and other
languages.
- Promote Sholapith craft region as craft
based tourism for artisans and craftspeople
to produce and sell their work in local and
tourist markets is often critical to the overall
success of a community. Successful craftsmen and craftspeople contribute to a successful communities.
- Encourage the cluster to be proud of a long
Sholapith craft history for both preservation
goals as well as encouraging entrepreneurship and new business development opportunities.
Photo: Temple is being used as recreational area by a few people
in Bazarberia village. They are playing cards in the temple area.
RECOMMENDATION
- Introduce bilingual education in schools for
help students learn languages such as Hindi
or English other then Bengali. Multi language
capability will help the students, the cluster
and the region in general to help in transition
to mainstream global business and lifestyle.
RECREATION
FINDING
- The region does not have any recreational
centres or community centres for the older
people or the regional population in general.
People spend their time in markets in the
evening after their working hours.
- People in the cluster region meet up withe
their friends at temples and local market area
for recreation.
RECOMMENDATION
- Set up recreational centres for the cluster
members especially focussing on the elders
and the senior citizens to come together for
group activities, social support, public information, and other purposes. The senior members of the Sholapith cluster can also utilize
the centres to discuss the issues and action
plans for the cluster.
PLACES OF INTEREST
FINDING
- The region has a spectacular natural beauty
to simple domesticity. There are many religious and coastal tourist spots around this
region.
RECOMMENDATION
SHOLAPITH PRODUCTS: TRADITIONAL VS MODERNITY
FINDING
- Most of the Sholapith products such as flow-
Photo: Limited designs of Sholapith items such as Kadam
decorative items are seen in the local cluster region and the same
items are supplied to Kolkata since many decades.
45
ers, flower sticks, made for the export market
are very similar to the products made for the
local or national markets. The skill required
to make these products are easy to learn and
does not require much time or energy. Where
as to meet the demand for newer products
focussed to foreign culture needs a high level
of creativity and would require advanced techniques and skill to produce.
- No formal design or business training is
imparted to Sholapith craftsmen and craftswomen in the region. One such training
school which runs in the region teaches a
few craftswomen about how to make regular
Shoapith products.
RECOMMENDATION
- Engage experts from across the design and
business world to help the Sholapith cluster
units achieve balance between the traditional
processes within the cluster and the modern
pull for the new products and services.
- The cluster members and the craftsmen
must be moulded out of tradition approach
to handle the Sholapith material and design
new products targeting the modern lifestyle
requirements across different cultures
CONTRIBUTION TO LOCAL ECONOMY
FINDING
- The Sholapith craft is the major source of
income for thousands of people in the region
and at a macro level it drives cluster economy.
46
Photo: One of the many families that practice the Sholapith craft which forms for backbone of the regional economy. Sholapith flower
sticks are seen in the left corner of the veranda.
- Any decrease in demand of the Sholapith
products would adversely affect thousands of
families engaged with Sholapith craft in the
region.
RECOMMENDATION
- Focus on Sholapith clusters continuous
growth will help preserving cultural inheritance, employment generation, transformation of local raw materials into useful goods
and supplies to meet the needs of both rural
and urban communities, income generation
and linkage with other sectors.
- An efficient sales and marketing team is
required to be in place to help the cluster approach buyers directly and capture markets
across the globe. A better demand for Sholapith products would boost the clusters power
to boost the local economy of its region.
47
2.6 Sholapith cluster: from production to customer
Indian languages) and Scheduled Tribes (“ST”s) are
Indian population groupings that are explicitly recognized
by the Constitution of India previously called the “depressed
classes” by the British. SCs/STs together comprise over 24%
of India’s population, with SC at over 16% and ST over
7.50% as per the 2001 census. The proportion of Scheduled
Castes and Scheduled Tribes in the population of India
has steadily risen since independence in 1947. (http://
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scheduled_Castes)
Photo: Sholapith flower, stick and roll by Kalidas Nasker’s unit
2.6.1
Sholapith craft and it’s significance
People living in the Mandirbazar block engaged with
Sholapith craft have successfully utilized the Sholapith,
Aeschynomene Aspera, since time immemorial. It’s
very easy for any newcomer/visitor to Mandirbazar
region to notice that the Sholapith cluster and its
products is very important to the livelihoods of the
people of the region, as it provides the main means
of generating income. About 80% of the total people
engaged in Sholapith craft belongs to Scheduled caste.
Fact:
Scheduled Castes (“SC”s, [parishiShTa jAti] in most
48
The Sholapith craft has been growing in the
Mandirbazar block region. This has come about due
to both economic hardships aggravated by few job
opportunities in the region and developments in the
export of the Sholapith products. In Mandirbazar, the
Sholapith business expanded in the late 1990s when
more and more export houses realized the potential of
this beautifully crafted product’s export significance in
the foreign countries.
The Shola plant grows in lakes, ponds and wetlands;
and is partially submerged in the water (anchored
emergent hydrophytes). (http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/
biodiversity/Wetlands.pdf)
Fact
Emergent anchored Hydrophytes: Usually this category of
plants grows in shallow water and along the wetland. The
roots, lower parts of stems and sometimes the lower leaves
remain submerged. The apical parts and flowers rise above
the water surface. The species under this category include
Aeschynomene aspera L, Aitenanthera philoxeroides
Griseb, Echinochloa crusgalli L, Ipomoea fistulosa Mart,
Oryza minuta Presl, Ranunculus scleratus L., etc. (http://
www.envisassam.nic.in/newsletter/july-sept,07.pdf)
Aeschynomene Aspera does not grow so widely in the
Mandirbazar region, but a few farmers cultivate it on
their own land, at times on rental agricultural land. In
the Mandirbazar region Shola has become so much
in demand that the resource has become scare and
local supply of Sholapith does not fully meet the raw
material demand. The Shola sticks can be bought from
the local haat (market) on every Saturday from the
market produced locally or are bought from Kolkata to
meet the excess raw material needs.
Local people of Mandirbazar have utilized the Shola for
Sholapith craft for hundreds of years. The soft, porous,
light and supple white inner core - pith of the Shola
stem is used for making beautiful objects. The outer
skin is brown and is peeled off to use the soft portion
from the core. The core is sliced into strips and made
into sheets, cubes, cones and slices, which are shaped
to give form to the imagined designs. The process is
simple, but the craftsmanship requires a steady hand
and great skill. Sholapith items form an integral part of
the major religious rituals in WB. Skillful hands shape
this Shola stem into many objects such as models of
temples, churches & mosques, carved images of Gods
flowers and garlands. In the recent past since 80s
(approx.), it has grown enormously in public Durga
pujas where Sholapith craftsmen mainly contribute to
ornaments for Gods and Goddesses and have found a
wider application in home décor. In todays business
context the Sholapith cluster units are mainly catering
to the export market by producing large quantities of
Shola flowers of various styles and using interesting
techniques. Majority of the members of the Sholapith
cluster are women.
2.6.2
About Sholapith plant
Nomenclature: Aeschynomene aspera L.
Photo: A. Aspera by Velva E. Rudd, US national museum
and Goddesses, wedding headgear (topor), flowers,
garlands, decorations items. The rejected leftovers are
used as fuel for cooking purpose, locally.
In the craft’s earlier years the Sholapith products
were limited to religious and ritualistic products like
wedding headgear for traditional Bengali wedding,
Name origin: By Carl Linnaeus in 1753
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae or Leguminosae (Fabaceae: a large
and economically important family of flowering plants,
which is commonly known as the legume family, pea
family, bean family or pulse family.)
Genus: Aeschynomene
Species: Aeschynomene aspera
Plant’s common names: Sola or Shola (Hindi), Kuhila
(Asamese), Laugauni or Netti (Tamil), Sola-Pith-Plant
(English), Angioquinho/Pinheirinho (Portuguese)
(http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/taxon.
pl?310707), Sano Hang Khai (Thai-Thailand) (http://
www.tcie.com/sola_flowers/)
Seed: Brown to black, glossy, oblong-kidney-shaped,
2-2.5 * 3-3.5 mm in size
Harvest: Once a year
Part of the resource used for the craft: Stem
Photo: A. Aspera with the tools for craft, Agomani block, Assam.
Degree of transformation to create products: High
Cultural control: Control by hand
Economic importance: Sholapith craft, Cork substitute
Scale of trade: International
The ‘Shola’ plant Aeschynomene aspera is well known
in India. The pith is very light, spotlessly white,
extremely flexible and long lasting with excellent
insulating property. These qualities of ‘Shola’ pith have
been thoroughly exploited and have been used to make
fishing floats, sun hats, toys and other handicrafts
for a long time. In WB, a separate community - ‘The
Malakar’ professionally collect ‘Shola’ pith and
prepare attractive jewellery out of it. This is used for
decorating idols of Goddess Durga and other Gods
and Goddesses. The genus Aeschynomene belonging
to the family Fabaceae, comprises about 160 species
of primarily tropical legumes in tropical regions of
both the hemispheres. (http://aem.asm.org/cgi/
reprint/50/3/732.pdf)
In India, Aeschynomene species is represented by 3
49
NAME
A. aspera (Phul
Shola)
A. indica (Kat
Shola)
A. americana
(Dhani Shola)
CHARACTERISTICS
STEM
LEAFLETS
STIPULES
PODS
glabrous to moderately
hispid; pith hard
1-nerved, 2-2.5 mm
wide; elliptic-oblong
upto15 mm
long
2.5-4.5 cm long; straight
or slightly curved
glabrous to moderately
hispid; pith soft
glandular hispid; pith
moderately soft
1-nerved, 1-1.5 mm
wide; linear-oblong
2-5 nerved falcate
25 mm long
10-25 mm
long
8-10 cm long; straight
echinulate
2-2.5 cm long; falcate,
hispidulous
Table: Three species of Aeschynomene and their characteristics
species namely A. aspera l. (Phul Shola), A. indica L.
(Kat Shola) and A. americana L. (Dhani Shola). The
three species can be distinguished from each other
with the help of their distinguishing characteristics.
Among these 3 species, most significant commercial
value of ‘Pith Shola’ is obtained from A. aspera L.
that is distributed in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka,
Myanmar, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Aeschynomene aspera L. was described by Carl
Linnaeus based on a collection of P. Hermann.
(L. K. Banerjee, S. K. Basu and D. Ghosh - Botany
Survey of India : http://www.bsienvis.nic.in/
publication.htm)
Fact
Pith: also called medulla - is a substance that is found
in vascular plants. The two main functions of pith are
nutrient storage and the transport of nutrients through the
stem, branches, leaves, and roots of the plant. Pith is made
up of soft, spongy parenchyma cells, and is located in the
center of the stem in eudicots (both herbaceous and woody)
and in the center of the roots in monocots. It is encircled by
a ring of xylem (woody tissue), and outside that, a ring of
50
phloem (bark tissue). In some plants the pith is solid, but
for most it is soft.
The pith or medulla is the spongy tissue forming the central
cylinder of the stem of most flowering plant, especially those
of the dicotyledonous. It consists of cellular tissue composed
mainly of parenchyme. The word is thence applied to the
spinal cord or marrow in animals, to the medullary end of
a hair, and to that which forms the central part or core of
any object or substance; hence, figuratively, vigour, energy,
concentrated force. Very light hats or helmets are made
of the dried pith of the Indian spongewood or hat plant
(Aeschynomene aspera, the native name being Shola).
Europeans in India and the East wear these pith hats. The
Chinese Ricepaper-tree (Aralia or Fatsia papyrifera), from
the pith of which the delicate white film known as “ricepaper” is made, is also known as the pith-plant. (http://
www.theodora.com/encyclopedia/p2/pith.html)
eastern and southern Africa. In 1986 it was introduced
into the Philippines and since then has been grown
experimentally across South and South-Earth Asia.
(http://www.oswaldasia.org/species/a/aesas/aesas_
en.html)
They grow naturally in wetlands i.e. ecotones or
transitional zones that occupy an intermediate
position between dry land and open water. It is native
of Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia,
Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka,
Thailand and Vietnam.
Fact
Wetlands: Wetlands are ecotones or transitional zones that
occupy an intermediate position between dry land and open
water. Wetland ecosystems are dominated by the influence
of water, they possess characteristics of both terrestrial
and aquatic ecosystems and properties that are uniquely
of their own. Wetlands support a wide array of flora and
fauna and deliver many ecological, climatic and societal
2.6.2.1
Distribution
A. aspera is believed to have originated in sub-Saharan
Africa between Senegal and Sudan. It is widely
distributed in the lowlands of western, central, north-
Photo: Geographic distribution of the Genus Aschynomene, ‘The
american species of Aschynomene’ by Velva E. Rudd.
functions. Scientists often refer to wetlands as the “kidneys”
of the earth and forests as the “lungs” of the earth. India
by virtue of its extensive geographical stretch and varied
terrain and climate, supports a rich diversity of inland and
coastal wetlands. (http://www.kerenvis.nic.in/biodiversity/
Wetlands.pdf)
In India it is found along the margins of fresh water
swamps, rice fields, tanks, jheels/pokhars (ponds),
beels (wetland) and lakes in the greater parts of states
of West Bengal, Assam, Bihar, Orissa, Uttar Pradesh,
Madhya Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra,
Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. In West Bengal it
is largely distributed in South and North 24-Parganas,
Howrah, Hooghly, Midnapur and Bankura districts,
whereas A. indica is also found throughout India,
including the Andaman group of islands in the paddy
fields.
(Structure of Shola wood: the traditional Indian art
material by M. N. B. Nair and H. Y. Mohan Ram)
2.6.2.2
Shola wood: The traditional art material
Shola wood, produced by the Indian aquatic shrubs
A. aspera, is the one of the lightest wood known.
It is a marble-white, soft and spongy material used
by traditional Indian craftsmen to produce a wide
range of decorative products. In commerce this
wood is enormously call Sholapith. Shola results
from the activity of vascular cambium and has all the
components of wood (secondary xylem). The structure
basis of this versatile natural material helps its
conversion to beautiful Shola products. Wood structure
is present in A. aspera (absent in A, indica). The wood
is storied and diffuse porous. The wood chiefly consists
of thin-walled fusiform cells, endowed with abundant
simple pits on end walls, giving them a sieve-like
appearance. Pits are rare or absent on tangible walls.
Shola wood shows a marked reduction in the number
of vessels and fibres. The restricted distribution of
fibres around certain vessels indicates that besides
providing support they also help in preventing
the vessels walls from collapsing. The large-scale
replacement of fibres by thin-walled fusiform wood
cells is mainly responsible for making second lightest
wood known, only after Quipo.
It is inferred that fusiform wood cells are involved
in short-distance transport of water but eventually
filled with air to provide the Shola wood its unique
characteristic properties.
(Structure of Shola wood: the traditional Indian art
material by M. N. B. Nair and H. Y. Mohan Ram)
Shola/Indian Shola wood (A. aspera) is the softest
wood (specific gravity 0.04) in the world only after
Quipo (Cavanillesia platanifolia) according to Wood
Janka Hardness Scale/Chart (Author
Johnny W. Morlan.
Janka hardness in Pounds Of Force {lbf }:
Quipo (Cavanillesia platanifolia): 22 Pounds force (lbf)
Indian Shola wood (A. aspera): 40 Pounds force (lbf)
The Janka Hardness Scale was invented in 1906
by Gabriel Janka {1864 - 1932}, an Austrian wood
researcher and is an adaptation of the Brinell Hardness
Test for metals. The Janka Hardness Test measures
how hard wood/lumber/timber is. The higher the
number, the harder the wood.
(http://www.morlanwoodgifts.com/MM011.
ASP?pageno=207)
The structure of Shola wood provides the basis for
being an ideal material for traditional Sholapith craft
where softness, lightness and resiliency are required.
Shola wood can be easily cut, peeled, stretched and
bent owing to the presence of abundance fusiform
wood cells. The air-filled cells account for the
insulating property of the wood. The wood of A. aspera
is easier to peel (than that of A. indica) a property that
could be attributed to the presence of distinct growth
rings in the former. (Structure of Shola wood: the
traditional Indian art material by M. N. B. Nair and H.
Y. Mohan Ram)
2.6.2.3
Chemical composition
Chemically, the pith is composed of lignocellulose
devoid of free aldehyde groups, which shows a close
resemblance to the cellulose, by colour reaction. In airdry condition, the ‘Shola’ retains 8.6% moisture like
Calcium, Phosphorous, some free Nitrogen along with
crude protein and crude fibre are the main constituent
of the plant. The seeds contain yellow brown oil and
some fatty acids.
2.6.2.4
Ecology
A. aspera is found 0-900 m altitude in tropical areas
with a distinct dry season and a rainfall distribution.
51
1
2
4
5
It is a semi-aquatic pioneer plant of marshes and
temporarily wet places. It will grow in a wide range of
soils, from pure dune sands along rivers to peat soils
in mangrove swamps. (http://www.oswaldasia.org/
species/a/aesas/aesas_en.html)
2.6.2.5
Cultivation and growth
3
52
A. aspera is a shrub that grows upto 4 m in swamps,
river banks tanks or lakes. A. aspera is propagated by
seeds and stem. Seeds are dormant and hard seed coat
6
Photos: Sholapith plant cultivation
1. The seeds sown in the soil with high moisture content
2. When grown to 2 feet to 2.5 feet it is transplanted in a
water filled land
3. A fully grown Shola plant
4. Stock of Shola sticks
5. The Shola sticks are spread in the farm for drying in
sunlight
6. A bundle of dried Shola sticks are ready for sale and use
prevents easy germination. The seeds require high soil
moisture or flooded condition for germination.
The seeds germinate during dry season when the
lands are not submerged under water. Sometime, new
shoots also develop from the cut-stumps. The flowers
(yellowish in colour) bloom and fruits grow from
August to November. Fruit ripening causes drying and
brown discoloration of leaves and stems, ending the
growth cycle.
The swollen and robust stems are collected during
months of September to December. These are cut into
bits of about 1 meter and dried, the unused portion
of the stems along with the ripening pods are usually
thrown in the same water body where they float until
the seeds are self-sown.
It is considered a minor weed of rice paddies across its
region.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aeschynomene_aspera)
The most suitable planting technique for A. aspera
depends on locality, soil type and it’s ecosystem. In
Mandirbazar region, the Shola farming season is
done from the month of May to October. During the
month of May dry season the seeds are sown in the
well-ploughed land with good moisture level. During
rainy season of June and July the plants grow to 2-3
feet in height. By mid July the plants are transplanted
in nearby ponds, lakes and lands with good water level.
The plants are submerged in water with their head
slightly above the water level. During the month of
August the plant grows to 150 inches (approx.). During
this time the shola stem grows thick to 1-1.5 inches.
By September the stems are cut and the spread in the
fields to dry up. Drying takes 15- 20 days. These stems
become light when dried. By October the Shola stems
are ready for go to market and for use.
The pith (high in content) of A. aspera is domestically
& commercially (more than A. indica) important as
it is soft, lightweight and can more easily peeled and
shaped. The harvested stems (max. 5 cms in diameter)
are cut into 60–90 cms long pieces and stored
until dry. The bark is then removed and the wood
peeled into thin sheets of required sizes as per the
requirements of the Shola products.
2.6.2.6
Husbandry
The ability of Aeschynomene aspera to form aboveground nodules and to fix nitrogen in waterlogged
and marginal soils largely determines its value as a
green manure in wet rice. Due to its soft structure,
Aeschynomene aspera green manure is easily
incorporated into the soil and mineralizes rapidly
even under flooded conditions. In eastern India it is
2.6.2.8
Commercial use
Photo: British troops wearing Sholapith helmets, Iraq, 11 June 1941
sometimes sown as an intercrop between rows of rice
and trampled into the soil before it starts shading the
rice. Relay planting of Aeschynomene aspera has been
used successfully to exploit the short fallow period
between two rice crops in multiple cropping systems.
2.6.2.7
Biological control
Few diseases and pests are reported. A bacterial wilt is
reported to affect biomass production in some areas.
The leaf-eating larvae of the Lepidopterous species
Eurema lecabe (not accurate) can became a problem
when A. aspera is grown in the short-day season.
en.html)
One of the recorded domestic uses of Shola pith is
in making a heat-resistant tumbler cover. One such
tumbler cover is part of the Economic Botany collection
at the ‘Sir Joseph Banks Centre for Economic Botany’
(SJBCEB) at Royal Botanic Gardens (RBG), Kew,
London, UK. The tumbler cover was obtained by RBG
from India via the Amsterdam exhibition of 1883. Sir
Joseph Dalton Hooker (1817-1911) was then director
(1865-1885) of the RBG. He was a surgeon, botanist
and a traveller who visited South Africa, Antarctic,
India and Nepal, to name a few.
This Shola pith has high insulating properties and is
also used for making sunhats, as well as fishnets floats
and life belts. It can be also be attractively carved into
fine models of flowers, decorations and figurine items.
(http://www.kew.org/science/eblinks/papers/
hastings1989banks.pdf)
53
the Hindu bride and bridegroom’s heads in the form
of beautiful intricate designs. The grooms wear the
Topor and the grooms wear Mukut. Other ornamented
articles are being made for use in the marriage and
other religious ceremonies, common in WB. In each
and every religious and ceremonial function, the white
pith is used for making different types of ornamental
and decorating materials. It is also utilized as the lining
to the more highly ornate ‘Tazeyas’ during Mohurrum,
a Muslim festival and ‘shera’ the bridal veil of Muslims.
Photos: a tumbler cover of Aeschynomene aspera in the left
in the back row
The pith is extensively used for making delicate
decorations for Hindu idols like Durga, Saraswati,
Ganesha, etc, garlands, life belts, insulating materials,
cushions, hats (sola topi), during festivals in India,
different types of toys, artificial flowers, ornaments (ear
tops), and sometimes lining of palanquin-tops and fish
baskets, etc. Fishermen use the light cork like stems to
make floats for their nets as well as small rafts to stand
upon while casting nets in deep water.
Exquisite models of temples, ships and a variety of
other objects or art are produces from Shola wood in
WB and also in Tamil Nadu and Orissa. Sometimes,
thin fibres are obtained from yellowish grey bark. In
Assam it is even converted into sleeping mats.
Photos: model of a rose made of Aeschynomene aspera in
the centre in the back row
Due to high insulating property of very light and
spongy pith, it is largely used in the manufacture of
sun hats for protection against the tropical sun.
The pure white pith of Shola plants is used to adorn
54
High quality of Shola wood comes form West Bengal
which now-a-days is also supplemented majorly by
the Shola wood imported from Bangladesh to meet
shortfall in supply, if any.
In West Bengal, about 20,000 people are engaged in
making Shola craft which have a demand in foreign
markets.
Shola pith by virtue of its visual characteristic is
currently used as ivory substitute and may be called
as vegetable ivory. Few other plant species used as
an ivory substitute are Phytelephas macrocarpa (12
species), Hyphaene indica, Attalea funifera, Raphia
vinifera, Corypha umbracaulifera, Mauritia flexuosa
and Borassus flabellifer. The cortex or cores of the
plant showing a diameter of 3.5 cms (approx.) are
used as a carving material. Its milky colour makes
Sholapith easily mistaken for ivory, although weight
and hardness are much lower than those of ivory. The
material extracted from this plant is not restricted by
environmental regulations.
(http://www.bfn.de/fileadmin/MDB/documents/
service/skript228.pdf)
2.6.2.9
Medicinal use
Naturally the wetlands are rich in plant resources and
traditionally, the local inhabitants have been using
wetland plants against the diseases they suffer from.
The importance of traditional medicine that provides
health service to about 80% of world population has
been realized recently (Present aspect of the uses of
plants in traditional medicine, J Ethnopharmacol by
Marini-Bettolo GB (1980)). Due to industrialization,
urbanization, unmanaged exploitation, and also
removal of plants materials for fish culture, many of
the wetland medicinal plants are vanishing rapidly.
Due to non-availability of medicinal plants, the use
of ethno-medicine is also reducing to some extent.
However, the ethno-medicinal knowledge is still
available with the traditional healers that are to be
codified before the knowledge is lost forever. In India,
A. aspera in the states of West Bengal, Orissa, Kerala,
Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu A. aspera
is recorded to have ethno-medicinal values.
The WB, traditionally the root portion of A. aspera L. is
used to treat jaundice.
Information gathered from traditional healers in
Orissa indicates (not yet validated), that the aerial
part juice of A. aspera L. (solo in oriya) is given to
cure cough and cold fever, and dried young shoot
powder with half teaspoon powered sugar candy is
given to increase the consistency of semen. (Ethnomedicinal survey of some wetland plants of South
Orissa and their conservation by Anima Panda &
malaya K. Misra (2008)) (http://nopr.niscair.res.in/
bitstream/123456789/11507/1/IJTK%2010(2)%20296303.pdf)
A. aspera L., (Atru - netti in Tamil)is used as herb in
Siddha medicine for arthritis is used in externally
as polyherbal formulation. The leaf formulation is
used for treat joints swelling. (Herbs used in Siddha
medicine for arthritis - A review by Eugene Wilson,
G. V. Rajamanickam, Neera Vyas, A. Agarwal &
G. P. Budey (2005)) (http://nopr.niscair.res.in/
bitstream/123456789/1023/1/IJTK%206(4)%20
(2007)%20678-686.pdf)
Fact
Siddha medicine: The Siddha medicine is a form of south
Indian Tamil traditional medicine and part of the trio
Indian medicines - ayurveda, siddha and unani. This
system of medicine was popular in ancient India. At
nearly 10,000 years old, the Siddha system of medicine
is believed to be one of the most antiquated traditional
medical systems. The system is believed to be developed
by the 18 siddhas in the south called Siddhar. They are
the ancient supernatural spiritual saints of India and the
Siddha system is believed to be handed over to the Siddhar
by the Hindu God - Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvathi. So
are the siddhars, the followers of Lord Shiva (Shainaites).
Siddhar’s total nos are eighteen, with agathiyar being
the first Siddhar. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siddha_
medicine)
Siddha system of medicine, the heritage of the family
practice of South India, is a special, scientific, most
respectable and of high orders. Herbals, minerals and
products of animals origin are basic raw material of
the Siddha medicine system. (Herbs used in Siddha
medicine for arthritis - A review by Eugene Wilson, G. V.
Rajamanickam, Neera Vyas, A. Agarwal & G. P. Budey
(2005))
In traditional Cambodian medicine, the young leaves
and flowers are consumed in salad and used topically
as a poultice. The crushed young shoot and leaves are
taken orally as an anti-haemorrhagic during labour.
en.html)
2.6.2.10
Agricultural use
These plants bear stem nodules in addition to root
nodules induced by Rhizobium spp. for nitrogen
fixation. (Structure of Shola wood: the traditional
Indian art material by M. N. B. Nair and H. Y. Mohan
Ram)
The potential use of A. aspera as a fast-growing
nitrogen source for wet-rice fields has only recently
been noted. Since the late 1980s it has been widely
used as a pre-rice green mature crop on experimental
stations and in extension demonstration trials. So far,
farmers in South-Earth Asia only occasionally use it.
en.html)
Fact
Nitrogen fixation: Nitrogen fixation is the natural process,
either biological or abiotic, by which nitrogen (N2) in
the atmosphere is converted into ammonia (NH3).
This process is essential for life because fixed nitrogen is
required to biosynthesize the basic building blocks of life,
e.g., nucleotides for DNA and RNA and amino acids for
proteins. Under nitrogen-limiting conditions, capable
plants form a symbiotic relationship with a host-specific
strain of bacteria known as Rhizobia. Rhizobia are soil,
Gram-negative bacteria with the unique ability to establish
a N2-fixing symbiosis on legume roots and on the stems of
some aquatic legumes. Root nodules occur on the roots of
plants (primarily Fabaceae) that associate with symbiotic
nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Their ability to fix gaseous
nitrogen makes legumes an ideal agricultural organism as
their requirement for nitrogen fertilizer is reduced.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nitrogen_fixation)
Stem and Root Nodulation in Aeschynomene spp.:
Hagerup first reported stem nodulation in genus
Aeschynomene on A. aspera in 1928. Since then, stem
nodulation was also found in the following species: A.
paniculata, A. indica, A. evenia, A. filosa, A. denticulata,
A. pratensis, A. r-udis, A. scabra, and A. sensitiva. The
ability of legumes to form stem nodules, restricted to
55
pdf)
(Traditional knowledge on wild food plants in Andhra
Pradesh by K. N. Reddy, Chitranjibi Pattnaik, C.
S. Reddy & V. S. Raju : http://nopr.niscair.res.in/
bitstream/123456789/910/1/IJTK%206(1)%20
(2007)%20223-229.pdf)
(Some promising under utilized vegetables species by
Arora and Pandey (1996) : http://docsdrive.com/pdfs/
ansinet/ajps/2003/719-730.pdf)
Photo: Shola waste wood in use as fuel, Ratneshwarpur, WB
sites identified as adventitious root initials.
(Stem and Root Nodulation in Aeschynomene spp. by D.
Alazard : http://aem.asm.org/cgi/reprint/50/3/732.pdf)
2.6.2.11
Edible use
Photo: Sholapith waste in cowdung cakes, Bazarberia, WB
only one species in Sesbania, S. rostrata, and one species
in Neptunia, N. oleracea, is much more widespread in
Aeschynomene spp. In nature, stem nodules are usually
localized on the lower parts of the stem, which have
been temporarily or permanently submerged. However,
waterlogging is not a prerequisite for the formation of stem
nodules. Nodulation on the stems occurs on predetermined
56
A. aspera as an emergency famine food is extensive
throughout Indian literature and has been revealed
by the work of Datta and Banerjee (1978) in ‘Useful
weeds of WB rice fields’. They investigated the WB rice
fields for ‘weed’ use and found that 124 of 158 species
of ‘weeds’ had important economic uses with 48 being
edible. A. aspera is especially noted as famine food.
The portions of the plant that is reported as edible is
tender leaves as vegetable. Tender leaves as food is also
reported from the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh and
Tamil Nadu. (Agricultural Development: Present and
Potential role of Edible wild plants (1981) by Louis Evan
Grivetti : http://pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAJ690.
2.6.2.12
For fuel use
The rejected Shola woods (mostly the Sholapith which
are hard) from the Sholapith units are used as fuel
food cooking in kitchen, locally in WB. This practice is
very common the Sholapith cluster region.
2.6.3
Socio-economic aspects of Shola Plant
in West Bengal
Natural habitats of Shola plant are spread over mostly
in North 24 Parganas, Barasat, Basirhat, Hashnabad,
Potuakhali, Bongaon, etc. and some parts of South 24
Parganas and from Midnapur, Howrah and Hooghly
districts. It grows well in sandy, loamy soils submerged
regularly by fresh water. It is found that the luxuriant
growth of Shola depends upon the quality of the water
and grows well in eutrophicated water bodies. Locally
the plants are grown in villages such as Raidighi,
Kashinagar, Mathurapur, Jaynagar and Bidhansagar.
The Shola collectors from the above-mentioned
The thinness and polish of the Sholapith sheet
depends on individual skill. The sheets (5 -10) are
rolled to make 20 - 25 Shola sheet rolls and are then
packed in a bundle. Each bundle costs about Rs.
200/- to Rs. 250/-. The large number of labourers
are involved in producing Sholapith sheets (the basic
material of Shola industry) for ready to use by the
craftsmen. It can be locally bought locally from the
weekly haat in Pukuria village, every Saturday.
Photo: Ready to use Sholapith sheets bundle, Pukuria village
places bring the raw materials in bundles for selling
on Mondays and Fridays at Vidhanagar market, Salt
Lake, Kolkata. The Shola raw materials are also sold
locally in Pukuria village on every Saturday. In-fact
the Pukuria haat sells all things related to Shola from
tools, raw materials, semi-finished products to finished
products made our of Sholapith. The sellers make
bundles consisting of 10-12 stems which sell for Rs.
20 (approx.). Shola buyers from different parts of West
Bengal mainly from Maheshpur, Pukuria, Gokulnagar,
Ballavpur, Atpara, Kalikapur, Dhananjoypur,
jagdishpur, Ramnathpur, Chaitanyapur, Ratneshwarpur
of Diamond Harbour subdivision purchasing them
during September to November. A truckload consisting
in 1200-1400 bundles costs as low as Rs. 10000/-.
About a meter long Shola stems are cut into 12-15 cm
long pieces and then from each piece, the thin bark is
removed and very thin white Sholapith sheets are taken
out with the help of a special knife.
It is estimated that a Sholapith sheet costing as low as
Rs. 5/- to Rs 6/- may produce the finished decorating
material, which costs about Rs. 200/- to Rs. 300/. In
WB, it is estimated that near about 10,000 people are
making different types of Shola products throughout
the season and a hundred people take just one month
to make different decorative materials from one
truck load (1200-1400 bundles) of Shola. Therefore,
to involve 10,000 people in Shola cluster, the raw
materials needed, will be 100 trucks load of Shola
(1,40,00 bundles). However, at present, the supply of
the raw material is not sufficient for Shola workers
of WB due to acute shortage of Shola plant. Data
estimates reveal that a minimum of 4 to 5 crores
rupees of foreign exchange is earned through Shola
crafts yearly.
Considering the economic value of Shola craft ad
large-scale degradation of natural wetlands through
reclamation due to population pressures, some urgent
conservation measures for protection of Shola fields in
different parts of WB are required to be undertaken by
the authorities. It is observed that due to constraints
of habitat and excessive pisciculture practices, Shola
population in WB has reduced from 60% to 15% in
original wetland area of WB. Since it is one of the most
essential raw materials for Sholapith cluster, urgent
steps are to be taken for conservation and management
of native population of Shola plant.
(Reference: L. K. Banerjee, S. K. Basu and D. Ghosh
- Botany Survey of India : http://www.bsienvis.nic.in/
publication.htm)
2.6.4
Sholapith cluster players
2.6.4.1
Farmers
The local farmers are engaged in the farming of
Sholapith plants. The seeds are collected and used as
for the next year’s farming or it is bought from the
market. A few farmers have their own land or at times
they take lands on rent from other farm owners. A few
Sholapith unit owners cultivate their own raw material.
Photos: The farmers and the fully grown Sholapith plants
57
Photos: Sholapith craftswomen making a Sholapith rose flower,
Photos: Sholapith craftswomen preparing Sholapith raw material,
Photos: Sholapith craftswomen, Gautam, unit manager (left
Mandirtala village
Maheshpur village
corner) and Biswanath Gayen, unit owner (right corner)
2.6.4.2
Raw material, tools and chemical suppliers
to local individuals or families. The raw material is
distributed and finished products collected, through a
nodal member who keeps a track of the labourers. A
few units employ individuals to come and work at their
units. The labourers are paid on a daily wages basis or
their income depends on the quantity produced. These
labourers earn somewhere between Rs. 20 – Rs. 150.
2.6.4.5
Sholapith unit owners
The local small businessmen sell the Sholapith raw
material in the local market. At times the raw material
is brought from Kolkata or imported from Bangladesh.
The tools, mainly knives, are made by local lohaars
(blacksmiths). The adhesives for the product-making
purpose are locally available or are brought from
Kolkata.
2.6.4.3
Craftsmen and Craftswomen
Local craftsmen/women are members of the Sholapith
cluster units or they are locals from the same village or
even from different villages.
The Sholapith units many a times outsource their work
58
A highly skilled labourer can get more than a labourer
with lower skills. Most of the labourers who work from
home are women who work in the time left form their
daily household chores.
2.6.4.4
Sholapith unit managers
Sholapith unit managers are appointed craftsmen
who have experience in the Sholapith product making
process and have good people skills.
The Sholapith units are small businesses and are part
of the local Sholapith cluster, run by their owners. The
units produces the Sholapith products as per the order
by the exporters. The exporters give samples as guide
to produce the order and sometimes the unit owners
create new samples for the exporters on their own
initiative. The exporters place the production orders on
the basis of these samples.
The unit owners manage the resources of the unit.
Sometimes owners appoint managers who keep a track
of the day-to-day activities of the units. The unit owners
have to manage the production, as well as deal with the
local buyers or exporters from Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi,
Bangalore, etc. The unit owners also take care of the
day-to-day financials, transportation, etc.
2.6.4.6
Local traders
Local traders or buyers of the Sholapith products
are the local buyers of the Sholapith products by the
Sholapith units. They buy the Sholapith products from
local units and sell it to the bigger exporters in cities.
2.6.4.7
Exporters
The exporters (locally known as ‘company’) sell the
Sholapith products produced in Sholapith clusters to
the international buyers. They procure the products
from the Sholapith units on order basis and process
and package it further as per the requirements of the
buyers. Exporters may export only Sholapith products,
but most of them export many different goods like
dry flowers, food items, clothes, paper products, other
crafts, etc.
The method of export includes shipping by ships
or by air. Frequently, exporters upload the photos of
the Sholapith products to an Internet site such as
Indiamart.com, Tradeindia.com, Webindia123.com,
Company websites, and other similar channels for
the buyers to choose the products and give orders. A
few examples of exporters are Tristarr Hotitech, Fauna
International, Ramesh Flowers, etc.
Photo: Shola flower page on ETSY, an e–commerce website for buyers and sellers of handmade products.
India. The buyers are mainly from USA and China.
A few examples of foreign buyers are KKC Home
Accents Co. Ltd., Hongkong, Shanghai Jieyute Trade
Co., Ltd., China. Many exporters from India have their
offices in USA or China and import Sholapith products
from India.
sell Sholapith products are Indiamart.com, Tradeindia.
com, Webindia123.com, Alibaba.com. Some examples
of foreign traders who sell Sholapith products are Etsy.
com, Kaboodle.com, made-in-china.com, etc. They
fix the prices of the Sholapith products for the online
buyers.
2.6.4.8
Buyers
2.6.4.9
Online traders
The buyers or importers are based in foreign countries.
They import Sholapith products from exporters from
Online traders of Sholapith products trade on the
internet. A few examples of Indian online traders who
Business-to-Business and Business-to-Customer are
the two different ways in which online trading happens
for the Sholapith products, internationally. Indiamart.
com is an example of B2B trading and Etsy.com is an
example of B2C trading.
59
Photo: Sholapith Kadam decoration selling in a shop, Kolkata
Photo: Sholapith topor for marriage selling in a shop, Kolkata
products and they buy Sholapith products on many
different occasions for purposes such as wedding
decorations, in-house decorations, etc.
do not function transparently and the units availing
of loans from them frequently find themselves paying
much more than the perceived agreed repayment
amounts. This erodes the credibility of MFIs in the
eyes of the units. Local affluent people do offer low
amount loans to the units occasionally on request on
largely benevolent terms mostly on account of the
credibility of the units locally.
The role of government in financing these units in
notably negligible.
2.6.4.11
Financial supporters and banks
Photo: Shola wood bridesmaid bouquet by Bollea, USA
2.6.4.10
Customers and users
Sholapith product customers are from India and many
foreign countries. Some of the countries which has a
demand of Sholapith products are USA, UK, Canada,
Germany, Netherlands, japan, China, Korea, Thailand,
Australia and India.
USA has the biggest customer base for the Sholapith
60
The financial condition of most of the Sholapith
units is precarious. This is on account of a variety of
contributing factors. Primarily, the money earned from
the previous seasons is used by the units to procure to
procure raw materials from the market as their own
expense. This means that they have no scope for saving
what so ever. Loans are available neither from the
exporters not form the banks. While the banks might
be able to provide loans, generally it is not availed of
on account of lack of proper documentation as well as
low awareness on the part of the units. Additionally
exorbitant bribes are sought to clear loans, if any, in the
banks. Micro financing channels operating in the area
2.6.4.12
Government, institutes and association
Skill training is provided to the craftsmen by DRD,
Kolkata in Maheshpur village. There is no exposure
to training in business opportunities, branding,
promotion and financial planning.
Design initiatives have been conspicuously absent
from the cluster and the traditional ways of
craftsmanship has prevailed for centuries.
BWWA has been involved local community for the
upliftment of women through their local office in
South Bishnupur.
2.6.5
Sholapith craft and production
Sholapith craft is the art of making various items from
the Shola stem. People from all different castes and
religion are associated with it in the Sholapith cluster
of Mandirbazar block. Sholapith is much superior in
looks compared to its competing materials such as
paper, cloth thermocol in terms of texture, lustre and
sponginess. Traditional stories related to Shola indicate
its heavenly origins. Hence items manufactured from
Shola are used on the auspicious occasion, and people
decorate their houses and temples with Shola items on
the occasion of marriage ceremony, religious functions
and other festivals.
The raw material of Shola is prepared as per the
specifications to produce the Sholapith products. The
outer brown skin is removed to reveal the inner soft
white portion of the stem (white pith) and then the
inner portion is fragmented into different shapes and
reinforced by colouring as required. These portions are
then worked into creation of the flowers, decorations
and other designs by skilled craftsmen of the units.
The use of the Shola products can be classified into two
categories - the first being he religious and auspicious
functions related and the other being decorative and
beauty related.
This craft uses no complicated tools, only knives of
different size and shapes, thread and needle. Earlier
paints made from natural sources (i.e. herbal paints)
were used and different shades of red and black were
used, but now-a-days artificial paints are also used and
more colours are tried in addition to the traditional
colours. Though all members of the family help in
making the crafts, yet it is the master craftsmen who
take charge of the most intricate works.
the units to ensure that they are able to cater effectively
to the demands of the international buyers.
Some of the Sholapith products made by the cluster
units in Mandirbazar block are listed below:
Sholapith flowers
Sholapith balls
Sholapith sticks
Sholapith decorations
The advancement of plastic technology, paper, cloth
and thermocol as substitutes materials to Shola
material is threatening the existence of this craft.
Below, is the list of Sholapith products available in the
global market:
Now-a-days, decorative items (locally known as “Kadam
Phool” or “Mali Phool” which is used to welcome
the good-fortune) are made for local market, and the
Topors used in the marriage ceremonies are still in
production in huge demand. Yet, for better returns on
investment, the majority of the Sholapith production
done in the Sholapith cluster is focused on making
export oriented products, and mainly caters to the
exporters in Kolkata and Chennai.
Sholapith flowers
Sholapith ball
Sholapith stick
Sholapith potpourri
Sholapith bouquets
Sholapith wreath
Lighted Sholapith flower
Sholapith flower fragrances
Other Sholapith decorative items
2.6.5.1
Sholapith products for export
2.6.5.2
Sholapith product making
The Sholapith cluster comprising of twenty units in the
Mandirbazar block makes products, which are targeted
to export, although, a variety products are also made
for the local market.
The Sholapith products are made as per the order
from the exporters. The design of the product and its
quantity is defined by the exporter. The complete order
is produced at the cluster’s main unit (primary unit)
and is also distributed to the labourers via satellite
units (secondary units) in and around Mandirbazar
block, based on the demand and needs of the primary
units.
61
This report focuses on the products made for export
purposes. Exporters further provide finish, branding
and packaging to the Sholapith products received from
Photo: ‘Butterfly model’ of the Sholapith cluster along
customer
SHOLAPITH PRIMARY UNIT
the
retailer
sells the sholapith products
to the customers
and generate a
demand from
buyers.
SHOLAPITH SECONDARY UNIT
SHOLAPITH TERTIARY UNIT
SHOLAPITH EXPORTER UNIT
the
buyers receives
the order and supplies the sholapith
products to the retailers, both online
and shops.
SHOLAPITH BUYER UNIT
retailer
SHOLAPITH RETAILER
SHOLAPITH PRODUCT CUSTOMER
The
raw materials
provided by the spu are
converted into final products
by the ssu. the exporter may
distribute the same
order to more than
one ssu.
stu
stu
stu
with exporter, buyer, retailer and customer.
the buyers
collects the information form the market &
directly from customer and supplies the sholapith products for the same.
spu owner &
craftsmen
buyer
the foreign buyers
places order to the exporters and receive the final products
on the basis of approved samples
(made by spu) supplied by the
exporters.
The spu
produces sholapith products on
the basis (approved samples made by spu)
of the production orders by the exporters. the
exporter may distribute the same order
to more than one spu.
exporter
the
raw materials
provdived by the spu are
distributed at the ssu by the
local manager to the craftsmen/
women who work from their home (stu)
and produces the final products. the
raw materials are produced by
the local farmers and can be
bought from the local
market.
The
raw materials
provided by the spu are
converted into final products
by the ssu. the exporter may
distribute the same order
to more than one ssu.
stu
stu
ssu local
manager
stu
stu
stu
stu
stu
stu
62
stu
stu
stu
stu
many
times the sholapith
products in its semi-finished
form is directly passed the
ssu for completion.
ssu local
manager
stu
stu
stu
stu
stu
stu
stu
stu
stu
Photo: A primary unit of Kalidas Nasker, Bazarberia village
Photo: A secondary unit of Biswanath Gayen, Mandirtala village
Photo: A tertiary unit of Jayanta Gayen, Matilal village
The Sholapith primary unit (SPU):
The SPU is the main unit and is run by the unit’s
owner. The SPUs engages a few labourers directly
for work. Everyday the labourers on an average work
for seven to eight hours. At some units Sunday is
a holiday. The work starts at 8 a.m. (approx.) in the
morning and continues till 12 noon with a break in
between. From 12 noon till 3 p.m. in the afternoon,
the labourers take a break for lunch and rest for 2 to
3 hours at their home. The work resumes at 3 p.m.
(approx.) and continues till 7 p.m. (approx.). The
labourers earn salary on a daily basis or they earn for
every piece of item they produce. The labourers earn
Rs. 125 (approx.) on an average per day. In the case of
high production order, the labourers work more and
therefore earn more.
to the secondary units. In some cases raw materials
are provided to the secondary units and the labourers
engaged with the secondary units either complete
the production or produce the semi-finished items.
These are subsequently completed or assembled at
the primary unit when returned. In other cases, the
semi finished items are given to the labourers for final
production or assembly. The delivery of raw materials
and the finished items is managed by the unit owner.
finished products and distributes it to the labourers
locally. On completion, the finished goods are collected
and returned to the main unit. The manager keeps an
account such as, date, the number of items produced,
labour charge per piece and the product completion
date. Separate accounts are maintained for every
labourer. The unit managers earn a monthly salary or
Rs 250 (approx.) for managing the unit. They also work
on the production and earn on every piece produced.
The main unit does the packaging of the final
produced items and the management of its delivery to
the exporters.
The labourers or the Sholapith tertiary unit (STU):
The labourers work directly at the main unit or they
are engaged with the SSUs and in the latter case they
work from home. Everyday they visit the SSUs and
collect the raw material and submit the finished items.
Most of the labourers who are engaged with the SSUs
are women and they work for 4 to 5 hours daily after
completing their household chores. The labourers
earn between Rs 20 to Rs. 150 everyday on the basis of
number of pieces produced.
63
The complete task from preparation of raw material
to making final product is done at the main unit.
Sometimes, a part of the production is outsourced
The Sholapith secondary unit (SSU):
The SSU is the nodal agent between the primary
unit and the labourers, who are also considered as
the Sholapith tertiary units. The owner of the SPU
appoints a local manager to run the SSUs. The
manager receives the raw materials or the semi-
Photo: Raw material prepared for Sholapith rajnigandha flower
Photo: Sujit Halder is slicing the Shola stick with a knife to make
Photo: Sholapith craft workplace at Kalidas Nasker’s unit,
stick at Debu Gayens’s unit, Makimpur village
Shola chips for Sholapith fan flower, Gukulnagar village
Bazarberia village
2.6.5.2.1
Raw material used
Thread - cotton
Rubber bands
Ribbon
Ring
Cotton
Adhesive - Synthetic rubber adhesive, Grippo
Adhesive - Polyurethane Adhesive, Stiko
Colours
Cloth: organza, cotton, net, burlap, etc.
Knife with a wooden handle
Knife with a plastic handle
Needle: for making garlands, for rolling rose petals top
edge
Scissors
Bowl or tumbler: for colouring and dying Sholapith
String - plastic
Measuring tape
Plastic scale
Handmade measuring tool made of Sholawood
Stone / Wood and sand: Wooden bat / stone block is
used for sharpening knives with the help of sand
Flat wooden bed: for making Shola skin rope
Wire cutter
The main raw material used in the Sholapith cluster is
Shola wood. The Shola wood is bought from the local
market.
Sholapith - stick
Sholapith - sheet (14 cms to 18 cms length / 12.5 cms
height)
Bamboo sticks
Coconut stick
A large variety of natural seeds
Aluminium wire
Steel wire
Maize (corn) husk leaves
Paper glue tape
Paper
Thread - nylon (tyre thread)
64
2.6.5.2.2
Tools used
The tools used are simplistic in design and easily
available in the local market in Mandirbazar at an
affordable price. A few of the tools widely used by
all the Sholapith units are as following:
Knife (with pointed metal handle) - for cutting, peeling,
slicing, sheet making,
2.6.5.2.3
Machines used
Blow moulding machine: for making plastic balls
the workers. This is mostly on account of the fact that
the material used (Sholapith) lends itself very easily
to be moulded in any way to fit the designs available
or required to be produced. Additionally, the designs
themselves are not too complicated and are easy to
produce. The simple work tools also contribute to the
ease of the entire working experience.
The basic processes used for making various Sholapith
products are enlisted below.
Photo: Debu Gayen working in the veranda (mud floor) of his
Photo: A craftswomen making a Sholapith button flower at Debu
house (SPU) in Makhimpur village
Gayen’s house (SPU) in Makhimpur village
Wire cutting machine
2.6.5.2.4
Workplace and ergonomics
Workplace can either be the physical location of the
SPU, the SSU or the STU/labourers. This induces a
variable in terms of work place conditions. Typically
the PPUs are better equipped, and have better facilities
such as electricity, more work space, etc.
Most SSUs are non working unit and only the
distribution node for the work available with them.
Yet the handful of SSUs which have facilities working
in the as well, do have facilities comparable to the
SPUs. The workspace at the end of labourers home are
typically not as good or well off, lack electricity, does
not have enough space inside. Hence they are forced
to work out in the open and face hardship such as
working during hot summer weather under the sun,
facing inclement weather during the rainy season, etc.
The workplace being so variable the ergonomics can
not be consistent. Yet, it is true most of workers work
sitting on the floor regardless of the work place being
the SPU, the SSU or the labourers own home. There is
no chair, no back rest or any thing of the sort available
while they are working. Remarkably the workers face
little or no posture related issues or health problems.
Workflow does not require the workers to move while
working as everything required for production for
production is available within comfortable reach. The
work environment is pretty safe as no complicated
tools or machines are used for production.
2.6.5.2.5
Processes used for making Sholapith products
The processes used at the cluster unit are typically
very simplistic and do not cause much hardships to
Cuttings
Skinning Shola stick
Peeling Shola stick
Splitting: used to split the Shola wood for making rope
ball. The stick is split into 6 pieces for making ropes.
Rolling: Rolling the Shola pieces on hard stone flat bed
to make ropes.
Slicing
Folding
Tying
Stuffing
Sticking
Inserting aluminium/steel wire (at Shubhankar unit)
Pasting
Dying
Drying
The finished Sholapith products are packed at the
SPUs and are delivered to the exporters.
2.6.5.2.6
Processes used at the exporters units
The exporters add value to the Sholapith products
65
Photo: Sholapith aromatic potpourri and bunch of flowers by Fast
Flowers, India
2.6.5.3
End use application of Sholapith products
Photo: Sholapith beldrum flower bag by Sweetscents, Australia
received from the Sholapith cluster suppliers by
making use of the following processes in order to
obtain quality, standards and specifications consistent
with the needs and demands of the buyers.
Quality check and merchandising
Manufacturing
Storage
Grading
Bleaching
Painting
Colouring
Assembly
Perfuming
Tagging
Packaging
Transport
66
The products made in Sholapith cluster, Mandirbazar
block is largely for export market. There are various
occasions when the customers buy Sholapith products.
The application can be as simple as placing a Sholapith
flower stick bunch pot for in house decoration or
as challenging as using the Sholapith flowers and
decorations to replace its closest competitor, the
fresh flowers. On occasions of marriage the wedding
planners use Sholapith flowers and decorations in
a big way. A few of the applications of the Sholapith
flowers, sticks, bouquets, etc. are as following:
For home: living, bath, etc
Daily floral needs
Unique giftwares
Fragrances
Accessories
Festivals (Indian)
Festivals (Foreign)
Photo: Sholapith flower fragrance diffuser by Solutions, USA
Photo: Sholapith chips flower ball by Decofleur, Netherlands
Photo: Plastic (PVC) lily fragrance flower (5 perfume flowers) by
Photo: Ribbon Rose Wedding Bouquet by Idodesignerweddings,
Guoqianggift, China
USA
Anniversary
Birthday
Congratulations
Get well soon
Love and romance
Wedding
New baby
Thanks giving
Christmas
New Year
Valentines day
Mother’s day
Sympathy designs
Canada, Japan, and China are a few countries where
maximum usage of Sholapith products has been
reported.
2.6.6
Sholapith market: competition scenario
Sholapith products are used by consumers globally
much more than the corresponding use in India.
US, France, Netherlands, Australia, Korea, Germany,
2.6.6.1
Competition: alternate material products
Alternate materials used:
Fresh flowers
Fabric
Plastic
Paper
Ribbon (cotton/silk/satin)
Cotton
Corn hush leaves
Other materials
2.7.6.2
Competition: alternate market
On the basis of attributes such as product quality,
price, delivery, packaging, brand and availability, the
competitors for the Indian Sholapith products can be
listed as follows:
Made in USA
Made in UK
Made in Europe
Made in Australia
Made in Germany
Made in Japan
Made in Thailand
Made in China
Made in India
Made in Bangladesh
2.6.7
Sholapith product pricing
At every level from raw material to the end use of
Sholapith product margins are built into the price
of the product. At its very raw level of the plant it is
bought at a price as low at Rs. 5 per Shola stick. This
Shola stick can be used by the labourer to produce
five to eight Sholapith flowers on an average (other
products can be similarly compared). The Sholapith
units sells it to the exporter at an average price
of Rs. 2 per piece which includes labour charges,
transportation, colouring, wastage, etc. The same
flower depending on the end use can go for as much
as Rs 500 for a well branded Sholapith product,
internationally.
2.6.8
Sholapith product branding
67
Sholapith products are branded at two levels. At
first level it is branded at the exporters end and at
the second level it is branded at the buyers end or
the retailers end.
2.6.9
Sholapith products: recycle and reuse
The waste produced from the Sholapith craft
production is very common in the cluster area. The
waste is use as fuel or small pieces of the Sholapith is
mixed with dung cakes. The rejected Sholapith items
are reused to make new produced if the material is
found to be in good condition.
2.6.10
Findings & recommendations
Sholapith cluster from production to customer is a result of a brilliant human network.
The raw materials produced by the farmers is
crafted into beautiful products by local craftsmen and craftswomen to cater to the foreign
demand for lifestyle products and local demand for religious and ceremonial demand.
The study of Sholapith craft from raw material production to manufacturing of Sholapith
products for the foreign buyers revealed a set
of findings which if taken care of will certainly boost the Sholapith business at a system
level and remove the waste from it.
The following are some of the findings and
recommendations for Sholapith cluster from
production to customer:
SHOLA PLANT
FINDINGS
- The Shola plant used as a raw material in
the Sholapith craft is the nuclei of its complete journey from farm to use in foreign
countries and locally.
- The natural destruction of wetlands and the
deforestation is adversely affecting the natural
vegetation of Sholapith plants in and around
the cluster region.
68
- A majority of the Shola wood sold in the local market comes from outside the region and
as a result it is expensive for the local Sholapith units.
- The local urbanization in the region is discouraging for the locals to remain engaged in
Shola plant cultivation, instead they are taking
up other businesses.
- Many studies from past done by scientists
and researches have shown promising findings about the plants edible, medicinal and
agricultural use.
- A huge production of Shola plant available
locally does not yield a good quality Sholapith
(softness and width of the pith) for use in the
craft.
- The Shola plant is valuable for the local
economy and the products made form it hold
a high commercial value in the local and foreign market.
- In the past no scientific research has been
done to improve the quality of the plant in
terms of the Sholapiths’ thickness and its
softness, to help the units to produce more
and of better quality of Sholapith products.
RECOMMENDATION
- Shola plant research is a catalyst for future
growth of the Sholapith craft and the cluster.
PROMOTION
PACKAGING
SHOLAPITH CRAFT: BRANDING & COMMUNICATION
SHOLAPITH PRODUCTS:
RECYCLE & REUSE
EXHIBITIONS & FAIRS
EDIBLE USE
CULTIVATION & GROWTH
ECOLOGY
SHOLAPITH CRAFT:
COMPETITIONS
RETAILERS END
AGRICULTURAL USE
DISTRIBUTION
HUSBANDRY
TRADITIONAL ART MATERIAL
ABOUT
SHOLA PLANT
FUEL USE
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
COMMERCIAL USE
BIOLOGICAL CONTROL
LOCAL UNITS END
SHOLAPITH BUSINESS NETWORK
BUYERS END
MEDICINAL USE
SOCIO-ECONOMIC ASPECTS
SHOLAPITH CLUSTER
FROM PRODUCTION
TO CUSTOMER
EXPORTERS END
SHOLAPITH PRODUCTS
APPLICATION:FOREIGN
MARKET
SHOLAPITH CRAFT:
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
THREAD: NYLON (TYRE) THREAD
PALM LEAVES
ADHESIVE
COCONUT LEAF STICKS
SHOLAPITH PRODUCTS
APPLICATION:LOCAL
MARKET
GOVERNMENT
FINANCIAL SUPPORTERS & BANKS
ONLINE GROUPS &
COMMUNITIES
COLOURS
INSTITUTIONS
ROLE PLAYERS
ONLINE BLOGGERS
BUYERS
SHOLAPITH UNIT OWNERS
EXPORTERS
PROCESSES AT
EXPORTERS UNITS
NGOS & ASSOCIATIONS
LOCAL TRADERS
FARMERS
RAW MATERIAL SUPPLIERS
CHEMICAL SUPPLIERS
PROCESSES AT
LOCAL UNITS
TOOL SUPPLIERS SPU: SHOLAPITH
PRIMARY UNIT
CRAFTSMEN &
SHOLAPITH
SSU:SHOLAPITH
CRAFTSWOMEN
UNITS
SHOLAPITH UNIT
MANAGERS
CLOTH
THREAD: COTTON
PAPER GLUE TAPE
BEADS:GLASS / WOODEN
SHOLA WOOD
STEEL WIRE
ALUMINIUM WIRE
PAPER
RAW MATERIALS
BAMBOO STICKS
WORKPLACE &
ERGONOMICS
RUBBER BAND
MAIZE LEAVES
PLASTIC BALL BLOW
MACHINES
SHOLAPITH CRAFT
& ITS PRODUCTION
PRODUCTS FOR
LOCAL MARKET
PRODUCTS FOR
EXPORT MARKET
MOULDING MACHINE
WIRE CUTTING MACHINE
MEASURING TAPE
NEEDLE
STONE BLOCK
KNIFE
TOOLS
WOODEN BLOCK
PLASTIC SCALE
WOODEN BOARD
BOWL /TUBLER
PAINTS
CHEMICALS
COLOURS
ADHESIVES
SECONDARY UNIT
STU: SHOLAPITH
TERTIARY UNIT
69
- Set up a research facility under the CFC
for the Shola plant committed to generating
awareness of environmentally sustainable
applications of Shola wood through research
and education.
- Encourage and facilitate the cluster to take
initiative to focus of Sholapith plant cultivation collectively. The aim is to cut down cost
of the raw material and help achieve Shola
raw material sustainability in the region.
DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY
FINDINGS
- The current practice of design for Sholapith
products by the units and the craftsmen is
limited to the synergy between their hand and
mind.
- The processes and tools are traditional
outdated and limited to cater to set products
again and again which is entirely dictated by
the exporters.
RECOMMENDATION
- Provide access for Sholapith units and
craftsmen to databases of product profiles
from target markets, media resources or connect service providers providing information
on product demand trends.
- Facilitate the unit members and the cratfsmen of outbound missions to develop an
understanding of product profiles, trends and
70
requirements.
- Engage designers, technologists, associations such as BWWA, NID, management
institutes and entrepreneurship development
institutes to develop new products and business together with the units and the craftsmen.
- Include design and technology in the curriculum at all the primary and secondary schools
in the region with focus on vocational training: learning by doing. The focus on students
should be on involving students in thinking,
writing, drawing and sketching and build in
knowledge of materials, tools and processes
as well as craft skills.
Photo: Craftsman working at Kalidas’ unit with not enough light,
no proper ventilation and for long hours in wrong posture
place. This leaves a very little active area for
working.
- Setting up a common design and technology - The workplace lacks proper sunlight during the daytime and due to unavailability of
facility under CFC with help of Ministry of
MSMEs, state & central government and NID. electricity it is difficult for the craftsmen to
carry out the detail works. In rainy season it is
impossible to work in open as the Sholapith
- Exchange of design and technology ideas
can be initiated through workshops and other material gets spoilt in water. As a result
idea exchange programmes with indian and
- The raw materials have to be always kept in
international craftsmen, designers and techdry condition. The roof of the units are made
nologists.
up of bamboo and rice straw roof and water
leaks through it in rainy seasons. This spoils
WORKPLACE & ERGONOMICS
the working area and may spoil the raw mateFINDINGS
- The workplaces at the units are cluttered and rial.
unorganized. Due to lack of enough space the
units keep the raw materials, semi finished
goods and the final products at the same
- The craftsmen work for long hours while
sitting on floor. They do not have any back-
rest. This results in pain and discomfort while
working for long hours.
MACHINES
FINDINGS
- There are no machines used in the Sholapith cluster, except the plastic blow moulding machines to produce plastic balls which
are used for making Sholapith decorative
balls.
RECOMMENDATION
- Engage experts from design and architecture
background to develop the common workplace such as CFC.
- Ideal work spaces have to be designed and
work spaces to be optimized to minimize
human effort and increase productive in less
time.
- Common machines such as plastic ball
moulding machines, dying facility, etc. can be
introduced at Common Facility Centre.
- Introduce sustainable sources of electricity supply such as solar and wind powered
electricity generation in the Common Facility
Centre toe help the units and the craftsmen to
work in bad light conditions.
RAW MATERIALS
FINDINGS
- The units buy raw materials such as Shola
sticks and adhesives separately as a result it is
always expensive for them instead if they buy
in bulk together.
- The Shola sticks is not consistent in quality
such as softer and thicker pith.
- There is no proper way to store Shola wood
RECOMMENDATION
- Set up Common Facility Centres and install common machines such as plastic ball
moulding machine and wire cutting machines used in the cluster.
Photo: Shola wood stock kept in open space
in the units. The Shola woods are kept in the
ceiling or kept in open spaces covered with
plastic sheets. As a result Shola wood gets
spoilt are not good to use.
- Design and develop new machines to assist
the mass production of existing and new innovative Sholapith products. This will bring
down the cost of the production and speed it
up as well.
RECOMMENDATION
- A sourcing facility under the CFC should be
set up to secure the raw material supply for
the units for entire year. The raw materials if
bought in bulk for the cluster, would be less
expensive becocause of economy of scale.
- Finance facility under CFC for production
of raw material in the local region with assistance from the local government and financial
institutions.
- Communication and promotion facility under CFC should be set up.
Photo: Knife with a sharp pointed end without handle cover at
Debu Gayen’s unit
71
- Almost from the time when Sholapith craft
started in the region there has been no design
improvement in the tools used to make Sholapith products.
- The tools especially the knives have big
sharp blades and mostly pointed handles with
no wooden or plastic handles.
- The tools are seen lying around in open in
the workplaces and which is not safe for the
members if they are unaware of the same. It
is a matter of concern since the workplaces or
units are mostly part of craftsmen house and
any member of the family especially children
might get hurt.
RECOMMENDATION
- The tool design facility under the CFC
shoule be set up to design the tools to make
it safer for the craftsmen as they are big and
sharp in form which is not safe for the craftsmen themselves and the family members as
the workplaces are part of craftsmen houses.
Photo: Jayant Mondal using a sharp knife to make Sholapith
kadam flower (above) & Jayant slowing his thumb with cut marks.
Developing new machines is a threat to employment of thousands of craftsmen in the
cluster region but if the market size can be increased, it is possible to retain the craftsmen.
TOOLS
FINDINGS
72
- The tools have to be designed as well to
speed up the processes and add quality to the
work.
PRODUCTS FOR LOCAL MARKET
FINDINGS
- The available products for the local market
is traditional and does not cater to the new
trends for ceremonial, decorative and other
lifestyle products.
- Because of the high cost and lack of innovation in design most of the existing products
for local market have become out dated which
people use occasionally during marriages,
festivals, decorations for good luck factor.
- The designs does not reflect the current
trend as most of the traditional designs are
made by the craftsmen whose designs are
inspired from environment and day to day life
activity.
- There is no product diversification.
RECOMMENDATION
- There is ample scope for redesigning the
products under CFC for local and national
markets. The markets at the national level
other than local villages and Kolkata have
never been explored.
- The existing traditional products can be
made more contemporary and relevant
and according to the latest trend with the help
of Indian and International designers.
PRODUCTS FOR EXPORT MARKET
FINDINGS
- Designs are replica of what is already available in the export market. The designs are
given by the exporters and the units and the
craftsmen lack innovation in terms of new
products design and development.
- The latest lifestyle trend in foreign markets is not at all considered while developing
new samples. The units do not have enough
funds, time and expertise to carry out research and development for new product
design and development.
- The units receive their regular production
orders from the exporters in cities like Kolkata, Chennai and Delhi and have no clue about
the buyers and the final users.
- The units and the craftsmen do not have any
way forward due to lack of time, money and
expertise to explore new markets and opportunity for new products by themselves.
RECOMMENDATION
- Focus on new product developments, its applications and design for new markets.
- Improvisation in Sholapith craft technology
through R&D activities.
- A Common Facility Centre can be set up
with modern technology to connect to the foreign buyers and customers for closer insights
to design and develop new products.
- Conduct continuous researches in terms of
consumer trends, market trends and competition in the local and international market.
- Apart from decorative and lifestyle products,
there is a need to focus on more functional
products considering the Shola pith material
properties as there are lighter, flexible and
have good insulation property.
SHOLAPITH UNITS: SPUs, SSUs & STUs
FINDINGS
- The Sholapith units are totally dependent
on the exporters for their business. Since the
units do not have any exposure to the international market and their product needs.
- Every Sholapith unit produces the same
products and there is no product differentiation or USP of these units.
- Due to limited number of exporters, the
competition between the local Sholapith units
is rising to grab the same orders from the
exporters.
- The Sholapith units do not get advance
money with the production orders from the
exporters. As a result the SPUs, SSUs and
STUs are not able to buy sufficient raw materials and so they are not able to take up
enough orders, every time.
- The STUs totally depend on the SPUs for
their income since the STUs do not have any
other source of income.
- On an average fifty STUs are engaged with
every SPU as a result every order is distributed equally by the SPUs to their STUs leading
to a very low divided income by STUs.
- The products produced by the units are further processed, packaged and branded by the
exporters. As a result the units do not earn
any credit for their creations in the Indian
and International markets.
RECOMMENDATION
- A financial facility operating under the Common Facility Centre (CFC) should be set up
which arranges to buy raw material (Shola
plant) in bulk from the suppliers by negotiating well with them on account of long-term
relationship and economies of scale. Mechanisms should be devised to provide this raw
material on loan to the units and the costs
should be recovered by the CFC after the
completion of the sale-transaction, preferably
in the export market.
- The finance facility of the CFC should also
encourage financial education of the unit
owners so as to be able to leverage the CFC
support in a wholesome and healthy manner.
PROCESSES AT LOCAL UNITS
FINDINGS
- Every product moves from SPU to SSU
to STU before it gets completed as the raw
material is prepared at one unit, the detailing
is done at the other and finally the assembly
73
is done at the another unit. The movement
consumes extra time and effort for the same
amount of work if done at one place
units and may require machines which uses
continuous electricity supply.
- The sharing of these machines by the units
of the cluster through Common Facility
Centre would reduce their expenses and give
equal access to new technologies.
- The process of dying is not consistent as it is
done manually.
- For packing the Sholapith products the units
buy second hand single walled corrugated
boxes cheap from the local market as they
do not have enough budget to buy fresh new
boxes. Above that the boxes are tied up by thin
jute strings or by rubber bands. As a result
the box gets damaged during the transportation as they are stacked one over the other.
- The adhesives and most of the Shola wood
comes from Kolkata and are expensive. Every
unit buy Shola raw material and adhesives
separately. These can be bought at a lower
price if the units combine their requirements
and buy these in bulk.
RECOMMENDATION
- The processes have be streamlined and a
quality should be incorporated decrease rejections by the exporters.
- The process to be more efficient, speedy, and
to better quality in case the units enter the
export market on their own.
- Setting up of Common facility Centre is
important to carry out certain processes such
as use of machines, dying or Sholapith materials. New and effective packaging techniques
have to be established to reduce the products
damage during transportation.
Photo: The delicate Sholapith rose flowers being stuffed in a single
walled corrugated box without any wall support structure
74
- The CFC will be of advantage for the entire
cluster since the above processes are expensive in nature, not required all the time by the
ROLE PLAYERS: FARMERS
FINDINGS
- Many of the farmers do not have their own
lands to grow Sholapith products. They take
the land on rent from the land owners. In
the cluster region the farmers grow in small
capacities in their small pieces of land or on
lands taken on rent and there is no concept of
collective farming to minimize cost and effort
and increase productivity.
RECOMMENDATION
- The farmers have to should be encouraged
and as a result may choose to do collective
farming and that which would provide more
produce, reduce effort, reduce expenses and
lead to sharing of better cultivation processes
and technology use.
ROLE PLAYERS: SHOLAPITH UNIT OWNERS
FINDINGS
- The Sholapith cluster units engages craftsmen and craftswomen in large numbers
sometimes close to hundreds and as a result
they are not able to share their orders in
enough quantity with them.
- The unit owners always have difficulty to
buy raw materials in time as they do not get
advance money along with the production
order from exporters.
- The unit owners wishes to get into the
international business but they lack the basic
knowledge about the international business.
Non of the Sholapith units have Importer Exporter Code number (IED no.) which is must
to venture an international business. The
units do not have an appropriate identity of
their own needed to start their own business.
- The units lack variety in their product range.
They do not have the desire and ability for
product differentiation and increase the overall product innovation lever of the cluster.
- The units do not dictate the prices of their
products and its mainly set by the exporters
and as a result they earn very less profit for
the time and effort they put in the production.
develop more contextual products for various
occasions, lifestyles and different markets
across the globe.
- The units owners and the craftsmen do not
have any source to learn about the international Sholapith products needs and lifestyle
trends (aesthetics, styles, occasions, etc.) of
the target customers and design and develop
the new Sholapith products accordingly.
Overall they do not practice product innovation in tune with the final customers of their
products.
RECOMMENDATION
- Cooperation and understanding between the
cluster units is to be established to deal with
outside exporters as a result the units can be
more commanding in pricing of products.
- The transportation can be shared by the
cluster units if the final products by them are
being dispatched to the same exporters at the
same time.
- The unit owners and the craftsmen do not
have any information about what happens a
the exporters end with the products they produce at their units. They are unaware of the
final finishing, assembly, branding and the
packaging processes at the exporters end.
- The cluster can be more effective and can
save cost if they act together and buy raw
materials in bulk. The common warehouses
which are designed to store raw materials
safely can be shared by the units.
- The unit owners have no exposure to international market and lack any international
connection which is needed do design and
- Together share the Common Facility Centre
and increase their expertise to avail the facilities provided by these centres. The centres
can be effective in ways such as conducting
researches common for all and setting machines which can be shared by all. It can also
be used as nodal point for the cluster and the
outside experts such as designers, researches,
business mentors, financial institutions to
share, design and develop new products, plan
the businesses and avail common facilities
- Facilitate a better practice of research and
development to keep the cluster in tune wi
the trends for around the world market. The
proposed ‘Hourglass model’ helps to see the
Sholapith craft system in a very simplistic way
Customers, event organizers
Insights
Retailers, showrooms,
online sellers
Buyers
Exporters
Cluster units,
craftsmen
Products &
services
Farmers, material suppliers
Photo: ‘Hourglass model’ of producers and customers interface
75
and how build interaction between the customers and producers to innovate.
any exhibition or craft fairs in India or foreign
counties.
ROLE PLAYERS: EXPORTERS
FINDINGS
- The exporters do not involve the local Sholapith units in their international business.
They just give production orders against the
approved samples provided by them or the
samples submitted by the cluster units.
RECOMMENDATION
- The CFC should empower the units by
negotiating on behalf of the units with the
exporters. In due course, the CFC should enable direct footprint for the units in the export
market, removing the reliance on exporters.
This could be done by setting up an Export
facility within the CFC which will procure all
relevant licenses required to export the Shola
products.
- The exporters set and at times dictate the
prices of the products.
- The exporters are very strict about delivery
on time of the final production. If the units
fail to meet the delivery time a certain amount
is deducted from the final payments depending on the delay by number of days.
- In case the products get damaged during
transportation, the exporters do not receive
the damaged pieces and consequently an
amount is deducted from the final payments
depending on the number of pieces damaged.
ROLE PLAYERS: BUYERS & RETAILERS
FINDINGS
- The buyers are in business with the exporters and have no connection with the cluster
units and the craftsmen who are the real creators of the beautiful Sholapith products.
- Further the buyers and the retailers sell the
Sholapith products at a very high premium
prices to the international customers.
- The exporters sell the Sholapith products
made by the cluster units at super premium
prices in the foreign markets as their own.
RECOMMENDATION
- The export unit of the CFC should be armed
to negotiate with all buyers, retailers and exporters from a position of strength.
- The exporters do not give any credit or
acknowledge any to the cluster units and its
craftsmen in international markets and do not
involve the members of the cluster units in
ROLE PLAYERS: BLOGS & ONLINE COMMUNITIES
FINDINGS
- The cluster and the craftsmen have engaged
with the craft and producing beautiful hand-
76
Photo: The online shop ‘Attract’ with it’s Sholapith products
crafted Sholapith products for the international buyers since decades but not a single
mention is found in internet.
RECOMMENDATION
- The CFC should create an ecommerce portal
for these units and also create awareness
about their art through the online medium by
use of blogs and other social media channels.
ROLE PLAYERS: FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
FINDINGS
- The cluster units have tried to avail loans
from the local banks but have failed as the
banks do not entertain their application due
to lack of proper papers.
RECOMMENDATION
- A financial facility operating under the Common Facility Centre (CFC) should be set up
which arranges to buy raw material (Shola
plant) in bulk from the suppliers by negotiat-
ing well with them on account of long-term
relationship and economies of scale. Mechanisms should be devised to provide this raw
material on loan to the units and the costs
should be recovered by the CFC after the
completion of the sale-transaction, preferably
in the export market.
ROLE PLAYERS:GOVERNMENT
FINDINGS
- The government has not shown much interest in the cluster in the past in strengthening
its innovation capacity and make the cluster
sustainable.
RECOMMENDATION
- The government should facilitate the setting
of the CFC at the earliest.
ROLE PLAYERS:INSTITUTIONS
FINDINGS
- In the past non of the institutes from the
education, design, research, financial, legal,
social development, etc. background have
shown any interest in the cluster development.
RECOMMENDATION
- Engage the research, design, technology and
business institutions to bring in technology
improvvement and innovation for the sociobusiness benefit of the cluster.
SHOLAPITH PRODUCTS COMPETITIONs
FINDINGS
- The Sholapith are facing tough competition
from those made in alternate materials such as
plastics, cloth and paper.
light the cluster units as original producers
of the Sholapith products and help establish
them in the global market.
- The Mandirbazar block is among many producers of Sholapith products across the globe such
as those made in Thailand, China, Bangladesh,
Japan, etc. and faces competition in terms of
quality and variety.
- A creative agency should be engaged to
create identity for the cluster and the units.
Preferably a creative advertising consultant
should be involved to design and develop an
attractive branding which may reflect the type
of business activity the cluster intends to follow.
RECOMMENDATION
- Re-skilling and skill diversification should be
undertaken to ensure that the alternative materials could be used by the units in their craft in
case Shola goes out of favour in the international
markets. This should be undertaken by the CFC.
SHOLAPITH FAIRS & EXHIBITIONS
FINDINGS
- Non of the cluster units in the past have
taken part in any of the national or international craft fair or exhibition.
SHOLAPITH BRANDING & COMMUNICATION
FINDINGS
- The cluster lacks visual identity as there are
exporters between the cluster units and the foreign buyers. A strategic plan is required to bring
the cluster units in direct contact with the end
customers or the buyers.
RECOMMENDATION
- The CFC should facilitate the participation
of the unit members in various national and
international fairs and exhibitions for better
exposure.
- There is no proper documentation or catalogue
of the Sholapith products that are made in the
cluster.
RECOMMENDATION
- The cluster needs to brand itself in the eye of
the modern business approach in terms of creative it’s identity. The unique identity will high77
78
Photo: Vibha Bhandari and her neighbour making sholapith flowers in their veranda.
3.0
THE TWENTY
SHOLAPITH UNITS,
MANDIRBAZAR
BLOCK
79
3.1 The Sholapith cluster units: introduction
Unit 12:Prashant Kumar Halder, Matilal
Unit 13: Sanath Halder, Maheshpur
Unit 14:Satibrata Halder, Bazarberia
Unit 15: Satyaranjan Halder, Bazarberia
Unit 16:Subhankar Halder, Maheshpur
Unit 17:Sudaib Purkait, Gokulnagar
Unit 18:Sushanta Gayan, Pukuria
Unit 19:Sushanta Halder, Matilal
Unit 20:Uttam Halder, Bazarberia
Photo: Sholapith cluster units, Mandirbazar block, Diamond Harbour subdivision, South 24 Parganas district, WB
To comprehend fully how clusters operate, it is very
essential to understand the detailed workings of the
individual units. In this section, twenty Sholapith
cluster units have been studied and sketched in detail.
A common thread of work-pattern runs through these
units and the first unit (Arjun Paik) has been covered
in more detail as a representative unit for all others.
In covering the subsequent units, most unique and
noteworthy points have been noted.
The 20 Sholapith cluster units from the Mandirbazar
block region are as following:
80
Photos (Right page):
Unit 1: Arjun Paik, Ratneshwarpur
Unit 2: Basudeb Halder, Maheshpur
Unit 3: Bishradeb Halder, Bazarberia
Unit 4: Biswanath Gayen, Maheshpur
Unit 5: Chinibus Mistry, Bazarberia
Unit 6: Debashish Sardar, Gokulnagar
Unit 7: Debu Gayan, Makhimpur
Unit 8: Jayanta Gayen, Pukuria
Unit 9: Kalidas Naskar, Bazarberia
Unit 10:Kalipada Mondal, Gokulnagar
Unit 11: Pradip Sarader, Gokulnagar
Photo: Arjun Paik
Photo: Basudeb Halder
Photo: Bishradeb Halder
Photo: Biswanath Gayen
Photo: Chinibus Mistry
Photo: Debashish Sarder
Photo: Debu Gayen
Photo: Jayanta Gayen
Photo: Kalidas Nasker
Photo: Kalipada Mondal
Photo: Pradip Sarder
Photo: Prashanta Kumar Halder
Photo: Sanath Halder
Photo: Satibrata Halder
Photo: Satyaranjan Halder
Photo: Subhankar Halder
Photo: Sudaib Purkait
Photo: Sushanta Gayen
Photo: Sushanta Halder
Photo: Uttam Halder
81
3.2 The twenty units of Sholapith cluster
3.2.1
Unit 1: Arjun Paik, Ratneshwarpur
Kolkata.
Kartik when returned to his village Ratneshwarpur, R.
P. Tarway & Co., Giridhi an exporter from Jharkhand
who is now is now based in Tuticorin contacted him
to help them source out natural seeds and products.
They offered good money for the job. And thus Kartik
got engaged with the Dry seeds and Sholapith flowers
business. (Insert photo of the dry seeds and products)
Arjun Paik,
Proprietor, APM Exports
Vill.: Ratneshwarpur,
P.O.: Bazarberia,
P.S.: Mandirbazar block,
District: South 24 Parganas
W.B., India
Age: 25 yrs
Qualification: Class 12th pass
In business since: 14 years
Photo: Arjun with his family
Arjun lives with his wife, daughter, father and mother.
Arjun and his family belong to Pondro Khatriyo caste,
which is a Scheduled caste in India.
Arjun’s unit makes variety of products. The materials
used are Sholapith, Palm and original Natural Seeds.
Arjun’s unit is very well equipped to make products out
of Sholapith and Natural materials (seeds, leaves), as
per the order from the exporters. One such order that
they got was to supply 1 lakh pieces of Arjun ball.
Arjun’s father Kartik Paik started the company some
15 years back focusing on the products for the export
market. Before he started his unit, he used to work in
Bihar for a chemical factory. After that he moved to
Kolkata where he started working with VAC Exim Pvt.
Ltd., a company exporting Sholapith flowers.
Kartik started the present company all because of
his deep interest in Sholapith and its products. The
Sholapith business was started in Ratneshwarpur,
which is also the birthplace of kartik. It is 60 kms form
82
Since then Kartik has been involved with Sholapith
business. He started trading dry seeds and natural
products made from dry leaves and dry seeds. He
initially started with dry Aamrah seeds, Pinecone, etc.
The natural products are sourced from Jharkhand,
Shimla, and Orissa.
Photo: Aamrah seed
The samples for these orders are first made at Arjun’s
unit and then they are showed to the exporter (known
as ‘company’ locally) for approval. On approval the
unit gets the order. The Arjun and his father and other
master craftsmen at the unit make the samples. The
samples are solely made using their own mind. The
himself teaches the labourers to how to make a new
product, as needed. Most of Arjun’s labourers are 10-12
kms (from Arjun’s home) away in different villages.
The reason why Arjun’s does not stress on labourers
to be close to his house or main unit is because of, the
product design and order confidentiality. He does not
want the competitors (other suppliers) in the nearby
locality to know about his orders and the products
being developed at his unit. The other reason being,
100% of Arjun’s labourers are women. Therefore it’s
not possible for the women to come to Arjun’s unit and
work. Most of the women labourers work form home,
as and when they get time form their daily household
activities.
Photo: Kartik Paik Making Sholapith Kali ball
samples are then sent to the exporters in Kolkata,
Ahmedabad, Rajkot to approval from the exporters.
These days they also use Internet to send the photos
of the new samples developed by them. The exporters
on receiving the samples from Arjun, shows it to their
buyers and on approval from the buyers, the exporters
give order to Arjun’s unit for the production. Once
Arjun’s unit gets an order, the sample is shown to the
labourers (the craftsmen) to help them understand
the product design and the process involved. Arjun
Arjun’s unit gives our work to labourers on contract.
The raw materials are weighed or counted and
supplied to the labourers. The labourers are given a
certain amount for every piece they make. For example
a labour is given Rs. 500 as labour charge for making
1000 Arjun flowers, means 50 paisa per piece. In a
day one women labour will be able to make 50 to 100
such flowers, in case she does this work for the entire
day leaving aside most of her household activities. If
she does it from morning to evening (entire day) and
manages to make 100 such pieces, she on an average
gets Rs. 50 as labour charge in a day. Arjun tries his
best to give minimum as much work to his labourers,
so that they can get minimum of Rs. 50 a day. The
women labourers always have to do that extra effort to
earn that money, since she has to do all the household
work from cooking, cleaning, taking care of the cattle,
going to farms, taking care of children, etc. And, in
the rainy season the women of the house spend time
in the setting the farmland. So, in rainy season they
Photo: Sholapith Kali ball in its final form made by Kartik Paik
hardly get much time to make Sholapith products and
as a result they loose their daily income. Almost all
labourers of Arjun’s unit have their own farmland and
cattle. In case of any emergency or need Arjun make
sure that he takes care of the labourer. He gives them
advance for the work, well in time.
The computer at Arjun’s unit has helped him to deal
with the exporters very efficiently. It saves his time,
money and the effort of traveling to cities to meet
exporters for sample approval. www.apmexports.com
is a dedicated website by Arjun’s unit and it has a
international hosting. In a year, Arjun in partnership
with one of his friend (from Lakshmikantpur) aims to
export his products directly to the buyers. He already
has an export license and an office on rent (Rs. 1000/
month) in Kolkata. Now, Arjun plans to focus on
establishing business directly with foreign buyers.
Arjun is his team is capable of making all kind of
Sholapith and natural seeds & leaves products. His
83
unit can develop anywhere between 1000-1200
varieties of these products. All samples will be different
from each other. And, he defines his products unique
selling proposition as, these products are made by
hand and he does not use any machine.
The tools used by Arjun and team for making
Sholapith products are set of knives, pair of scissors,
needles, thread (nylon tyre thread) etc. The tools are
sourced out locally or are bought from markets such as
Burrabazar and Kumortuli in Kolkata.
Arjun buys knives from the local lohaars (blacksmiths).
The blade size if 2.5 inches/14 inches. The cost of one
knife ranges between Rs. 100 to Rs. 150 and a pair of
scissors cost Rs. 35 to Rs. 50 (approx.). The knives are
given a particular shape (saan) to make it suitable for
holding and cutting. The metal used is steel, similar to
that used to make kaurath (handsaw). The knives come
in different sizes and are of different weights. More the
weight of the knife, the better it is for cutting and do
fine work. The knives lasts for 4 to 5 years. The shape
of the knife is designed to cut, peel and slice. The
handle, which is pointed and nail-like is of 5 inches
(approx.) length. It is used to remove the hard part or
nodes from the Shola wood pieces and also to insert in
the mud floor at an angle of 45° to 65° which helps in
cutting the Shola pieces and in similar actions.
The nylon tyre thread is strong and is similar to the
one used in tyre manufacturing. Arjun buys 10 kgs
in loose at the rate of Rs. 100 per kilogram of nylon
thread. Sometime he buys a bag of 25 kgs of nylon
thread in at a time at the rate of Rs. 80 per kilogram of
nylon thread. These are used to pull and tie the flowers
84
in the Sholapith flower making process.
The pricing of the Sholapith products is a very
important part of Arjun’s entire business. Arjun
considering the raw material cost (raw material
and other materials such as adhesive, paper, etc.),
labour cost, packaging, wastage cost, rejection cost,
transportation cost and his profit margin, sets the
prices of the Sholapith and natural seeds products.
This is how Arjun is able to give a price quote for the
products along with the sample to the exporters. The
exporters makes a bargain but Arjun makes sure he
still is able to make his profit from the deal.
Every product made by Arjun is tagged at his unit
before it is packed and delivered to the exporter. He
prints his tag whenever needed with the help of a
computer and a printer.
When inquired from Arjun about his one of the
biggest order that he got, he said he sent a big order
in a 40 feet container. The order was worth Rs. 5 lakhs
and the advance was 50% of the total order amount.
The time given for the project was 3 months. The
product mix was a variety of products ranging from
Sholapith flower, Palm flower, Natural seed flower
made from Pinecone seeds, Aamrah seeds, June
items (for making door mat, wall mat, handmade wall
bouquet and other decorative products), sabaigo (for
making mats) sourced out from Orissa. The container
contained almost 500 carton boxes. Each box measured
20 inches/22 inches. Arjun said that he had to spend
Rs. 4 lakhs for raw material (Sholapith, adhesive,
thread, paper, wires, sticks, etc.), labour charge, carton
packs for packaging, loading and unloading the
products, container charge, etc. till the product reaches
the dock. In the end, Arjun managed to save Rs. 1 lakh
across 3 months till the project got over.
Today Arjun has managed to establish his unit to
deliver good quality products. He has got training
for Sholapith business form his father. His father is
a master craftsmen of Sholapith and other natural
seeds products. Arjun has never been to any training
program or has been to any exhibition or fairs. He says
he never got an offer from anybody to display his work
and products.
Arjun does not grow Shola plant. He always buys if
from other farmers. He informed that these farmers
grow the plants in their farms and when the plants
grow to sufficient height and width, the plants are
cut, dried and ready as the raw material. Arjun’s
unit buys the ready raw material directly from them
or from the local market. Usually they buy the raw
material around the time of Puja (Durga puja) during
the month of October - November, every year. This
one time buy serves their raw material requirement
for the entire year. In one go they generally buy Rs.
10000 to Rs. 15,000 worth of Shola sticks. They buy
the raw material directly from the farmers. As soon as
the Shola plant fully grows, Arjun and his team makes
a deal with the farmers. They fix a price for the entire
Shola plant farm and pays Rs. 15000 (approx.) per 3
bighas (1 acre) of land. The price of the raw material
depends on the quality of the Shola sticks in terms its
width, hardness and length. Then, the Shola plants are
cut and dried in close care by Arjun and his team. The
raw materials are stocked in home and other places
taken on rent by Arjun. The Shola sticks are totally dry
at the time they buy it and as a result the sticks do not
get spoiled by insects of fungus and remain in good
quality for the entire year when kept in dry condition.
Arjun owns 3 small godowns (warehouse or room)
in the regions where he stores his Sholapith raw
materials. The Shola stock is kept covered and dried in
the godown to be used for the entire one year.
The entire business is taken care by Arjun. He is
involved at every stage from getting order to the
delivery of products. He handles the sampling,
exporters dealing, operations, etc. His is equipped with
a personal computer at his home from where he keep
s track of his orders and connect to his existing and
potential exporters & buyers.
Arjun’s wife, his father Kartik and mother support him
in Sholapith business. Kartik is an early riser. Every
morning he gets up at 4: 30 a.m. and starts his daily
routine. To keep him fit he goes for a morning walk,
everyday.
Arjun’s family has their own private land where they
produce Dhaan (rice). Kartik manages the farming.
One year’s produce of Dhaan is more than sufficient
for the family’s consumption for the entire year. Apart
from Dhaan they also cultivate vegetables like Bhindi
(lady finger), karela (Bittergourd),Tamatar (Tomato),
Saag (Spinach), etc. The main meal comprises of rice,
daal, roti, vegetables, goat meat, eggs, fruits and fish.
Everyday two meals are prepared, one at around 11 a.m.
and the other in the evening around 8 p.m. Plus they
have morning ready-made breakfast. Milk and eggs are
available at home since, the family has their own cow
and chicken.
The main fuel for cooking is rice straw (bichaili),
agricultural waste and waste wood the farm. The rice
straw produced in a year runs for the entire year to
serve many different purposes for every household in
the region. It is used as fuel, food for cattle, to build the
roof of the house. Locally the families do not need fuel
such as cooking gas or kerosene oil. In Arjun’s kitchen,
Shola wood (hard Sholapith) was seen being used as
fuel for cooking. These woods are products rejects
from the unit.
The family takes care of the best care of their health,
and whenever needed they visit the doctors for any
medical consultation. Kartik Paik suffers from heart
disease. Before he settled down in Ratneshwarpur
village in Mandirbazar block, he lived and worked in
a chemical factory in Bihar. He links his heart disease
to the gaseous fumes that used be get generated in
the chemical factory. Kartik spends almost Rs. 1200 to
Rs. 1300 on his medicines. Hi visits Jaynagar every 15
days to meet his doctor for treatment. Jaynagar is at a
distance of 10 kms from the Mandirbazar block region.
Other members of the family go to doctors at Diamond
Harbour or to Jaynagar for their medical facilities.
There is also a child specialist in Bishnupur village
where Arjun takes his child for treatment whenever
required.
Arjun has recently bought a computer system for
Rs 25,000 and taken a BSNL Internet connection.
Arjun has hired a computer teacher for his computer
training. The teacher is Arjun friend and he is a
schoolteacher and imparts computer training after
his school timing. Arjun has become well versed
with Microsoft word, excel and browsing and e-mails
on Internet. The Internet charge is Rs. 800 per
month. Arjun’s daughter Moumita, age 4 years, goes
to Nivedita Siksha Sadan, a private school. She has
already started learning english and Bengali in her
school. She studies in lower K.G. and the monthly fee
is Rs. 200. The school is only till class 4th. Arjun plans
to get her admitted in government school after she
finishes her class 4th.
Arjun has a mud house, which has a living room,
a small kitchen, a room for cattle. Arjun has
accommodated his computer in one corner in his cattle
room. The house does not have a bathroom or a toilet.
The family members goes to their farm for the toilet
facility. For bathing, they go to the nearby pokhars
(ponds). Even the cooking utensils and the cloths are
washed in the same pokhars.
Some of the common festivals which Arjun and
his family celebrates are Diwali, Durga puja, Kaali
puja and Holi. Every year they celebrate Arjun’s
daughter birthday and invite all the children from the
community in the celebration. Arjun and his family are
very well connected with the community.
The road, electricity and water infrastructure around
Arjun’s home is very marginal. There is a great scarcity
of electricity in the region. A lot of unit work depends
on electricity such as running computer, running
fan and bulbs, drying of Sholapith flowers after they
are dyed, etc. Every month electricity bill is Rs. 500
(Approx.). Arjun and his father are against television.
They say they will loose time watching television and
as a result their work will get affected. Arjun and his
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family members is great supporter of TMC political
party, since they have promised to build a great
infrastructure and bring in all the facilities whatever is
required in region.
Arjun has tried many times from banks to get loan for
his business, but has been successful. Only once Kartik
had got a loan successfully for an amount of Rs. 4000
for farming. The money was spent for buying fertilizer.
Recently Arjun has tried many times for loan from the
banks. The banks reject his loan application on the
pretext of incomplete documents. This is one thing,
which he really complains about. But, again he wishes
to apply for a loan, for a minimum amount of Rs. 5
lakhs for his export business venture.
Currently, Arjun makes a profit of Rs. 15000 to Rs.
20,000 per month, from his business. Most of the
part of this profit goes in household expenditure.
Arjun and his father stresses that they need financial
help to keep their business running and grow. Arjun
wants to establish an export house so that his unit
can do a better business and make a better profit. The
profit in exporting directly to International buyers is
comparatively very high in comparison to that earned
from catering to exporter in India.
3.2.2
Unit 2: Basudeb Halder, Maheshpur
Basudeb Halder,
Proprietor, Halder Dry Flower
Vill.: Maheshpur,
86
Basudab’s Sholapith work is spread out in various
villages such as Bishnupur, Mandirbazar apart from
his home at Maheshpur. To keep his work in time,
everyday he wakes up at 5:30 a.m. and after his
daily morning routine, his Sholapith work starts at
around 9 a.m.. Every evening he visits his labourers
in Bishnupur and Mandirbazar and delivers the
raw materials and collects the finished goods. He
has in total 16 labourers, 10 in Bishnupur and 6 in
Mandirbazar for manufacturing his products. Basudeb
is an early riser and he wakes up at 5:30, everyday. He
starts preparing for the days work since the work at his
unit starts early morning at 7 a.m.
Photo: Basudeb with his family
P.O.: Gopalnagar,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Working hours for labourers at Basudeb’s unit:
7 a.m. to 9 a.m.
10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
2.30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m./5:30 p.m.
Basudeb himself, works for 4 to 5 hours everyday and
Age: 35 yrs
Qualification: Bachelors of Commerce (B.com) pass
Basudeb lives with his wife and two children. He
belongs to Scheduled caste.
Basudab is engagement with the Sholapith and other
Natural (leaves and seeds) products business for the
export market. A very small quantity is also produced
for the local market as per the occasion and the need.
During festivals he makes Sholapith decorations for
his home.
Photo: Basudeb with Suparna Halder
the labourers work for 8 to 10 hours everyday.
Daily wage per labour = Rs. 150 (approx.)
About Basudeb’s labourer: Suparna Halder
(Insert photo of Basudeb’s labourer/working/home/
with finished products)
Suparna has been into the Sholapith business since
last 12 years. He lives with her husband and a son who
is 5.5 years old. She earns Rs. 50 to Rs. 100 everyday.
For example for assembling 100 pieces of Sholapith
rose flower in a day she would earn Rs. 50, at the rate
of 50 paisa per piece (insert photo of the flower) and by
making 15 bundle of Sholapith sheets she earns about
Rs. 75 per bundle in a day. Her husband is also in the
same business and works as a labourer for the bugger
suppliers, the units. Both Suparna and her husband
manages to earn Rs. 100 each everyday. At times they
do not get any work for a month or two months. Their
monthly expense is about Rs. 2000 to Rs. 3000 per
month. Generally they are not able to make any savings
from their work. Whatever they earn is spent at the
same time.
Suparna with her husband lives in a bamboo house
with one room and a kitchen. They have electricity in
their house and it is equipped with a light bulb and a
fan.
About Basudeb’s labourer: Pooja Jalani & Anju Sarader
Pooja is working with Basudeb and is in the Sholapith
business since last 1 year. Her father is a driver for a
private vehicle in Kolkata and mother is a trainer for
children in a nearby swimming club.
Anju also works as a labourer to Basudeb. She is
of paris, bamboo stick, palm stick, palm leaf, steel
wire, aluminium wire, etc. All the raw materials for
the products are bought from haat (local market),
every Saturday. The haat starts at 4 am in the morning.
On an average he buys raw materials for Rs. 10,000
everyday Saturday. He buys Sholapith rolls for Rs. 10
(approx.)
The tools used at the unit are knives, pair of scissors,
measuring tape which Basudeb buys from the local
market.
Photo: Basudeb making a palm leaf flower
working since last 3 years.
Both. Pooja and Anju earns about Rs. 20 to Rs. 40 per
day.
Basudeb’s expresses that he has a lot of orders for
Sholapith products from exporters but, he is unable
to fulfill it due to lack of money to buy raw materials.
The exporters do not promise any advance with their
orders. Basudab gets his orders form exporters in
Delhi and Kolkata.
The highlight products made by Basudeb’s unit
are Sholapith rose, Sholapith sunflower, Sholapith
mangolia (check the spelling), Sholapith prada,
Sholapith kali ball, Sholapith sticks such as
rajnigandha stick, natural palm leaf flowers, etc. In
total Basudab has a range of 200 items that he offers
to his exporters. The raw materials used are Sholapith,
crape paper, cotton thread, nylon tyre thread, plaster
He sells products which costs anywhere between
Rs. 1.50 to Rs. 8. For example, he sells Sholapith fan
stick at Rs. 5 in which he makes a profit of Rs, 1.50.
Rs. 3.50 is used in raw materials, labour charge and
transportation charge. So, an order for 10,000 pieces
of Sholapith fan stick, he makes a profit of Rs. 15000.
One order that he recently completed was of Sholapith
rajni stick. He had an offer of 5000 pieces for Rs.
40,000 from an exporter in Delhi. He received an
advance of 50% for the order. Every piece costed him
Rs. 7 and he was able to sell it for Rs. 8 per piece,
making a profit of Rs. 1 on every piece. Therefore he
made a profit of Rs. 5000 at the completion of the
order. The transportation cost of the order was paid by
the exporter.
At times single flower or stick is made involving
multiple labourers at the same unit or different units.
All the products made by Basudeb’s unit are
handmade. Any new design is solely his mindwork.
Sometimes he takes references from photos or
surroundings to develop new designs of Sholapith
87
flowers.
Few years back, Basudeb took part in ‘Hast-shilp mela’
(handicraft fair) in Kolkata where he displayed his
Sholapith and natural (leaves and seeds) products.
Basudeb maintains his finances very effectively. He
has all his account maintained for all the orders since
last 10 years. He has never applied for any loan or
any other kind of financial assistance. Monthly profit
is not fixed. Basudeb’s makes a profit of Rs. 2,000
to Rs. 30,000 per month. It also happens that he
sometimes he can make loss. Once he lost Rs. 20,000,
due to product damage during product delivery to
the exporter. When enquired, the exporter said that
the products got damaged during transportation and
could not be used, so it was rejected. Basudeb trust his
exporters since he get orders from them, so he does
not question in such cases. This is a big risk for the
suppliers.
Basudeb has never got any training from any NGO,
Association, Design institute or Government. He has
developed his craft skills on his own.
Politically, Basudeb is inclined towards TMC party.
Basubed says that TMC is a good party and they have
promised to do a lot of welfare for their region.
Basudeb and his family has a house which has a room
with attached kitchen and a small passage for keeping
raw materials and bicycle. They don’t have any farm of
their own. So they have to buy every food item form the
local market. He on an average spends Rs. 4000 to Rs.
5000 on for every month for food, electricity, phone
charges, children education, etc. For drinking water
88
the family depends on tubewell water and for every
other purpose they use the pokhar water. The house is
equipped with a television.
Basubed’s both sons are studying in near by school in
Gopalnagar. The elder son studies in Class 2nd and
Basudeb is glad that his son is studying english along
with other subjects. He also mentions with that his
elder son is good at drawing.
Health wise the family is doing good. Minimum
Rs 400 to Rs. 500 per month is spent on medical
treatment, if and when needed.
Basudeb in near future, if business goes well, he
wishes to own a laptop. He believes it is going to
help in his business very effectively and, can be in
touch with his exporters and also get to find his
direct buyers. He explains that sending photos of the
samples for approval, receiving orders and every other
communication with his exporters will be easy.
3.2.3
Unit 3: Bishradeb Halder, Bazarberia
Bishradeb Halder,
Proprietor, Satyaranjan Halder
Vill.: Bazarberia,
P.O.: South Bishnupur,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 38 yrs
Photo: Bishradeb with his family. Bishradeb wife is working in the
background in low light.
Bishradeb Halder lives with his wife, four daughters,
father and mother. The three elder daughters study
in school. Bishradeb does his Sholapith business very
closely with his elder brother Satyaranjan Halder.
Before starting his Sholapith business he worked with
a company in Kolkata, which used to make vacuum
pumps for trains. The family has their own two bighas
of farmland and is used for rice, vegetables and moong
daal cultivation. They belong to Taposili caste, which is
a Scheduled caste in India.
Bishradeb has engaged 126 (approx.) labourers
in Raghunathpur, Dehrampur, Jagdishpur and
Keshtodippur. Raghunathpur is the main unit.
There are about 48 labourers who are engaged with
that unit. He uses the room owned by his elder brother
Satyaranjan in Raghunathpur and it is the nodal centre
of his business. All the labourers engaged at the units
Photo: Bishradeb with his creation, Sholapith sunflower.
are women. Labourers earn Rs 30 to Rs. 40 per day.
Bishradeb maintains a regular account of work done
and payments of all his labourers. He also maintains
account of each and every order from the exporters
such as the date or delivery, challan number, item
name, quantity of item delivered, quatity accepted, rate
of each product and the total payments received for
production of each item.
Some of the Sholapith products made are:
Sholapith log ball
Sholapith rope ball
Sholapith guli ball
Sholapith chips ball
Sholapith cabbage ball
Moss ball (Moss provided by exporter and they source
it from Assam)
Khrish Ball
Babri Dori ball 10 cm
Sholapith Rose & leaf stick
Sholapith chicken flower stick Rs. 700 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith chilli petal stick Rs. 2000 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith fan stick (8 fans) Rs. 2400 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith cabbage flower stick Rs. 700 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith sunflower stick (one flower)
Sholapith chilli & kadam stick (five kadam stick)
Sholapith fan & zinia stick (five zinia flower)
Sholapith fan & arjun seed stick
Sholapith tulip & aakondo kudi stick
Sholapith rose & leaf stick
Sholapith bud bunch & leaf stick
Sholapith titul leaf stick
Sholapith bud & leaf stick
Sholapith zinia & leaf stick
Sholapith kadam, bud and shola leaf stick
Sholapith zinia, bud & leaf stick
Sholapith sunflower stick (three sunflowers)
Ball stick bunch
Arjun seed & leaf stick (seed sourced our from Orissa)
One of the order that he recently received was to
produce Sholapith fan sticks. For every 1000 pieces of
sticks he was being paid Rs. 2400 from the exporter.
After spending on raw material, transportation charges
and the labour charge (65 paisa per piece), Satyaranjan
was able to save Rs. 200 on every 1000 pieces.
The profit from the Sholapith business is Rs. 5000 per
month.
All the products produced by Bishradeb’s unit are
handmade. Bishradeb says that handmade items
requires a very high skill and a very good speed to
meet the orders, or other wise they sometimes run in
losses. There is a huge chance of rejection in the final
delivery. The Sholapith products are so delicate that
the box carton packaging at times is not able to keep
the products safe on delivery. And, when it reaches he
exporters there is a high chance of product damage,
which leads to payments cuts which ultimately affects
the profit margins.
The house is a two-room mud house. Bishradeb shares
the kitchen with his elder brother Satyaranjan. The
house is not equipped with electricity and in this case
dhibris (kerosene lamps) is used to produce light
while cooking, Sholapith work, studying or any other
purpose. For drinking water they depend on a common
hand pump in the community and for any other water
needs, the family use a privately owned pokhar.
Bishradeb has never taken any loan or any kind of
financial assistance from any bank or any micro
finance company. He has not taken any design
or business training and has never taken part in
exhibition or craft fairs. Financially he manages to get
good orders and for which he has never taken any loan
from any bank.
3.2.4
Unit 4: Biswanath Gayen, Maheshpur
Biswanath Gayen,
Proprietor, Maya Rani Gayen Solasilpalaya
Vill.: Maheshpur,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
89
his business. His sister and mother also help him in
the sampling and production. The family has some
farmland, which is used for rice cultivation.
Photo: Biswanath Gayen with his family
Age: 27 yrs
Biswanath lives with his sister, mother and father.
One of his elder sisters is married and lives in another
village. The family belongs to Taposili caste, which is a
Scheduled caste in India. He says people belonging to
this caste has been working with Sholapith craft since
200 years (approx.)
Biswanath learnt the Sholapith craft and its business
from his father Vijay Krishna Gayen, age 65 years. His
father has been engaged with Sholapith work since
last 30 years (approx.). Earlier his father used to make
products for local market and around 10 years back
he started taking orders for the export business. Later,
Biswanath joined the business. Now, his father does
not work with Sholapith craft but guide Biswanath in
90
Bishwanath works for two exporters from Kolkata. He
is always occupied with orders from them the orders
are always in good quantity. New samples of Sholapith
products are developed by Biswanath by taking
references from photos or from nature. Sometimes he
develops them all from his mind. From one sample,
from that he makes 4 to 5 variations and out of which
there are great chances that one of them get selected
by the exporters. He develops first samples and
presents it to the exporters for approval. The exporters
further ask for second set of samples of about 500 to
1000 pieces and after receiving it give the final order.
Sometime they instantly gives order for production on
presentation of first set of samples.
Biswanath buys the Sholapith raw material from the
local market, which 2 to 3 years back he used to buy
from Vidhan Nagar market in Kolkata. Now he always
buys good quality of Shola sticks, which are thick and
soft, and buys it in bulk for Rs. 7,000 for a truck full of
Shola sticks. The shola sticks come in bundles of 6 to
10 sticks at the rate of Rs. 15 to Rs. 20.
There are about 120 women labourers working with
Sholapith craft in different villages across Mandirbazar
block. Biswanath owns three units or locally these
units are known as factories. One of the three units
is the main or the primary unit and the other two are
extensions of the main unit also known as secondary
unit. Everyday Biswanath visits these units on his
motorcycle.
The main unit or the primary unit is in Diamond
Harbour, which is 20 kms (approx.) away from his
house in Maheshpur village. The monthly rent of the
primary unit is Rs. 4000, since it is on the main road
connecting Diamond Harbour and South Bishnupur
on the way to Kolkata and the unit is a solid concrete
building, spacious, facilitated with electricity, and it has
a toilet facility for the labourers. At the primay unit,
there are about 20 labourers in the unit. Biswanath
has appointed his friend Gautam as the manager of
the unit. All labourers at the unit are women who
earn between Rs. 1000 to Rs. 3000, every month. The
difference in labourer’s salary is due to the different
kind of work they carry out, involving Sholapith sheet
bundling, cutting, drawing to produce the final flowers,
etc. Mainly, each labourer’s salary depends on the
number of products they produce. At the primary unit,
the raw material is prepared, the finished products
are made and they are packed for final delivery.
The products once completed are kept in sunlight
before it is packed for delivery, as a result of which
the strength and the quality of the product increases
and the product becomes more fresh, as described
by Biswanath. The unit start at 8 a.m. every day and
runs till 5 p.m. in the evening. The unit is closed
on Sundays. Biswanath gives the Sholapith waste
produced from the unit, away to some labourers who
reuse these materials for new product making.
Unuma Moira - Sholapith labourer at Biswanath’s unit,
Diamond Harbour
Unuma has been working at Biswanath’s unit since
last 4 years. She works from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m.,
Photo: Jhuma is seen counting the rose flowers received from the
labourers.
everyday. She takes her lunch break at 1 p.m. One of
the recent products that she worked on was Sholapith
artichoke bud. The raw material for the Sholapith
artichoke bud (Sholapith artichoke bud scales), was
produced by labourers at different unit. She converts
the bundles of Sholapith artichoke bud scales into
beautiful Sholapith flowers.
The primary unit runs in sync with the secondary units
and it is a nodal point for Biswanath’s local business
network, which caters to secondary units in the
surrounding villages in Diamond Harbour. The raw
materials for the products are taken from the primary
unit to the secondary units by Gautam and distributed
to the labourers and the finished goods are collected
from there and brought to the main unit. Local
managers, who keep an account of the labourers and
their work, manage these secondary units.
The first, secondary unit in Mandirtala village, which
is a one room setup, engages about hundred labourers
and the rent of the unit is Rs. 1000. Bishwanath has
appointed one of his friends Jhuma, to manage the
Sholapith work and individual labourer’s account
at the unit. The unit has almost 70 labourers from
Mandirtala village. Jhuma maintains the record of
names of the labourers and on which date, how much
raw materials were supplied to the labourers and the
number of items produced by the labourers. Everyday
she spends 2 to 3 hours managing the unit related
work. Jhuma earns a monthly salary of Rs 250 for
the business management at the secondary unit and
she also does Sholapith work for which she earns Rs.
600 (approx.). In total, every month she earns Rs. 850
(approx.) Everyday at 1 pm (approx.) all the labourers
gather at the unit to deliver the finished products
and collect raw materials for next days work. Some
labourers produce final products (insert picture ex.
rose from the petals) from the semi-finished products
and some produces the semi-finished products (insert
photo ex. Sholapith artichoke scales white) from the
raw material provided to them by the unit. At times the
labourers get both kind of production work from the
unit. Sometimes, achieving a target of 50 to 60 pieces
of Sholapith product per day is very tough for the
labourers, since they do not get much free time from
their household work.
Photo: Vibha is making a Sholapith flower sitting in the veranda
of her house.
family owns 1 bigha of farmland, which is used for
vegetable cultivation and the produce is consumed by
the family and the excess is sold in the local market.
She lives very close to Bishwanath’s secondary unit.
Vibha Bhandari - Sholapith labourer working for
Biswanath’s unit, Mandirtala
Vibha has been working for Biswanath’s unit since 6
years and is 45 years old. Vibha lives with her husband,
her son and his family in a one-room house. The
Photo: Vibha is making a Sholapith rose flower
91
Photo: Biswanath Gayen with his labourers at Mandirtala
Everyday she collects raw material form the unit and
delivers the finished products. She works form her
home whenever she gets free time after completing
her household work. She says she does not make
any new designs of Sholapith products, instead she
produces products for whatever sample she gets from
Biswanath’s unit. One of the product that she recently
produced was Sholapith rose flower. Everyday she
made about 50 flowers (approx.) a day and earned
Rs. 25 (approx.) at the rate of 50 paisa per flower
and monthly she earned Rs. 800 (approx.). She gets
Sholapith work from the units for almost all 12 months
in a year.
The second secondary unit is headed by local manager
Kanchan Mondal. The rent for this unit, which is
one room made up of bamboo walls and rice straw
roof and the rent is Rs. 300 per month. Jeevananda
Mandal owns the room and his family is also working
for Biswanath. Jeevananda along with his family earns
92
Rs. 1000 (approx.) every month from the room rent
and the Sholapith production work. There are 50
(approx.) labourers who are engaged with this unit.
Labourers earn between Rs 600 and Rs. 800, every
month. The labourers work for 3 to 4 hours every day
after finishing their household work. They work from
home and everyday come to their unit to submit the
finished products and collect the raw materials. One of
the recent productions are the scales for the Sholapith
artichoke bud, which will be finally assembled at
the primary unit. The labourers earned 50 paisa per
bundle of scales. For example one of the labourers
Sawanti Mali made about 30 such bundles and earned
Rs. 15 everyday. During the visit to the units, Biswanath
carries out a regular quality check of the products
and guides the labourers about how to improve their
skills and make products as per the samples provided.
If, there is any mismatch in the quality or any kind
of irregularity in the design of the production is
found out, the complete production is returned to the
labourer and they requested to bring it back as per the
correct design and maintaining the quality. Biswanath
regularly, guides his labourers, with tips for improving
the product quality.
Bishwanath is a social entrepreneur and he has built
his business with a superb ‘Human network’.
Once a week, Biswanath delivers the finished Sholapith
products to his exporters. He hires a TATA truck (Ace
brand) for the delivery.
Biswanath’s primary unit at Diamond Harbour unit
along with secondary units produces almost 30 to 35
different varieties of Sholapith products. A few of the
products made at Biswanath’s unit are:
Sholapith artichoke bud ball Rs 10 / Rs 9.50 (insert
photo from Artichoke fruit and Sholapith artichoke)
Sholapith tip ball Rs. 5 / 4.80
Sholapith cone ball Rs. 4.5 / 4.2
Sholapith round step ball (8 cms) Rs. 3.5 /
Sholapith bouquet Rs. 80 / (moti grass, bamboo
spring, Sholapith flowers, wire and bamboo stick)
Sholapith long bouquet Rs. 100 / (moti grass, bamboo
spring, Sholapith flowers, wire and bamboo stick)
Sholapith new lotus Rs. 8.5 /
Sholapith new Belli Rs. 10 /
Sholapith wreath bouquet Rs. 200 /
Sholapith artichoke bud Rs. 10 / 9.5
Sholapith flower bunch bouquet Rs.
Sholapith berry ball Rs.
Sholapith aanta ball Rs.
Sholapith busy rope ball Rs.
Sholapith rose flower
Sholapith chips flower stick
Benti ball Rs. 5.5 / 5.3
The total profit from the Sholapith business at the end
of every month is Rs. 8,000 (approx.) Biswanath is
able to save Rs 5,000 (approx.) after doing the entire
household expenses.
The house has three living room, a room for stocks of
Shola sticks and vegetables, a temple room, kitchen,
a toilet. Apart from this, the house also has a separate
room on the first floor for a huge stock of Shola sticks
and a part of the ground floor is used for finished
Sholapith products. The house does not have electricity.
Biswanath has a motorcycle, which he bought for Rs.
50,000 and it was a gift from his elder sister. The
motorcycle is of a great help for him to commute freely
from his home to units. It saves him a lot of time.
of the production and he gets the major part of the
production done, from his labourers. In case the order
involves new products, Chinibus teaches his labourers
techniques to develop the products.
Biswanath aims to develop his exporter expertise and
wishes if in some time near future he can start his own
export house. He has till date not taken part in any
exhibition or craft fair.
He has never got any loan from any bank, inspite of
trying many times.
The main hurdle, which is a big hindrance to his
business growth, is his low financial capital. He needs
a strong a financial back up regularly, to buy raw
materials and run his unit efficiently. Next, he wants
to learn the business tricks to become a successful
exporter and do business with international buyers.
And thirdly, he wants to learn to operate computer
and eventually own a computer system to help him
maintain records of his business and do efficient
business dealing with his exporters.
3.2.5
Unit 5: Chinibus Mistry, Bazarberia
Chinibus Mistry,
Proprietor, Maa Tripura Shola Flowers
Vill.: Bazarberia,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 27 yrs
Qualification: Class 2nd pass
Few of the products which Chinibus produces are as
following
Photo: Chinibus Misty with his family
Chinibus Mistry lives with his wife, one son, one
daughter and mother. His son studies in Class 2nd in
a government school. The family does not have their
own farmland so he takes farmland on lease form the
land owners and pays Rs. 1,000 per year and mainly
cultivates rice for consumption at home. They belong
to Pondro Khatriyo caste, which is a Scheduled caste in
India.
Chinibus worked with Sholapith products exporters in
Delhi before he started his own unit. When he started
his business, he used to give out coloured Sholapith
product samples in shops, Badabazar area, Kolkata.
On approval from the shopkeepers, Chinibus used
to get production orders. Since, last two months, he
has managed get orders form local suppliers and is
planning to get order from an exporter in Kolkata.
When he gets his order, he and his wife does a part
Sholapith charkha flower
Sholapith flower 1
Sholapith Lily flower - 3 leaf
Sholapith flower kudi
Sholapith kathal kudi
Sholapith skin lily
Sholapith Skin Zinia flower
Sholapith Zinia flower - one colour / two colour
(Aliflaila) 2 cms, 3 cms
Sholapith Belkudi
Sholapith potpoti
Sholapith Mallika flower
Sholapith sunflower - one / two / three colour
(Aliflaila) - 10 cms
Sholapith pankha flower
Sholapith belli flower - 3 cms, 4 cms, 8 cms
Sholapith Half Kadam flower
Sholapith flower (do phool - firoza)
Sholapith flower number 13
Sholapith sandesh flower
Sholapith aakondo bud
Sholapith aakondo bud - natural
Sholapith tara flower
Sholapith chili flower
Sholapith chili flower stick
Sholapith Kali ball
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Sholapith tape ball
Sholapith aakondo kudi and kathal flower stick
Sholapith aakondo big kudi stick
Sholapith chili stick
Sholapith fan stick
Sholapith kadam, chili and kudi stick
Sholapith kali stick
Sholapith kudi stick
Sholapith lily stick
Sholapith patpati stick
Sholapith shell stick
Sholapith skin lily stick
Cloth flowers
Photo: Sholapith kinnon kudi by Chinibus Mistry
Photo: Chinibus with his son at his workplace
* flowers made in two or three colours are called
Aliflaila
Chinibus has taken a room for Rs 150 on rent in
Titulberia village and engages 20 (approx.) labourers.
He earns Rs. 3000 per month from his Sholapith
production business.
Photo: Sholapith zinia flower (two colour) by Chinibus Mistry
Sholapith crape ball
Sholapith log ball
Sholapith rope ball
94
One of the recent orders that Chinibus received was
to produce Sholapith fan stick at the rate of Rs. 2
per stick. The order was open ended and there was
no limitation on the production and the exporter
was ready to buy as many sticks he can produce in a
month. On an average he managed to produce only
2000 sticks. He says he had the capacity to produce
minimum of 10,000 pieces per week, but because he
did not have money to buy raw material he could only
2000 pieces. He was able to make a profit of Rs. 200
by producing a small amount of 2000 pieces at the rate
of 10 paisa per stick.
Photo: Chinibas’s house. Deshbandhu Nasker, BWWA team
member is seen sitting at his house.`
Every month, Chinibus earns Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 2,500
form his entire Sholapith business. He says he can
earn much more if he has more money to buy more
raw materials and engage more labourers to increase
his Sholapith product’s production.
Chinibus has never received any kind of formal
business, design or management training from
government of private company, which can help him
run his business better.
Chinibus lives in a mud house, which has two living
rooms and an open kitchen. The house does not have
electricity or water supply. The family depends on the
natural ponds for their daily water needs and hand
water pump for drinking water.
Photo: Debashishs SSU at Rajapur village
Photo: Labourers making Shola log bunch stick at Rajapur unit
Photo: Blow moulding machine at Debashish’s Rajapurs unit
Photo: Sholapith candy stick made at Debashish’s Rajapurs unit
Debashish has two units apart from his main unit
at his house. About twenty labourers work at his
unit at home, which is also his main unit. He has
his secondary units in Rajapur, Raghunathpur and
Dharampur. At the Rajapur unit Debashish owns
the unit whish is a three-room workplace. One of the
room has a plastic blow moulding machine and has a
capacity to produce 1500 plastic balls. Bapla is the main
operator since last four years. At the Dehrampur unit,
he has appointed Pinki Purkait as the local manager.
95
3.2.6
Unit 6: Debashish Sardar, Gokulnagar
Debashish Sarader,
Proprietor, Maa Kali Shola Supply
Vill.: Gokulnagar,
P.O.: Gokulnagar,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 30 yrs
Debashish lives in a joint family with his wife, two
sons, his brothers & their families and mother &
father. His family has four bighas of farmland and he
belongs to Pondro Khatriyo caste, which is a Scheduled
caste in India.
1000 per month for the work at the unit.
Some of the Sholapith products produced made by
Debashish’s unit are as following:
Photo: Pinki Purkait, manager at SSU, Dehrampur village
Photo: maize leaf candle stick made at Debashish’s Rajapurs unit
The house which is also Debashishs’ SSU is owned by
Pinky and his family.
Pinki Purkait : Local manager at Debashish’s secondary
unit, Dehrampur.
Photo: Pinki counting the finished products given by the labourers
96
Debashish’s one of the SSU is owned by Pinki
Purkait’s family. She also manages the unit for
Debashish and she has engaged 10 labourers from
the local village. The labourers work from their
home and every evening at 4 p.m. the labourers
come to the SSU to deliver the finished Sholapith
products and receive the raw materials for new set
of production. If he products are not up to the mark
as per the specifications, the products are returned
to the labourers with inputs to better the products.
Debashish teaches Pinki and the labourers how to
make new items. Labourers avoid the items if they are
too complicated or if find the rate to be really low as
the rates are generally set by the Sudeb. Pinki earns Rs.
Sholapith belli flower
Sholapith hexa rose stick
Sholapith log bunch stick
Sholapith candy flower stick
Sholapith lily flower stick
Sholapith five chatka stick
Sholapith drum stick
Sholapith pineapple candle stick
Shola wood rose stick
Sholapith chips apple
Maize leaf candle stick
One of the latest project which Debashish got was to
make 50,000 pieces of Sholapith belli flower for Rs,
1,00,000. He managed to make a profit of 10,000 at
the rate of 20 paisa per piece.
Debashish earns profit of Rs. 5000 to Rs. 10,000 every
month from his Sholapith business.
Debashish and his brothers have a two storied brick
house. Right in the courtyard he has his main unit
where 15 to 20 labourers work everyday.
Debashish has never applied for loan from any bank or
any government institution.
A few years back he took part on one of the handicraft
exhibition in Science city, Kolkata, which was organised
by the Govt. of WB.
3.2.7
Unit 7: Debu Gayan, Makhimpur
Debu Gayen,
Proprietor, Debu Gayen Sola Silpalay
Vill.: Makimpur,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 42 yrs
Debu Gayen lives with his wife, two daughters,
brothers and his mother. The younger daughter is
studying in Class 5th. The elder daughter stopped
her studies, since Debu could not afford to educate
both the daughters. All four brothers has their own
Sholapith business. At home every member of the
family know the Sholapith work and help Debu in
production whenever there is an order. Debu belong to
Pondro caste, which is a Scheduled caste in India. He
has no farmland or any cattle of his own and totally he
and his family depends on the Sholapith business.
Debu has been engaged in Sholapith products business
since last 15 years. Before he started his Sholapith unit,
he used to work in farmland owned by other people in
the village. He has about 4 to 5 exporters that he gets
order from. His uncle who is involved in the Sholapith
business and lives close by, share some of his order
with him. To get direct orders Debu has to regularly
develop new samples, 4 to 5 pieces for each item and
Photo: Debu Gayen and his family
Photo: Labourers making button flower at Debu house.
take it to his exporters in Kolkata. He attaches a rate
for every product, which he calculates considering his
expenses for the product and his marginal profit. If
the exporter likes the samples, they forward the same
to the buyers in foreign countries. If the exporters get
orders from the buyers, the same is passed to Debu.
To get the final order Debu again travels to Kolkata to
get the purchase order for the order. From submitting
the samples till getting orders, it can take 10 to 30 days
for the final order. A few times, if he is lucky, he gets a
spontaneous order. There is a regular price bargain for
the products between Debu and the exporters. Debu
sometime get orders from local suppliers (bigger units)
who in turn supply the materials to the exporters.
example, Dedu has taken a room on rent in Jaynagar
and from there he distributes the Sholapith raw
materials, adhesives, threads etc. to his labourers
living locally in that village. When the labourers
complete their work, Debu collects the finished goods,
from them. He has his labourers in villages such
as Jayanagar and Samiti Maidan (near Mathurapur
station) and the number of labourers is 14 and 16
respectively. At both the places Debu has appointed
a local manager who maintains an account of every
labour and his work. For example, in Jaynagar, Debu
has taken a small room on rent form Kalidas Vaidhya
and has appointed him to maintain all the accounts
of the local labourers, supply them raw materials on
time and collect the finished goods from them. This
model is convenient for Debu since, he has to deal with
his local managers instead of dealing with the entire
set of labourers at different locations. Debu pays Rs.
1500 to Kalidas for the room that he has taken on rent
and for the management of the business in Jaynagar
97
Debu distributes his order to his labourers in near by
villages. His main unit is at his house where four to
five labourers work everyday. Other units are in close
by village. At one of villages there are 20 labourers
and in another village he has about 30 labourers. For
village. 4 to 5 times a week, Debu visits his local
managers (nodal factories) to keep production running.
Debu owns a bicycle which helps him move between
different locations faster and cost effectively.
Dealing with exporters is a big challenge for Debu.
The profit margin earned from the orders is very low.
Earlier Debu and many such unit owners used to get
their payments on time or maximum after one month
from the delivery date. These days the payments
have become nightmare as sometimes Debu gets his
payments 2.5 months to 3 months from the time of
final delivery of finished goods. And if there is any
delay, damage of products or variation in design (size,
form, etc.), exporters make sure that they deduct a
good amount of money from the payments. Debu
is always under pressure, since had to spend a high
amount of money on purchase of raw materials, labour
charges, etc. without getting any advance from the
exporters. The situation is very much in pressure.
Photo: Debu Gayen making a Sholapith rajnigandha stick
Photo: Sholapith rajnigandha stick
Photo: Sholapith button flower made at Debu Gayens’ unit
Photo: Sholapith china java flower made by Debu Gayen
Sholapith skin beauty rose Rs. 1.60 (6 cm) (Rs. 1.70 on
tag for exporter)
Sholapith skin lily Rs. 2 (Rs. 2.70 on tag for exporter)
Sholapith skin lotus flower Rs. 2.50
Sholapith zinia flower
Sholapith crape ball Rs. 1.60 (6 cm)
Sholapith skin crape ball Rs. 7.50 (10 cm)
Sholapith log ball
Sholapith skin crape ball - white
Sholapith skin rope ball Rs. 2 (6 cm)
Some of the products developed by Debu are:
Name (Rate) (Size) (Rate for the company)
Sholapith beauty rose flower
Sholapith button flower
Sholapith chinese java flower Rs. 1.80 (6 cm) (Rs. 2 on
tag for exporter)
Sholapith chips flower Rs. 2 (6 cm)
Sholapith Gandhraj flower
Sholapith Genda flower
Sholapith lily (pink) flower
Sholapith magnolia flower Rs. 2 (6 cm) (Rs. 2.50 on
tag for exporter)
Sholapith rajnigandha flower
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Sholapith sticks bundle, totally depends on the quality
of the sticks. The softer and higher the width, the
expensive the Shola stick. At the same time low quality
for Sholapith stick bundles containing 15 to 20 sticks
can be bought at a rate, as low as Rs. 6 to Rs. 10.
Adhesive costs between Rs. 80 per kg to Rs. 100 per
kg. Stiko brand of adhesive, which is readily available
and widely used by the Sholapith units costs Rs. 500
for 5 kgs.
Photo: A variety of Shola balls (rope ball, skin ball, reverse skin
Photo: A packed Sholapith skin tip ball with information about
ball, log ball, maize leaf colour ball) made at Debu Gayen’s unit
the product written on a tag is ready to be sent to an exporter
Sholapith skin tip ball Rs. 1.60 (6 cm) (Rs. 2 on tag for
exporter)
Sholapith tube ball Rs. 1.60 (6 cm) (Rs. 2.20 on tag for
exporter)
Sholapith chatka ball Rs. 1.60 (6 cm) (Rs. 2.20 on tag
for exporter)
Sholapith white tip ball Rs. 1.20 (4 cm) (Rs. 1.40 on tag
for exporter)
Sholapith benti ball Rs. 1.60 (6 cm) (Rs. 2.40 on tag
for exporter)
Sholapith skin guli ball Rs. 1.60 (6 cm) (Rs. 2.20 on
tag for exporter)
Sholapith rekha ball Rs. 1.60 (6 cm) (Rs. 2 on tag for
exporter)
Sholapith ring ball Rs. 2 (6 cm) (Rs. 2.40 on tag for
exporter)
Sholapith white crape ball Rs. 1.80 (6 cm) (Rs. 2 on tag
for exporter)
Sholapith guli ball
Sholapith rose (pink/yellow) flower (with maize leaves)
stick (bamboo) Rs. 10
Sholapith skin jhudi stick
Sholapith skin rajnigandha stick Rs. 2
Sholapith chips dahlia stick Rs. 8
Sholapith poppy stick Rs. 8
Babul rope (dori) ball Rs. 4.50
Corn skin ball Rs. 2 (4 cm)
Maize leaf stick Rs. 1.5
* 4 cm, 6 cm, 8 cm, 10 cm, 12 cm are the sizes of the
plastic ball.
Due to increase in prices of Sholapith raw material,
the adhesives and the increasing competition, it is
getting tough to secure the orders form the exporters.
High quality Sholapith sticks costs between Rs 20 to
Rs 60 per bundle containing 20 to 30 sticks. There is
no fixed number of sticks in a bundle. The price of the
STIKO (Polyurethene adhesive): 100 per kg. Available
in 5 kgs.
WG wood adhesive (Polysynthetic resin adhesive): 80
per kg. Available in 50 kg.
Every month Debu earns a profit of Rs. 5,000 (approx.)
from his Sholapith business. After expenses such as
household expenses and his daughter’s education,
Debu is left with no savings at the end of the month.
On one occasion in past, Debu got an opportunity was
for training craftsmen in Dinajpur, WB. He received Rs
30,000 for a period of 6 months as a trainer.
Debu is early riser and wakes up every day at 5 a.m.
After getting fresh and having his breakfast, at about
7 a.m. he starts the Sholapith work. By 12 noon he
takes a break for his bath and lunch and rests for one
to two hours. He resumes his work again at 3 p.m. and
continues till 5 p.m. (approx.). After the days work, he
goes out to the market, meet his friends and relaxes
himself. Debu has a bicycle which helps him daily in to
travel long distance locally on account of his work.
Debu lives in a joint family. Debu & family, mother and
99
Vill.: Pukuria,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 33 yrs
Photo: Debu Gayen riding his bicycle on his way to his SSU
one of his brothers share the house. Other two brothers
live separately. Debu’s house does not have electricity
& water supple and do not have toilet room. The house
has a joint kitchen for the families. Debu has planned
to never buy a television as he thinks, his family will
start spending too much of time with television and
they will get distracted from the Sholapith business.
Debu has never taken part in any craft fair or
exhibition, nor he has ever got any help from the
government, associations, NGO or any institute in his
Sholapith business. Earlier when he had tried for a
loan from a bank, his application was rejected and no
sufficient reason was explained to him.
3.2.8
Unit 8: Jayanta Gayen, Pukuria
Jayanta Gayen,
Proprietor, Radha Krishna Sola Products (confirm)
100
Jayanta lives with his wife, two daughters and one son.
Jayanta lives in a joint family with his four brothers
and they all have their own Sholapith business. Jayanta
has learnt the Sholapith craft skills and the business
from his elder brothers. Shubhankar and his family
belong to Taposili caste, which is a Scheduled caste in
India. The stock lasts for 3 months (approx.).
Jayanta has 1 bigha of farmland, which is jointly owned
by him and his other three brothers where they grow
dhaan and daal.
Jayanta’s exporters are based in Kolkata (name of the
exporter) Jayanta goes to Kolkata every week to meet
his exporters and procure orders. He takes his samples
of new designs and some regular designs to get the
approval from the exporters. Exporters on the other
hand send the samples to their buyers for approval. On
approval from the buyers for particular sample, Jayanta
gets his orders from the exporters.
Jayanta operates from his home, which is his main
unit. He develops new samples and do an small
amount of production order from his home, and
Photo: Jayanta Gayen with his family
he gets major portion of his work done from his
labourers. He has engaged almost 20 labourers in
Motilal village and another 25 labourers in Gondaberia
village. His labourers work at least for 4 to 5 hours
everyday from their home after completing their
households activities. Most of the labourers are
women. They do not receive any advance for their
work.
Labourers in Motilal are majorly involved in Sholapith
rope ball and other Sholapith products and those in
Gondaberia are involved in Palm leaf products.
Some of the products which are produced by Jayanta’s
unit are:
Sholapith zinia flower
Sholapith belly flower
Sholapith dahlia flower
Photo: Aaruti Halder making Shola dori (rope) ball
Photo: Products made by Jayantas’ unit
Sholapith marine rose flower
Sholapith Australian rose flower
Sholapith Thai rose flower
Palm artichoke of various sizes and colours
Palm sunflower, Khel kadam ball, etc.
Lot of new designs that are developed using palm leaf
are basically the ones that are already being made in
Sholapith material. The new designs do not involve any
kind of sketching or modelling in alternate material.
They are made directly with actual material in real
proportions. On a average Jayanta develops 2 to 3 new
samples.
Photo: Shola rope balls made by Aaruti Halder
Basumati Halder: Jayanta’s labourer
Sholapith charkhi flower
Sholapith gardenia flower
Sholapith sunflower
Sholapith rope ball
Basumati has been working in the Sholapith business
since last 10 years. There are three members in her
family - her daughter Aaruti Halder, her husband
and herself. Basumati and Aaruti together, works as
Photo: Basumati Halder and her family
labourers for the bigger units like that of Jayanta. Every
month she along with her daughter are able to earn
Rs. 300 to Rs. 500 for the Sholapith work. They have
a two-room 35 years old mud house. The house also
has a kitchen and a toilet. They plan to build a shed for
their cattle.
Jayanta buys Sholapith raw material in bundles, which
contains 7-8 Shola sticks, at the rate of Rs. 18 to Rs. 20
per bundle. In the market the length of the available
101
Shola stick ranges between 55 cms to 100 cms. Most of
Sholapith raw material that are bought from the local
market or from Kolkata is imported from Bangladesh.
The raw materials, which come from Bangladesh, are
soft, good to work with and highly preferred by the
craftsmen. The tools used by Jayanta and his labourers
are scissors, knives (choras), flat wooden bed.
One of the recent order that Jayanta received from his
exporter in Kolkata was for 20,000 pieces of Sholapith
rope (dori) ball for Rs. 60,000 at the rate of Rs. 3 per
piece. There was no advance given for this order by the
exporter. The order was distributed among Jayanta’s
20 labourers who work from their home. Labourer
as per their convenience makes 100 to 200 pieces
of these balls. Every Sholapith rope ball involves two
labourer and a plastic ball supplier. The Sholapith
benti (Sholapith split stick) is made by one labourer.
And another labourer rolls the Sholapith split stick on
a wooden bed to make a dori (rope) from it. He also
sticks the Shola dori on the plastic ball using adhesive.
Labourers earn Rs. 40 for making 100 pieces as labour
charge at the rate of 40 paisa per piece. This means
Rs. 8000 is spent as the labour charge for making
20,000 pieces. Rs. 10,000 was spent on Sholapith raw
material, Rs, 10,000 for 20,000 plastic balls, Rs. 8,000
for the adhesive. Rs. 10,000 is spent on the packaging
material and max. 200 carton boxes (30 cms/45 cms
each) at the rate of Rs. 50 per box. Rs. 1000 was spent
on adhesive tape. Rs. 6,000 (approx.) was spent on the
transportation charges. The exporter gave the money
20 to 25 days after the work was completed. At the
end of the order Jayanta earned a total of Rs. 5,000 as
profit.
102
and collect the finished Sholapith products.
3.2.9
Unit 9: Kalidas Naskar, Bazarberia
Kalidas Nasker,
Proprietor, Kalidas Nasker
Vill.: Bazarberia,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Photo: Jayanta Gayen is carrying split shola sticks on his bicycle
to his labourers
Jayanta maintains all his account for every order that
he gets. Once he took a loan of Rs. 8,000 from AFC
Foundation an associate of BWWA, a micro-finance
company from Kolkata. At the end of 46 weeks he had
to pay back Rs. 9,200.
Jayanta makes a monthly profit of Rs. 1000 to Rs.
2000 from the Sholapith work. After making all his
household expenses, he is hardly left with any money
at the end of the month.
He has never got any chance to take part in the craft
fairs.
Jayanta lives in joint family with his brothers and
parents. His house is well equipped with electricity and
drinking water. For all the medical facilities they go to
South Bishnupur village. Jayanta has a bicycle which
he uses to go to his labourers to deliver raw materials
Age: 27 yrs
Kalidas Nasker lives with his wife, daughter, brother,
mother and father. Kalidas has been in Sholapith
business since last seven years and before that he and
his father was engaged with Sholapith business for
local market and Kolkata. Kalidas work for exporters in
Kolkata and Tuticorin. The family owns five bighas of
farmland and they belong to Taposili caste, which is a
Scheduled caste in India.
Kalidas produces all kinds of Sholapith products
except the God and goddess idols. He develops his own
Sholapith product samples and presents it to exporters
for approval. The exporters pass the samples to the
buyers for further approval. This takes minimum
of 15 to 20 days for the order to get approved. On
approval for production orders, Kalidas engages his
Photo: Kalidas is making Sholapith lotus flower at his unit
own labourers and few smaller suppliers to meet the
production target. He provides raw materials to his
labourers for the production of the Sholapith products.
When the orders are too big and he does not have
enough money to buy raw materials, he manages to
get the money as loan with an annual interest of 8% to
10% from a few local people. In case he has orders of
the size that he and his labourers are not able to meet
the target in time, he passes on the part of the order
to the small suppliers. He does not provide the raw
material to these suppliers. At the end of production,
he simply collects the finished products from his
labourers and the suppliers, does the packaging and
delivers it to the exporters in Kolkata and Tuticorin.
On the receipt of the payment from the exporters, he
distributes the money to the labourers and the local
suppliers. Payment from the exporters gets delayed,
by about a month or more. Kalidas say, the exporters
never give any advance money with the production
orders, which is big hindrance for him to fulfill the
Photo: Sholapith flower stick made at Kalidas’ unit
Photo: Sholapith belli charkhi flower made at Kalidas’ unit
Photo: Ajay at Kalidas’ unit
Photo: Vijay making Sholapith product at Kalidas’ unit
orders in time.
mainly women. They work for 4 to 5 hours everyday
after finishing daily after finishing their household
chores. The main unit is attached to Kalidas’s house
in right at the entrance. At the main unit at Kalidas’s
house there are about eight to ten labourers ex. Ajay,
103
Kalidas’s unit is in South Bishnupur village apart from
main unit at his house. There are thirty labourers who
work from home in South Bishnupur village who are
Sholapith lotus flower
Sholapith skin rose flower
Sholapith sunflower
Sholapith zinia flower 8 cms (4 cms Sholapith roll is
used), 10 cms (5 cms Sholapith roll is used)
Sometimes exporters order for raw materials for
Sholapith products along with the regular order of
finished Sholapith products.
Photo: Sanath Halder making at Kalidas’ unit
Photo: Sholapith kadam flower decorations
One of the recent Sholapith production order that he
got was for ten thousand pieces of Sholapith beauty
rose for Rs. 55,000. He managed to make a profit of
Rs. 5,000 after making all the expenses such as raw
material and labour charge.
Every month kalidas makes a profit of Rs. 15,000 to
Rs. 20,000 (approx.). In some months such as rainy
seasons the production goes down due to availability
of labourers and hence the unit’s income is adversely
affected.
Photo: Sanath at work place at his house
Photo: Sanath drawing Sholapith to make Kadam flower
Vikas and Sanath Halder. The labourers at the unit
work for 7 to 8 hours everyday and they earn Rs 150
(approx.). The two labourers Ajay & Vikas have been
working for Kalidas since last 5 years. Ajay, age 22
years is Class 8th pass and Vikas is Class 9th. Sanath
Halder who works at kalidas Naskar’ unit has his own
104
small unit which he run from his home. He is engaged
mainly with Sholapith products for the local market
and for Kolkata.
A few of the Sholapith products produced at Kalidas’s
unit are:
Kalidas has a brick and concrete house. The house
has a work place at the entrance, a store to keep raw
material and finished goods, a kitchen, two living
rooms, and an open courtyard. The house is not
equipped with electricity supply or drinking water.
They depend on a community hand water pump for
drinking water and their private pokhar for the every
other water household needs.
Kalidas has applied for Prime Ministers’ Rozgar
Yojana (PMRY) and had received Rs. 2,00,000 for his
business. After that he again tried to avail loan from
local banks but has been unsuccessful. He has never
taken part in craft fair or any exhibition.
3.2.10
Unit 10: Kalipada Mondal, Gokulnagar
Kalipada Mondal,
Proprietor, Baba Loknath Dry Flower
Vill.: Gokulnagar,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Photo: Kalipada Mondal with Ram Prasad Mondal
Photo: Shola flowers by Kalipada Mondal’ unit
Photo: Sholapith charkhi belli flower made by Kalipada Mondal
Photo: Kadam deco made by Jayanta Mondal
most of the families who work for his unit.
Sholapith aliflaila kadam flower
Sholapith belli flower 3 cms, 6 cms, 8 cms, 10 cms
Sholapith carnis flower
Sholapith carnis new flower
Sholapith fan flower
Age: 40 yrs
Qualification: Class 3rd pass
Kalipada lives with his wife, daughters and mother. He
is supported in his business by relatives and friends
such as Sujit Halder, Ram Prasad Halder and Jayanta
Mondal who live in close network in the same area
of Gokulnagar. He has no farmland. He belongs to
Pondro Khatriyo caste, which is a Scheduled caste in
India.
Kalipada does his Sholapith business with exporters
and few shops in Kolkata, Delhi and Kerala. Most of
the production is made as per the designs given by the
exporters.
Kalidas works from his two units. One of the units is
in Chaitanyapur village where he gets his raw materials
prepared for final production. Here he has engaged
Some of the products that are produced at his unit are
as following:
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Sholapith skin lotus flower
Sholapith skin zinia flower
Sholapith belli flower stick Sholapith belli flower &
corn leaf stick
Sholapith belli flower, bud and leaf stick
Sholapith kudi flower & wire spring stick
Sholapith lata ball, corn leaf and shola skin rajani bud
stick
Sholapith lily and fan stick
Sholapith lily flower (with coconut stick) ting ting stick
Sholapith poppy stick
Sholapith rajnigandha flower stick
Photo: Sujit Halder with Chinibus Mondal
Photo: Jayanta Mondal making Sholapith deco Kadam hangings
The Sholapith flower can made in sizes from 1 cm to
20 cms and can be dyed in any colour.
Every month, Kalipada earns Rs. 12,000 to Rs. 20,000
(approx.) There is a huge variation in the monthly
income on account of the seasons such as rainy season
where the availability goes down. Kalipada lives in a
pakka house (brick house) which has two rooms, one
kitchen, one bedroom and one bathroom. Kalidas has
applied for Prime Ministers’ Rozgar Yojana (PMRY)
and had received Rs. 2,00,000 for his business. After
that he again tried to avail loan from local banks but
has been unsuccessful. He has never taken part in craft
fair or any exhibition.
Photo: The house of Kalipada Mondal
Photo: Sampa Maiti, Kalpladass’ labourer making Shola sticks
Sholapith jaba stick
Sholapith kadam flower
Sholapith lokhi (lakshmi puja)
Sholapith lily flower
Sholapith lily stick
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Sholapith patol flower
Sholapith poppy flower
Sholapith Shankh flower
Sholapith shankha stick
Sholapith skin chips lily stick
3.2.11
Unit 11: Pradip Sarader, Gokulnagar
Pradip Sarader,
Proprietor, Maa Durga Handicrafts
Vill.: Gokulnagar,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
A bundle of 5 to 10 Shola sticks is available in the
haat, at Rs. 10 to Rs. 20 depending on its quality. A
softer and thick Shola sticks are expensive. Other raw
materials such as steel wires, bamboo stick, paper can
also be bought from the haat.
Age: 26 yrs
The main tools used at the unit are knife, pair of
scissor, measuring tape, etc. Some knife have attached
wooden handle or some are thin and pointed handle.
The pointed handles of the knives are used to remove
the hard nodes from the Shola sticks. Using the
pointed handles helps save the sharpness of the blade
of the knife. The knives costs Rs. 150 (approx.) and the
scissors Rs. 50 (approx.).
Pradip lives with his father, mother, sister and two
brothers. One of his brother works in Sholapith
business in Kerala and another brother works in
Kolkata. Pradip is educated till class 8th. He left his
studies because he could not afford the money to
continue his studies. He is only versed with Bengali
language. Before starting his own Sholapith business,
he worked with a Sholapith product’s exporter in
Kolkata and back home he was engaged in cultivation.
He has 2 bighas of land. Pradip belong to Pondro
caste, which is a Scheduled caste in India. People from
Pondro caste in the region are engaged in Sholapith
craft as well as in cultivation.
Pradip develops new samples by himself and travels
to Kolkata to present it to the potential exporters. A
few new designs are developed by his friend Bhaskar
Halder and they both share the new samples. Bhaskar
develops new samples by himself and at times he gets
ideas from catalogues and nature. All new designs are
developed directly using the Sholapith material. If
the exporters like the samples, they give order for the
production. On confirmation, Pradip gets a purchase
order, which has information such as the name of
the product, quantity and delivery time. At, times he
Photo: Pradip Sarder (third from left, back row) with friends
receives orders from the local suppliers who in-turn
get their orders from the exporters. The Sholapith
stick items take more time than the flowers or the ball
items. All the products are handmade and no machine
is used.
The Shola sticks and Shola rolls are available during
the entire year and can be bought from Pukuria haat.
Some farmers grow Shola plants every year in and
around Ishwaripur near Diamond harbour about 10
kms from Gokulnagar. These farmers have their own
farms or they work in farms owned by others. The
farmers pay rent to the owners of these farms. They
sow the seeds in the month of June and by September
or October the plants grow fully in size,when they are
cut , dried and sold in the local market such as Pukuria
haat on Saturdays. Shola sticks in large quantities are
bought from market close dumdum airport, in Kolkata.
Most of the Sholapith, which sells in Kolkata, comes in
large quantity from Bangladesh.
Most of the labourers who work for Pradip are from
Laxmikantpur village.
Some of the products made at Pradip’s unit are:
Sholapith kachurmukhi stick
Sholapith Belli flower stick
Sholapith skin Jhudi flower stick
Sholapith Lily bud stick
Sholapith dhaneshish stick
Sholapith skin lily flower stick
Sholapith lanka kali stick
Sholapith flat pine stick
Shola jhudi stick
Sholapith poppy stick
Sholapith fan stick
One of the recent order which Pradip got was for
10,000 pieces of Sholapith Lily bud flower stick for a
total amount of Rs. 1,00,000 at the rate of Rs. 10 per
107
piece. No advance money was given by the exporter
with the order. To complete the order in time, the
best model is to share the work, which works like a
cooperative model in the case. Pradip distributed the
order to his local managers who then transferred the
production to their labourers. In this case, Pradip
distributed it to 5 (approx.) managers and each one
of these managers distributed it to their 10 (approx.)
labourers. Pradip gave advance of Rs. 500 to every
local manager to buy and supply raw materials to their
labourers and collect the finished items and deliver
it to Pradip. On an average, each local manager had
the responsibility to get 2000 pieces made form their
labourers. Every piece of the order went through at
least 5 different labourers, contributing their share of
work to complete it. The different works included raw
material preparation, lily bud production from the
raw material, fitting of three lily bud to a steel wire,
covering the naked steel wire with crape paper and
final assembly. The steel wires were cut by another
labourer. All the labourers work from their home.
The main expenses incurred on buying raw material,
labour charge, local transportation to the exporters. At
the end of the completion of the order Pradip made
a descent profit in-between Rs 8000 to Rs. 10,000
local manager made in-between Rs. 1800 to Rs. 2000
(approx.) and the labourers made in-between Rs. 800
to Rs. 1000 as per the number of items produced.
The responsibility with the local managers is the
highest as they have to deal with a large number of
labourer. The supply of raw material and collection
of finished goods everyday, keeping the quality of the
product and the time constraint is the focus of this
108
mechanism at the local level.
There is no fixed profit for Pradip from his Sholapith
business. He earns between Rs. 5000 to Rs. 15,000
every month. Some months he goes into loss due to
rejection or delay in order delivery. Incase the order
or a part of it is rejected, the exporters return the
products, Pradip and his team of labourers reuses it
for some other order. The parts, which can be used are
separated out and other parts which may be glued or
creased are considered waste and disposed. Delay in
deliver of the products is another big risky affair, which
the units face. In the midst of tight deadlines by the
exporters, there is very positive chance that the orders
get late and units are bound to loose part of their profit.
In such cases, either the entire order is rejected or a
part of the amount if detected from the final payment.
Everyday Pradip works for 4 to 5 hours. If there is too
much workload, he works for 8 to 10 hours. Everyday
he gets up at 7 a.m. (approx.). He works for 3 to 4
hours in the morning and 4-5 hours after noon. A good
rest for 1 to 2 hours after lunch at around 1 p.m. is his
routine, everyday. Everyday or whenever required, he
meets his labourers, supplies the raw material and
collects the finished products and keeps an account of
the progress.
Pradip’s has a brick house with four rooms and it is
equipped with electricity and a water hand pump near
by. The house also has a very spacious kitchen and a
verandah where he works on his Sholapith orders. He
owns a television and everyday spends 2 to 3 hours
watching programmes and he mostly watches Bengali
movies.
Pradip has not taken part in any craft fair or exhibition
and got any training for the Sholapith craft or its
business, till date. In the regard, there has been help
from central & the state government or the local
panchayats.
3.2.12
Unit 12: Prashant Kumar Halder,
Matilal
Prashanta Kumar Halder,
Proprietor, Prashant Kumar halder
Vill.: Matilal,
P.O.: Degberia,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 35 yrs
Qualification: Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) pass
Prashanta lives with his wife and a son. Prashanta
and his family belong to Pondro caste, which is a
Scheduled caste in India. Prashanta started Sholapith
business along with his elder brother, Sushanta.
Prashanta has 2 bighas of farmland jointly owned by
his elder brother Sushanta, and the farm is mainly
used for rice cultivation. The rice from the farm lasts
only for 7-8 months.
Prashanta has a very limited business network. He has
not done any business with any exporter, instead he
focusses on the local suppliers (Keshav Kumar) who
Photo: Sholapith chips dahlia made by Prashant Halder
Photo: Sholapith gardenia ball in making by Prashant Halder
Photo: Sholapith Gardenia ball made by Prashant Halder
supply the Sholapith products to exporters. One of the
local supplier from whom Prashanta gets order, is form
Bazarberia village within Mandirbazar block. Prashanta
gets some production order from his elder brother.
process, which is more organic and more evolutionary
in nature.
depends on the tube well and for other needs like
washing clothes, washing utensils and bathing they
use the pokhar water.
Prashanta admits that working with local regional
suppliers is not a profit business. Instead, working
with exporters is a great deal and profitable.
Prashanta gives out his order to labourers in near by
villages. He has 40 labourers across the Bishnupur
village, Srirampur village, Matilal village and
Siddeshwarpur village near Mathurapur station.
Prashanta explains that a new design take about 1 year
to get developed. By one year he means that during
one year the unit members continuously improve the
products and make it better and better. As a result of
this new ideas are discovered and thus new design
samples are made. It can be called as a natural design
One of the order of Sholapith products that Prashanta
got from a local supplier was of Sholapith Chips dahlia
flower. He got an order of 5,000 pieces for Rs. 15,000
at the rate of Rs. 3 per piece. Prashanta completed
the order in 20 days. At he completion of the order,
Orashanta made a profit of Rs. 1200 (approx.)
One of the original sample of Sholapith Chips lotus
flower is developed by Prashanta.
Prashanta has a concrete house built in 2008 and
now it has electricity. The house has three rooms on
the ground floor. One room is for the Sholapith raw
material and products. He has a separate kitchen. The
other two rooms belong to the two brothers Prashanta
and Sushanta. The house has an attached toilet and an
open aangan (courtyard). For drinking water, the family
Prashanta’s monthly income is Rs. 5,000 to Rs. 8,000
(approx.). Prashanta plans to apply for a loan from
PMRY. He says if he get some financial assistance or
loan, his business will grow. He can buy more raw
materials with that extra money. He will be able to take
bigger orders and make better profits. Prashanta has
never taken part in any craft fair or exhibition.
3.2.13
Unit 13: Sanath Halder, Maheshpur
Sanath Halder,
Proprietor, Ma Kali Hand Works Institution
Vill.: Maheshpur,
109
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 27 yrs
Sanath lives with his sister, two brothers & his family,
mother and father. Sanath and his brother work
together in the Sholapith business. Sanath says he has
been working with Sholapith craft since his childhood
and he is also working as a trainer at a Sholapith craft
training centre. The family belongs to Taposili caste,
which is a Scheduled caste in India. The family owns
2 bighas of farmland, which is used for rice cultivation
and growing vegetables for family consumption. All
the three brothers works together in the Sholapith
business.
Sanath is a master craftsman and produces almost
all items of Sholapith products such as flowers, balls,
sticks, wreaths, bouquets, models (ships, temples, etc.),
jewellery for Gods and Goddesses, landscape sceneries
and religious decoration items for export and Indian
market. Sanath’s Sholapith ship model sells for Rs.
5,000 (approx.). If there is a request for new products
from companies in different cities, he travels to those
businesses, stays there and develops the products for
them. All the new designs are developed entirely by
him and sometimes he takes references from photos,
nature and catalogues. Sanath mostly sets even the
Sholapith products prices. He does not keep any
financial account of his orders because he says, it is of
110
Photo: Sanath Halder with his family
Photo: Sholapith ship model made by Sanath Halder
no use once the order is completed, as he explains.
His labourers did the complete production. The total
expense to produce 50,000 pieces was Rs. 40,000 and
he managed to save Rs. 10,000.
Sanath has almost 100 labourers to support his
business. The labourers are in Maheshpur and a few
close by villages. All the Sholapith products made
at the unit is handmade and Sanath’s unit uses no
machine. The Sholapith raw materials are bought
from the local market in Pukuria village. He buys
the Sholapith sticks once a year. At one time, he buys
Sholapith raw materials for Rs. 20,000 (approx.)
Some of the products that Sanath has developed are
Sholapith Kali ball
Sholapith Gulab stick
Sholapith Lily stick
and many more.
One of the recent orders, which Sanath procured, was
to make 50,000 pieces of Sholapith Kali ball for an
amount of Rs. 50,000 at the rate of Rs. 1 per piece.
DRD (Jila parishad), Kolkata has set up a Sholapith
design and production training centre in a primary
school in Maheshpur village. The ground floor is
used as classes for the students and the 1st floor is
the main Sholapith training centre, which is a big
hall. The building does not have any electricity supply.
Currently, Sanath is the head trainer at the school since
last 6 years and before him his elder brother has been
training since last 15 years. The training starts after the
school hours and the centre runs for 5 days per week.
The training period is 6 months. Sanath earns Rs.
6,000 every month for the training services. Everyday
the training is imparted in two sessions. First session
starts at 10 a.m. and runs till 1 p.m. After a break for
30 minutes the second shift of training runs from 1:30
till 5 p.m. Sanath develops Sholapith products and
shows the trainees, how it is made and teaches the
techniques to achieve it. Individual attention is given
to all the trainees and everyday there is something new
to learn at the centre. There are about 50 trainees in
each session and all of them are women. It is a good
way of training as it develops the communal bonding
among the locals and everybody gets a chance to learn
from each other. At times Sanath engages a few of the
trainees for his own production work.
Proprietor, Maa Tara Enterprise
Vill.: Bazarberia,
W.B., India
Age: 32 yrs
Qualification: Homeopathy (DMS) Doctor
All the expense for the raw material and other
necessary arrangement for the training is provided by
DRD and is locally arranged by Sanath.
Photo: An open kitchen in Sanath’s house
The main hurdle in the Sholapith business, which
Sanath describes, is his poor financial backup to
make his business grow. He says, he can manage a
greater Sholapith business and give the better salary
to his labourers, if he has more money to buy more
raw materials, which will help him pitch for more
production orders. The weak financial background is
a very common issue among all the Sholapith units
across Mandirbazar block.
Sanath has taken part in some craft exhibitions. Sanath
participated and displayed his products in an exhibition
in Shantiniketan, which takes place every year.
Sanath lives in joint family. The house is pakka
and is made of brick and concrete with three living
rooms, one toilet and well equipped with electricity
and television. There are two kitchens, one open and
the other one is closed. The open kitchen is used in
summer season.
3.2.14
Unit 14: Satibrata Halder, Bazarberia
Photo: Sanath Halder training the craftswomen of Maheshpur
Satibrata Halder,
Satibrata halder lives with his wife, two daughters,
father and mother. Satibrata has three brothers and
they all live close by. He has his own farmland and is
used for rice, vegetables and moong daal cultivation.
They belong to Taposili caste, which is a Scheduled
caste in India.
Satibrata is a professional Homeopathy doctor but
he has fully switched over to his Sholapith business.
Due to his busy schedule in his business he does not
get time to run his clinic. He has settled his Sholapith
Business and can produce any Sholapith and natural
leaf & seeds item as per the order. He supplies the
Sholapith products to exporters in Kolkata, Delhi
Tuticorin and Mumbai. All different kind of flowers,
balls and sticks are produced at his unit. Satibrata
has engaged above 100 labourers. His labourers work
directly with for his orders as well as he has engaged
local suppliers of finished Sholapith products from
near by villages. Most of the labourers are permanent
and a few labourers are engaged as and when the
workload increases in case of very big orders. He has
his labourers in Midnapur, Baraipur, Aamtala and also
gets some of the production from Orissa.
111
Sholapith genda flower
Sholapith rose ball
Palm belli
Bead work
Every month he earns a profit of Rs. 45,000 from
his Sholapith business. He has not taken any design
from any bank.
Photo: Products made by Satibrata Halder’s unit
Photo: Palm leaf belli flower in making at Satibrata’s unit
Satibrata lives with his family and parents in a well
build brick house with four living rooms, one temple
room, kitchen, toilet and a bathroom. The family owns
a pokhar, which is right next to their house. They get
drinking water from a hand water pump close to their
house.
3.2.15
Unit 15: Satyaranjan Halder, Bazarberia
Photo: Sholapith kadam flower by Satibrata’s unit
Some of the products produced by his unit are:
112
Photo: Palm leaf belli flower by Satibrata’s unit
Sholapith bouquet
Mini arjun
Sholapith sunflower
Sholapith lily flower
Satyaranjan Halder,
Proprietor, Satyaranjan Halder
Vill.: Bazarberia,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 45 yrs
Satyaranjan Halder lives with his wife, one daughter,
one son, father and mother. His both son and daughter
are studying in senior secondary government school.
Satibrata runs his Sholapith unit along with his
younger brother Bhishradeb Halder. Before starting
his Sholapith business he worked with a vacuum
manufacturing company in Kolkata. While working in
Kolkata, Satyaranjan contacted a company in Kolkata,
which used to make Gods and Goddesses and the
Sholapith decorations to get some production order.
Thus he started making decorations for Gods and
Goddesses in Sholapith material. Later, he came in
contact with a few exporters in Kolkata when he really
got into the Sholapith products business for the exportoriented market. The family has their six bighas of
farmland and is used for rice, vegetables and moong
daal cultivation. They belong to Taposili caste, which is
a Scheduled caste in India.
Satyaranjan has engaged 126 labourers from
Raghunathpur, Behrampur, Jagdishpur and
Krishnadebpur. Raghunathpur is the main unit.
Satyaranjan in Raghunathpur owns the room and it
is the nodal centre of his business. There are about
48 labourers who are engaged with that unit. All the
labourers engaged at the units are women. Labourers
earn Rs 30 to Rs. 40 per day. Satyaranjan maintains a
regular account of work done and payments of all his
labourers. He also maintains account of each and every
order from the exporters such as the date or delivery,
challan number, item name, quantity of item delivered,
quatity accepted, rate of each product and the total
payments received for production of each item.
Some of the Sholapith products made are:
Sholapith titul leaf stick
Sholapith zinia & leaf stick
Sholapith kadam, bud and shola leaf stick
Sholapith zinia, bud & leaf stick
Sholapith sunflower stick (three sunflowers)
Ball stick bunch
Arjun seed stick (seed sourced our from Orissa)
Photo: Products made by Satyaranjan Halder unit
Sholapith log ball
Sholapith rope ball
Sholapith guli ball
Sholapith chips ball
Moss ball (Moss provided by exporter and they source
it from Assam)
Khrish Ball
Babri Dori ball 10 cm
Sholapith Rose & leaf stick
Sholapith chicken flower stick Rs. 700 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith chilli petal stick Rs. 2000 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith fan stick (8 fans) Rs. 2400 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith cabbage flower stick Rs. 700 / 1000 pieces
Sholapith sunflower stick (one flower)
Sholapith chilli & kadam stick (five kadam stick)
Sholapith fan & zinia stick (five zinia flower)
Sholapith fan & arjun seed stick
Sholapith tulip & aakondo kudi stick
Sholapith rose & leaf stick
One of the order that he recently received was to
produce Sholapith fan sticks. For every 1000 pieces of
sticks he was being paid Rs. 2400 from the exporter.
After spending on raw material, transportation charges
and the labour charge (65 paisa per piece), Satyaranjan
was able to save Rs. 200 on every 1000 pieces.
The profit from the Sholapith business is Rs. 5000 per
month.
All the products produced by Satyaranjan’s unit are
handmade. Satyaranjan says that handmade items
requires a very high skill and a very good speed to
meet the orders, or other wise they sometimes run in
losses. There is a huge chance of rejection in the final
delivery. The Sholapith products are so delicate that
the box carton packaging at times is not able to keep
the products safe on delivery. And, when it reaches he
exporters there is a high chance of product damage,
which leads to payments cuts which ultimately affects
the profit margins.
The house is a two-room mud house. Satyaranjan
shares kitchen with his younger brother Bishradeb.
The house is not equipped with electricity and in this
case dhibris (kerosene lamps) is used to produce light
113
while cooking, Sholapith work, studying or any other
purpose. For drinking water they depend on a common
hand pump in the community and for any other water
needs, the family use a privately owned pokhar.
Satyaranjan has never taken any loan or any kind
of financial assistance from any bank or any micro
finance company. He has not taken any design
from any bank.
3.2.16
Unit 16: Subhankar Halder,
Maheshpur
Subhankar Halder,
Proprietor: Subhankar Halder
Vill.: Maheshpur,
P.O.: Gopalnagar,
W.B., India
Age: 40 yrs
Qualification: Bachelors of Arts (B.A.) pass
Shubhankar lives with his wife Meena and a son
Sayan. Sayan is 8 years old and studies in Class 3rd in
a nearby school. Shubhankar and his family belong to
Pondro caste, which is a Scheduled caste in India.
114
Shubhankar owns 2 bighas of farmland where he
grows daal, dhaan, etc. He involves labour to do the
farming.
The unit was started by Shubhankar’s father. At home
there is room which is used as a work place where 5
labourers can sit and work. Not all work happens at
this workplace. A major portion of work is outsourced
from about 10 labourers living in Maheshpur and
Gopalnagar village. Another 25 labourers from a
distant village supports Shubhankar business.
Shubhankar says that his unit makes all kind of
Sholapith products and decorations.
Some of the products made by Subhankar’s unit are:
Sholapith Pana flower
Sholapith Mangolia flower
Sholapith Lily flower
Sholapith Kundari flower
Sholapith Belly flower
Sholapith Jui flower
Sholapith Lotus flower
Sholapith Rose flower,
Sholapith Cabbage ball
Sholapith Tip ball
Sholapith Lata ball
and a variety of Sholapith stick items.
The rates of all the Sholapith products are generally
fixed by Shubhankar.
All new design at the unit is entirely Shubhankar’s
idea. The samples of the new designs are shown to the
exporters for approval. After the approval Shubhaknar
Photo: Subhankar Halder with his family
gets his order and many a times he gets an advance to
the tune of 50% with the order.
Shubhankar out-sources a part of his order work to
his labourers outside his workplace at his house.
For example he out-sources the production of Chili
(with aluminium wire inserts), kind of flower used in
Sholapith Chili stick. For every 1000 pieces of such
flower, the labourer earns Rs. 25 and if the labourer
makes 3000 Chili pieces in 2 days, then she earns Rs.
75 for the work.
One of the order which the unit received from an
exporter in Kolkata was to make 20,000 pieces of
Sholapith Pana flower for Rs. 80,000, at the rate of Rs.
4 per piece. A team of 4 labour was able to make 2,000
pieces (approx.) everyday. The cost of raw material
and the labour charges was Rs 3 per piece. From the
entire order Shubhankar was able to make a profit of
Rs. 20,000. Recently, Shubhankar also received an
takes his meal in-between. The work resumes at 10:30
a.m. and goes on till 12 at noon. Then everybody at the
unit takes a break for bath and food and rest till 2:30
p.m. Then the work again resumes at goes on till 6
p.m. or 6:30 p.m. in the evening.
Photo: Sholapith pana flower in making by Subhankar Halder
order to make 20,000 pieces of Sholapith Lily flower.
The order was worth Rs. 60,000 at the rate of Rs. 3
per flower. The making cost including the raw material
cost, labour charge for one Lily flower was Rs. 2. At
the end, Shubhankar was able to make a profit of Rs,
20,000 (approx.).
The raw materials for the unit are bought locally. The
raw materials are bought in form of Shola sticks,
Sholapith sheets or Sholapith rolls. Each roll costs Rs.
10. 25 such rolls are tied in a bundle and are available
at the local market. Few materials such as adhesive
(Grippo, a Pidilite company product) is brought form
Kolkata.
The work at the unit runs for almost 9 to 10 hours
everyday. The work starts at 7 a.m. everyday. Everyday
at the unit takes their first break at 10 a.m. and spend
time to refresh himself by watching television and
Shubhankar’s assigns the work to his 5 labourers
everyday at the unit at his home. For example one
labourer cuts the Sholapith sheet to appropriate
sizes. Another labourer gives shape to the flower
petals and the rest contributes in the flower assembly
and final production. Shubhankar himself takes a
closer look at the quality and does the works that
involves the detailing and intricate designs. Labours
at Shubhankar’s unit earn between Rs. 100 to Rs. 150
every day. In case of big orders and which has to be
completed in short time, labourers work extra time to
cover these orders where they can earn anywhere upto
Rs. 250.
Photo: The labourer coming to Subhankar’s unit to give the
finished Sholapith products
Shubhankar’ monthly profit from his business is Rs.
15,000 (approx.). Shubhankar has never applied for
any loan. Money saved after doing all the household
expenses, it is put back into the business. Till date,
Shubhankar has not got any financial assistance
form any bank, government or private company or
association.
Shubhankar and his wife manage the unit.
Shubhankar’s wife learnt the Sholapith work after she
got married and come to Shubhankar’s house. On an
average Shubhankar himself works for 7 to 8 hours
in his unit, everyday. Shubhankar is a early riser and
wakes up at 5:30 everyday. To keep him fit, he does
yoga vyayam (breathing exercise) and other exercises
Photo: Packages of finished Sholapith products stacked by
labourers at Subhankar’s unit
115
3.2.17
Unit 17: Sudaib Purkait, Gokulnagar
Sudeb Purkait,
Proprietor, Sudeb Purkait Dry Flower
Vill.: Gokulnagar,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Photo: Subhankar’s two-storied house in Maheshpur
Age: 28 yrs
Photo: Sudeb Purkait with his family
every morning.
Shubhankar house is concrete built and has two
rooms, a workplace, a kitchen with a chimney, toilet
room and the house is well equipped with television
and electricity. He lives in a joint family setup.
Shubhankar’s brother lives with his family lives in
the same house. Shubhankar’s household monthly
expense including food, electricity, medical facility,
phone charges, etc. is Rs. 5,000 (approx.)
Shubhankar supports CPM party. This stand is very
different form almost all his Sholapith cluster mates.
He believes that CPM is doing a good job and people
are happy under it governance, at least they have been
successful in running the government since last 30
years. He is all happy in his village and prefers his
village life in comparison to the city life.
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Sudeb lives with his daughter, grandson, wife and his
father. He makes a variety of Sholapith products but
mainly focusses on Sholapith stick items.
He supplies to exporters Delhi and Kolkata. In Delhi he
has a relative who buys his product who supplies the
products to local dry flower markets. In Kolkata also he
supplies to local dry flowers markets. At times he gets
order from local Sholapith units. A few times some
exporters visited him at his house and had given him
orders for Sholapith products.
Photo: Sudeb showing the Sholapith products made at his unit
Some of the products made at his unit are:
Sholapith rajnigandha naal stick
Sholapith rajnigandha flower and naal stick (35 cms)
Sholapith skin lily flower stick (18 cms)
Sholapith pine (white) stick
Sholapith skin kadam (half) stick
Sholapith rajnigandha stick
Sholapith poppy with paper leaves stick
Sholapith skin daisy flower stick
Sholapith poppy (blossom) stick
mother and father. Sushanta’s father Duryodhan Gayen
was instrumental in teaching Sushanta the Sholapith
craft and its business. Sushanta does the Sholapith
business along with his younger brother, Prashanta.
Sushanta has 1 bigha of farmland, and the farm is
mainly used for rice cultivation. The rice from the
farm lasts only for 7 to 8 months. Sushanta belong to
Pondro Khatriyo caste, which is a Scheduled caste in
India.
Sushanta is well versed with the Sholapith business
with the exporters.
Photo: Sudeb Purkait’s workplace unit at his house
Photo: Sudeb Purkait working on Sholapith craft at his unit
Sholapith berry stick
Sholapith skin belly flower stick
Sholapith chips dahlia flower stick
Sholapith flower 1 stick
Sholapith roomal pine flower stick
he manages to get new orders. As a result he misses on
the opportunity to fulfill the order. He applied for loan
but he was not successful.
One of the recent order which Sudeb got was of
Sholapith berry stick for Rs. 1,00,000. He made a
profit of Rs. 10,000 from the order after spending
Rs. 90,000 on raw material, on labour charge and
transportation charges. Another order which recently
he completed was to produce 1000 pieces of Sholapith
rajnigandha stick for Rs. 8,000.
Sudeb and his family lives in a kaccha house (mud and
bamboo house) which has two living rooms, a kitchen
and a store room.
The main hurdle in his Sholapith business, which he
faces is that he is unable to buy raw material whenever
3.2.18
Unit 18: Sushanta Gayan, Pukuria
Sushanta Gayen,
Proprietor, Radha Krishna Sola Products
Vill.: Pukuria,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 35 yrs
Sushanta lives with his wife, a son, a daughter and
Some of the Sholapith products made at Sushanta’s
unit are:
Sholapith sunflower
Sholapith bakulia
Sholapith bell
Sholapith Zinia
Sholapith paper ball
Sholapith rose ball
Sholapith aakandh kudiya
Sholapith rose bunch stick
Sholapith beldum
Sholapith jhadu stick
Sholapith peacock stick
The new samples are made by Sushanta and he takes
it to the exporters in Kolkata. On receiving orders
he distributes it to the labourers for the production.
Sushanta’s wife supports hips in his business. She can
speak both Bengali and Hindi.
Sushanta has engaged 60 labourers for his business.
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Photo: Sushanta Gayen with all the members in the joint family
Photo: Sushanta Gayen with a few of his Sholapith products
He buys raw material when as per the order, whenever
needed. He has his main unit very near to his house
and it is on the main road. Some 5-6 labourers work
at his unit for 8 hours daily. Rest of labourers who
are from other villages like Mandirbazar, Maheshpur,
Baansberia, and most of these labourers are women.
When the order come Sushanta and his team at unit in
Pukuria prepares the raw materials, which are semifinished materials and it is distributed to the labourers
at all different locations. The process of peeling,
slicing, cutting, shaping, sticking, assembly and all
different phases of a product generally involves many
labourers, each doing different processes. The products
move form one labour to another for its next phases
of making. All these labourers work from their home.
At home labourers do not have a fixed timing for the
production work. They work whenever they get time inbetween their daily household work. Some of the tools
used are knives, pair of scissors and measuring scale.
One of the exporter from Kolkata visited Sushanta’s
unit discussed with him about the business. Recently
the exporter gave an order of 20,000 pieces of
Sholapith sunflower for a total of Rs. 1,00,000 at the
rate of Rs. 5 per piece. The project’s time-line was
one month. There was no advance money given for
the order. To complete such a big order Sushanta had
to distribute this order to his labourers. Every flower
was made using labourers doing their part. Labourers
were involved to peel the stick to make sheets, cut the
sheets into petals, make and dye the inner core of the
flower, assembling the core and the petals to make the
final product. For the final assembly Rs. 300 was paid
for every 1000 pieces at the rate of Rs. 30 paisa per
piece, as labour charge, which means Rs. 6,000 for
20,000 pieces. The transportation charges were paid
by Sushanta. At the completion of the order Sushanta
made Rs. 5,000 as his profit.
There are times when Sushanta’s unit gets orders and
there are days when they don’t get any order. Single
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Photo: Sholapith belli and zinia flowers
Photo: Sholapith beldum flower made by Sushanta Gayen
orders can run up to one month to 3 months. The
competition in the region is high and the exporters are
very particular about the prices. It is not easy to make
a good profit every month. On an average every month
Sushanta earns profit of about Rs. 4000 to Rs. 5000
father and mother have a separate kitchen. Sushanta’s
kitchen is big enough to stock the Sholapith products.
The house also has an aangan (open courtyard),
separate toilet and a temple room. Sushanta and his
brother together own a pokhar.
For any medical facility, Sushanta and his family go
Mathurapur or Diamond harbour, since there is not
hospital or medical facility in his village.
3.2.19
Unit 19: Sushanta Halder
Photo: Stock of Shola sticks fitted under the roof
from his Sholapith business. And, after all the monthly
expenses he manages to save a very small amount,
which is about Rs. 800 to 1,200 (approx.). Sushanta is
really living on edge of his entire business.
During his entire business, Sushanta has never got any
help form any government or association, non-profit
organization (NGO) or any institute. He has managed
his business entirely by himself and the exporters who
give him order, regularly. Now, he is entirely depended
on the exporters and wishes, if can someday send his
products directly to the international buyers.
House comprises of five living rooms and the rooms,
one each for the four brother & their family and one
for the parents. The house is well equipped with
electricity, hand pump for drinking water, etc. Sushanta
and his other three brothers together have a big house,
considering the four families who live together. All the
four families have separate kitchens, even Sushanta’s
Sushanta Halder,
Proprietor, Halder Shola Supplier
Vill.: Matilal,
P.O.: Degberia,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
Age: 42 yrs
Qualification: Class 10th (Madhyamik) pass
Sushanta lives with his wife, a son and a daughter.
They belong to Pondro caste, which is a Scheduled
caste in India. Sushanta has two bighas of farmland
jointly owned by his younger brother Prashanta, and
the farm is mainly used for rice cultivation.
Sushanta’s main unit is in Matilal village. Other units
are in Mandirbazar village and Mallikpur village. There
are 200 to 300 labourers who work for Sushanta’s unit.
Most of them are women and work form their home.
Sholapith rope ball, Sholapith cabbage ball, Sholapith
chips ball, Sholapith gardenia ball, variety of Sholapith
flower sticks, Sholapith belly flower, etc are few among
a long list of Sholapith products that are produced at
Sushanta’s unit.
Sushanta makes new design of the sample by himself.
He makes between 5 to 10 pieces of every design and
takes it to the exporter for approval. He travels all
he way to Kolkata in train to meet the exporters. On
approval the exporters gives order for production at
he same time or they take 10 to 20 days to give order.
He has learned to create new Sholapith products, and
it has happened since he has been working for almost
15 years. The everyday work with Sholapith has given
him many new ideas, which he converts into samples.
The new designs are totally based on Sholapith. The
property of the material guides the new samples. The
new designs can be considered to be a result of in-built
creative synergy between Sholapith and the craftsman.
The better the craftsman’s material understanding,
better the design.
Every year Sushanta buys his Shola wood stock during
the month of October and November and keeps it at
the unit in Matilal. One truck full (TATA 407 model)
Sholapith wood costs him Rs 50,000 to Rs. 60,000.
These materials come from places like Bunga,
Silampur, Howrah, etc. Whenever he needs more, he
buys it from the Saturday market, locally.
The Sholapith raw materials or the semi finished
material for the Sholapith products are produced by 4
119
they regular breaks and a long lunch break. Labourers
bring their lunch with them or go home for lunch and
rest. Sushanta provides snacks to his unit labourers in
the evening, everyday.
Labourers at the main unit in Matilal earns Rs 100
everyday and the labourers who work from home earns
on the basis of the number of pieces they produce.
Sanath Halder, one of the labourer at Matilal unit earns
Rs. 2,800 to Rs. 3,000 per month. Pintu Halder is
rickshaw-wala who works for Sushanta and helps him
in transportation of materials between his units in the
local region.
Photo: Sushanta Halder with his children
to 5 labourers (local villagers) at the Matilal unit and
then it is supplied to other local labourers who work
from their home. These labourers finish the product
at their home and bring it back to the main unit. It’s
like a ‘work from home’ working system. The system is
very helpful for the craftswomen since its not possible
for them to come to the unit everyday. Instead they
work form home whenever they get time after they
finish their everyday household work. The unit is the
nodal centre for all the labourers to pick up raw or
semi-finished Sholapith material and bring back the
finished products.
Sushanta’s labourers at the Matilal unit work for 8
hours (approx.) everyday. The work starts at 7 a.m.
and continues till 11:30 a.m., then the labourers take a
lunch break. The work resumes at 2 p.m. (approx.) and
goes on till 5:30 p.m. (approx.). Again after a break for 1
hour, the work again resumes and can go till 8:30 p.m.
in the evening. Rest is important for the labourers and
120
Photo: Pintu Halder, rickshaw wala works for Sushanta’s unit
The main tools used at Sushanta’s unit are knives,
which he bought for Rs. 150 from the local market.
These knives are made by local blacksmiths (lohar or
kamars in Bengali). Other materials such as adhesives
are bought from the local suppliers who bring it form
Kolkata.
One of the recent production order which Sushanta
received was for 15,000 pieces of Sholapith Gardenia
ball for an amount of Rs. 75,000 from an exporter
in Kolkata. The order was to make the balls in blue,
green and purple colour. The raw material was dyed at
Sushanta’s main unit in Matilal. The size of the ball
was fixed to 6 cm diameter, which costs 55 paisa per
ball. Other costs included Rs. 2 for raw material, Rs.
1 for labour charge, 50 paisa for adhesive and 55 paisa
for packaging & transportation. The exporter did pay
for the final transportation. At the completion of the
order, Sushanta makes a profit of 40 paisa (approx.)
per Sholapith gardenia ball. On complete of the order
he made Rs. 6000 (approx.). The order was completed
in 1 month.
Sushanta regularly gets a repeat order, when the
production is of good quality and in on time.
On an average, Sushanta makes earns a profit of Rs.
8,000 to Rs, 10,000 per month. In some months, he
does not get any income when there is no order.
Sushanta has a concrete house, which he built in 2008
and before that he and his brother had a mud house.
The house is equipped with electricity and facilities
like television and computer system. His house has
three rooms on the ground floor. One room is for
the Sholapith raw material and products. The other
two rooms belong to the two brothers Sushanta and
Prashanta. He has a separate kitchen. The house has
an attached toilet and an open aangan (courtyard). For
drinking water, the family depends on the tube well
and for other needs like washing clothes, washing
Age: 28 yrs
Uttam Halder lives with his wife, two brothers, father
and mother. Uttam works along with his elder brother
Gautam Halder in the Sholapith business. Their wives
are highly skilled in Sholapith craft and help them in
their business with sampling and production. His elder
most brother works with a company in Kolkata.
Photo: Sholapith gardenia ball made at Sushanta’s unit
Photo: Sushanta is making a Sholapith zebra ball
utensils and bathing they use the pokhar water.
Sushanta has never taken part in any craft fair or
exhibition and he has never taken any loan or any kind
of financial assistance from government, any bank
or any association. He says if he get some financial
assistance or loan, his business will grow and he can
buy more raw materials with that extra money get
more production orders.
Sushanta accepts that language is a big issue, if he
wishes to contact any buyer directly outside India. He
also needs to learn the export market and the rules and
regulations of export.
3.2.20
Unit 20: Uttam Halder, Bazarberia
Uttam Halder,
Proprietor, Maa Kaali Mata Dry Flowers
Photo: A Sholapith zebra ball made by Sushanta
Vill.: Bazarberia,
P.S.: Mandirbazar,
W.B., India
He belongs to Pondro caste, which is a Scheduled
caste in India. Uttam and his brother together own
three bighas of farmland. The farm is used for rice
cultivation and they also have land where they grow
vegetables and fruits and the families uses the entire
produce. The families also have cattle.
Uttam has studies till class 9th after which he stopped
his studies. When inquired, why did he left his studies,
he replied, ‘Kya karenge padh ke’ (What will I do with
studies). He said, after studies he will have to work
in the Sholapith business, so there was no reason to
continue studies.
The exporter that Uttam and brother work with is
in Kolkata. They have enough order from this one
company and as a reason they do not approach any
new exporter. Uttam develops the new samples by
his own and take sit to exporters in Kolkata to get it
approved for the production orders. Payments from
exporters are not regular and in time. After delivery of
finished products by Uttam, the exporters at times take
2-3 months to make the payments.
Uttam has all his labourers in Bazarberia village. To
get new orders is a tough job for Uttam, since the
121
Every month Uttam earns Rs. 2,000 (approx.) as profit
from his Sholapith business. The money is utilized
for his household consumption and for his family
expenses. He is not able to do any savings after his
monthly expenses.
Photo: Uttam Halder with his family
exporters are not regular in giving advance. Mostly
they do not give any advance and in that case it is very
difficult for Uttam to fulfill the order since he does not
have initial money to even buy raw materials.
Uttam works for 9-10 hours a day. He is a early riser
and every morning he wake sup at 6 a.m. He works
in the morning from 7 a.m. to 12 a.m., then eats his
lunch, takes rest and resumes his work at 2:30 till 6
p.m. In the evening he starts his work by 7 p.m. and
works till 10 p.m. after which he eats his dinner and
sleep by midnight.
Uttam lives with his brother and they live in a joint
family. The house has two living rooms for two
brothers, a temple room, store for rice, kitchen, a toilet
All the products made by Uttam and brother are all
handmade products. No machine used in making
samples or production. Except the plastic ball that is
outsourced from it made by blow moulding machine
locally by other units.
Sholapith Cone ball: 4 cms, 6 cms, 10 cms sizes / skin
/ white / dyed in many colours
Sholapith Rose flower: 4 cms, 6 cms, 10 cms sizes
Sholapith Beauty rose flower: 4 cms, 6 cms, 10 cms
sizes
Sholapith Sunflower: 4 cms, 6 cms, 10 cms sizes
Sholapith
Sholapith Kadam flower
122
Photo: Sholapith flower made by Uttam Halder
room and the house has an open courtyard. The living
room is also used to store the Shola sticks stock.
Uttam’s village has a government school but it does
not have a hospital. There is a local in Pukuria village
where they go for medical consultation and all the
serious medical facilities they have to go to places like
Nayarhaat, Mathurapur. For minor body pain, fever,
etc. they manage themselves with remedies at home.
Uttam and his brother have never got any training for
their business from any government, associations,
NGOs or any institute. He has never taken local or
never got any financial assistance form. They have
developed all the skills for the Sholapith craft by
working from for other local units in the region and
learning form them. He has never taken part on any
craft exhibition or fairs to showcase his products and
generate business for his unit.
Photo: Sholapith balls made at Uttam’s unit
3.3
Findings
Photo: Sholapith rose flower making by Uttam Halder (1)
The twenty Sholapith cluster units of Mandirbazar block is close knit community and is
the backbone to thousands of families engaged with Sholapith craft. Since a few decades the cluster has progressed from producing products for local market to reaching the
international customers through a few exporters form Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore,
etc. The need assessment survey took a dive
into the issues and emerging opportunities to
evolve the cluster to a solid product and business innovation by engaging its stakeholders
to work together for the same.
A few findings and the recommendations
from the survey of the units are mentioned
below:
FINDINGS
- The cluster units are mainly producing the
similar Sholapith products such as Sholapith
flowers, Sholapith flower sticks and Sholapith
decorative balls.
Photo: Sholapith rose flower made by Uttam Halder
- The designs are reproduction of the same
Sholapith products designs year on year
which is totally dictated by the exporters. The
clusters units lack their own innovation.
- The products made by the cluster units are
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SUSHANTA HALDER
SUSHANTA GAYEN
UTTAM HALDER
ARJUN PAIK
SHUBHANKAR HALDER
CRAFT FAIRS & EXHIBITIONS
EDUCATION QUALIFICATION
BASUDEB HALDER
SUDEB PURKAIT
PRODUCTS
SATIBRATA HALDER
BUSINESS APPROACH
SATYARANJAN HALDER
THE TWENTY
SHOLAPITH CLUSTER UNITS OF
MANDIRBAZAR
BLOCK
HOUSE & FACILITIES
SANATH HALDER
PRASHANT KUMAR HALDER
FAMILY
PRADIP SARDER
- The clusters regional infrastructure is not
124
- The units have never been able to get financial assistance from local banks or government in the past on account of unavailability
of appropriate documents.
- The tools and the machines are outdated
and lack sophistication to handle quality and
speedy production.
CHINIBUS MISTRY
- The products quality if not of utmost importance since the units focusses on meeting deDEBASHISH SARDER livery deadlines and maximizing the profits.
Even the packaging of the Sholapith products
FARMLAND & OTHER OCCUPATION
and transportation is not at all suitable for
DEBU GAYEN
the delicate Sholapith products which generally get damaged by the time they reach the
JAYANTA GAYEN
exporters godowns.
KALIPADA MONDAL
in tough competition with those coming
form China, Thailand, Japan, Bangladesh,
USA, Australia, etc. and lack in quality and
product differentiation. The designs lack the
facility,expertise and funds to get to know
about the current international markets
trends. The latest lifestyle trends and evolving
needs of these products are not at all considered at the unit level.
LOANS
BISHRADEB HALDER
pay advance money at the time of production
orders.
MONTHLY INCOME
KALIDAS NASKER
at all supportive to the Sholapith business.
The facilities such as electricity supply, fresh
drinking water supply, internet services,
transportation is not optimum for the business to grow. Due to lack of enough electricity
supply the units for short seven to eight hours
and are unable to complete orders in time.
- The main raw material i.e. Shola wood for
the units is expensive to buy since they do not
have ready money and the exporters do not
- The cluster lack its brand value since the
exporters takes all the limelight in the international markets and portray the Sholapith
product as created by them.
- The units inspite of working since a few
decades lack any knowledge about the procedures and guidelines about the direct export
procedures as recently they have shown interest to cater to the foreign buyers by themselves.
- The units face a low profit due to exploita-
tion by the exporters and at the same time
increasing raw material prices further reduces
their profit margins.
- The cluster inspite of being involved in
the craft since last many decades has never
seen any intervention by the governments,
financial institutions, social organizations
or research and design institutes. As a result
the craft has remained traditional and at the
mercy of exporters.
- The craftsmen have never undergone any
formal training assisted by governments of
institutes. Due to lack of exposure craftsmen have been practicing same processes for
many decades.
- No documented research on the Shola wood
have been carried out to increase its productivity or no experts have been involved to
develop new products catering to functional
need along with decorative and lifestyle
needs.
- The craftsmen have suffered by lack of
knowledge about proper postures and ergonomic issues while working. They sit for long
hours which causes health issues and affects
the work.
- The craftsmen have never participated in
trade fairs at local, state, national and international level.
- The unit members and the craftsmen have
hardly completed primary education. The
literacy rate is quite low among the families
involved in the craft as a result of insufficient
household income as well as inefficient educational systems in government schools. The
craftsmen and the unit owners know only
Bengali language and can hardly speak hindi
or english.
- The unit owners on an average earn Rs.
5000 to Rs. 10,000 per month and the craftsmen on an average earn Rs. 2000 to Rs.
2500 per month Such a low earning make
it difficult for the members of the cluster to
support their business as well as household
expenses.
between the units and end buyers.
- CFC must procure export licenses on behalf
of the units.
- CFC must set up an e-commerce portal to
showcase and directly sell the units’ products
online.
- CFC must also undertake to educate the
units on design innovation so as to better and
diversify their offerings.
- Additionally, food-related needs and medical
needs of individual unit members have to be
taken care of. The central and state government must take an initiative on this front.
- The unit owners and the craftsmen do not
have proper living conditions. The houses are
made up of bamboo, mud and rice straw with
no facilities such as electricity supply, enough
workplace, sufficient living room for all the
members and the houses do not even have
toilets.
- The steady urbanization in the region is
pushing the inflation high in terms of expensive food, clothing, every items.
RECOMMENDATION
- Units need to be educated and trained in the
intricacies of export. CFC should take this initiatiative and also help facilitate direct contact
125
126
Photo: Kalipada Mondal with his craftswomen and some children, Gokul nagar village
4.0
VALUE CHAIN
ANALYSIS OF
SHOLAPITH
CLUSTER
127
4.1 Sholapith cluster: Value Chain Analysis
Mandirbazar’s Sholapith cluster is known
throughout the Sholapith business in India. A
number of exporters have engaged thousands
of Sholapith craftsmen who together meet
the national as well as international Sholapith
products demand. The capacity of all the
stakeholders of this industry to turn that
advantage into a larger and growing market
share is constrained by a number of factors.
The value chain components of the Sholapith
cluster includes description of the Sholapith
products market, the business enabling
environment in Mandirbazar block and the
market actors in the core value chain and
supporting markets.
There has to be a synergy between the
demand - supply - demand to make the
Sholapith cluster evolve and be sustainable.
4.1.1
Demand market channels
- Large retailers: largest retailers world
wide are the largest channels of Sholapith
products.
- Importers and distributors which sells
both to the large importers, retailers and
independent retainers
128
- Independent retailers with small local and
regional chains of stores
- Direct to consumers through websites
- Direct to consumers through tourism
4.1.2
Sholapith business enabling environment
All is not well and the Sholapith business
environment in Mandirbazar region does
not favour new growths because the people
involved lack confidence to get new business.
The financial strength needed to buy the raw
material for the production. The banks does
not support the loans to the craftsmen for the
Sholapith business.
4.1.3
The Sholapith value chain role players
The functions of market actors in the value
chain include
1. Raw material supply
2. Preparation for Sholapith product
development: Cutting, peeling, stacking,
rolling, colouring, shaping (ex. Sholapith
petals for flowers).
3. Final shaping, assembly finishing work,
tagging and packaging
4. Delivery to exporters: The final packaged
Sholapith products are delivered to the
exporters in Kolkata and Chennai and other
cities.
5. Financial services: The include
Commercial banks
Micro lending institutions
Informal local money lenders
All the Sholapith cluster members
interviewed stated non availability of loans
or high interest rates as the primary reason
they cannot plan to grow their business,
promisingly.
6. Transportation and delivery services of
Sholapith products
The Value chain Sholapith business actors
include
- Farmers
- Raw material, tools and chemical suppliers
- Craftsmen and craftswomen
- Sholapith unit owners
- Local traders
- Exporters
- Buyers
- Online traders
- Bloggers
- Customers and users
- Financial supporters and banks
- Government, institutes and association
- NGOs
- Designers, researchers, trend analysts
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4.2 Sholapith cluster: Findings
This section presents the principal findings
of the analysis, in particular, the priority
constraints and opportunities for increasing
the competitiveness of the Sholapith
handicraft cluster. The section first reviews
the process used to prioritize constraints and
opportunities and then discusses them in
order.
The WB Government has lacked a clear vision
and plan for developing the Sholapith craft
industry, including an articulated (though
perhaps an implicit one existed) strategy
for positioning Sholapith craft’s industry
competitively in the global marketplace. Part
of what is needed is a better understanding
of the constraints and opportunities of the
industry, the outlines of what a competitive
strategy might look like, and some practical
strategies to move the industry forward in
this challenging environment.
4.2.1
The NAS discovered the need for real
progress regarding the introduction of
designs, production techniques, market
opportunities, and sources of inputs. There is
also an urgent need for:
1. a strategy or plan for the development of
130
the Sholapith craft industry
2. a competitiveness strategy that positions
the Sholapith craft in the global marketplace
Sholapith buyers
3. Lack of access to regular and affordable raw
materials
3. a commercial strategy for local upgradation
4. sustainable, supportive buyers, exporters
and retailers, online traders that meet the
needs of the industry
5. improved vertical and horizontal linkages
between the Sholapith cluster units, that
reduce transaction costs and improve
economies
Prominent constraints and opportunities
were identified through interviews with
Sholapith value chain stakeholders.
4.2.2
The following are a complete list of value
chain constraints noted through the course
of interviews with market actors of the value
chain.
1. Lack of access to product design services
and market information for new product
development
2. Lack capacity to identify and link with
4. Lack access to productivity enhancing
techniques & equipment
5. Lack access to production financing
craft units
6. Little know-how of exporting channels and
contacts
7. Lack of proper education, health, local
governance and political environment
8. Poor infrastructure: electricity,
communications, roads
9. Lack capacity to promote/market products
10. Lack access to sufficiently large workspace
11. Lack access to financing for nonproduction costs
12. Lack of craft events, branding and
promotion
4.2.3
The following are a complete list of value
chain opportunities noted through the course
of interviews with market actors of the value
chain.
1. Opportunity for benevolent financial
intermediaries
2. Opportunity for designer/producers to
provide design services to craft factories and
workshops
3. Entrepreneurial opportunity for every
individual in the Sholapith cluster area
4. Opportunity for training the units for
certain to the needs to the global market
directly and having export exposure and
know-how.
2. benefit Sholapith craft producers,
including labourers of Sholapith units, in
terms of increased income, employment and
opportunities for upgrading
The highest priority constraints and
opportunities were those that strongly
responded to both criteria. These are
described below in detail.
4.2.4
Constraints and opportunities
1. The need for agents and buyers
2. Access to product development services
and market information
3. Access to regular and affordable raw
materials and other inputs
4. Access to financing
5. Enabling environment constraints
5. Opportunity for branding, promotion
through exhibitions and use of internet
technology.
The constraints or opportunities are based
on the potential for a resolved constraint or
realized opportunity to:
1. increase the competitiveness of the overall
Sholapith cluster sector in terms of market
actors’ increased efficiencies, differentiation
of products and penetration of new markets;
and
131
132
Photo: Sholapith’s craftswomen from Biswanath Gayen’s unit
5.0
RECOMMENDATIONS
133
5.1 Sholapith cluster: Highlight recommendations
er s
stom
Cu
DCS for
MSMEs
Institutes
(NID, IIT,
EDI, etc.)
Banks &
MFIs
of Sholapith pro
duc
ts
Sholapith
units &
craftsmen
Local &
central gov- a resource ernment
- collectivity
- synergy
- sharing
- common good
- socio-business
sustainability
Assocaitions
(BWWA,
SEWA, etc.)
Traders,
suppliers &
exporters
Buyers &
retailers
Local
infrastructure
support
Community
development
initiatives
New
business
development
initiatives
Sholapith
craft R&D
Common Facility
Centre (CFC)
for Sholapith
cluster
Loans &
grant support
Computer training
centre
Design
innovation &
training
Raw
material
security
Sho
nity
laipth
cluster commu
Photo: Model of the stakeholders of Sholapith cluster and the proposed Common Facility Center
The author believes that the Sholapith craft
plays a valuable role in building a local
economic sustainability and a contemporary
local society in Mandirbazar block. A stronger
and a sturdier cluster model will help the
environmental, social, cultural & physical wellbeing of the Sholapith cluster to evolve.
The proposed model of the stakeholders and
the CFC formulation and its implementation
134
will help the cluster in many different ways
such as increase quality & productivity of
the cluster units, pilot the product & service
innovation, boost its competitiveness, trigger
new business developments and establish a
socio-business balance of the cluster itself.
The performance of one stakeholder is related
to the performance of other stakeholders and
the overall competitiveness of the cluster will
establish demand of Sholapith products.
The ‘Progressive CFC model’ of Sholapith
cluster attempts to bring in synergy between
the close stakeholders of the cluster help build
demand and supply for the Sholapith products.
DCS scheme for MSMEs as a tool for business
& design strategy will be a boon for the
Sholapith cluster’s long term sustainability.
Following the NAS of the Sholapith cluster
units and the other role players the researcher
proposes a set of possible next steps. The two
highest priorities are to support the nascent
initiative taken by the Sholapith units members
towards improving access to timely information
on product development and design; and
assessing the feasibility of expanding the
commercial buyers / exporters / agent function.
The following are the highlight
recommendations:
1. New product development and design on the
basis of market needs and trends study might
lead to better remuneration for same efforts by
the Sholapith clusters and its members.
2. Synergize supplier and purchasing logic
by establishment of viable and commercial
Sholapith craft agents (buyers, exporters and
retailers)
Front-end
Ministry of
MSMEs
Demand
for Sholapith
products
CFC
BWWA
Material
producers
& suppliers
Buyers &
Retailers
NID
Back-end
Sholapith
units &
craftsmen
DCS for
MSMEs
Photo: Progressive CFC ‘Diamond model’ of Sholapith cluster
3. Intervention in the financial domain for
the units for procuring raw materials or other
business related expenses will yield freeing
up of capital for growth both business as well
as personal. This may be achieved through
the MSMEs financial assistance which might
be applicable for these specific units or it
could also be achieved more transparent
microfinancing initiatives.
4. Establish a longer-term cooperation between
the education and training sector and the
Sholapith cluster members to unleash the
native creativity with requisite confidence which
education and exposure brings along with it.
5. Introduce design thinking and practising in
secondary education & community life
needs and with high quality market-industry
intelligence
a. Create an industry and government
sponsored training and education board
to develop the appropriate infrastructure
for identifying and meeting training and
educational needs fro the Sholapith cluster.
7. It may be useful/possible to mechanize
some/all the processes used in the production
of Sholapith products. This will lead to
faster, consistent, mass scale production and
might, in the long run, reduce variable cost
in the production. Yet, this might not be the
way to go as it will lead to unemployment
among the existing labourers and rob them
of their livelihood. Yet the fear is that sooner
or later this might be adopted in the industry
by other players nationally or internationally
and adversely affect the craftsmen of the
Mandirbazar block eventually.
b. Form a regional and global team of educators
to collaborate on Sholapith educational
activities, including trend sensing, needs
assessment on continuous basis.
c. Devise low-burden approaches for
gathering and disseminating accurate market,
occupational skills & educational and training
data to the educational community.
d. Jointly explore the implications of education
and training for small, specialized niche
occupations typical of Sholapith cluster.
6. Aim to turn local talent into productive skills
and jobs in tune with the advancing diverse
needs of the Sholapith cluster, locally, nationally
and internationally
a. Campaigning for a more diverse skill sets
(processing, production, marketing, branding,
trading, etc.) and raising the ambition of the
local entrepreneurs and general population
b. Ensuring understanding and qualifications
meet real Sholapith cluster employment
8. Securing the raw material sources and
supplies is critical and crucial to the survival
of Sholapith craft in long run. Urgent efforts
are needed to ensure that the Shola plant
farming is boosted and the existing farming
area and not encroached upon for alternative
usage or destruction of wetlands on account of
unauthorized encroachment.
In a longer-term intervention, the other
constraints identified during this analysis
should also be addressed, including lack of
access to financing, poor enabling environment
and irregular and expensive inputs.
In terms of specific recommendations, most
of which must be undertaken by the CFC, the
following is an exhaustive list:
135
- The Sholapith craft needs a strategy
framework to highlight the historical values of
the craft and connect it to the modern needs
of the buyers and customers. This needs
creation of hiring trends, planning, design &
development, sales and marketing, branding
& promotion experts strategy team for the
Sholapith cluster.
- For severe weather conditions in summer and
rainy seasons the cluster needs a regular supply
of orders and permanent craftsmen who work
throughout the season. An additional payment
system along with the regular payments for the
work has to be brought in for the craftsmen.
- The knowledge and the skills is to be
effectively passed from the senior craftsmen to
the younger generation it the region.
- In every village in the cluster region a
permanent shade with the electricity, drinking
water and toilet facilities has to be built which
can be utilized by multiple units as and when
needed.
- The cluster has to move out of the exporters
clutch who rule the Sholapith business and
develop its own export authority. This will cut
down the middlemen profits and bring back
better income for the cluster, the craftsmen and
bring over all prosperity in the region.
- The cluster needs its own permanent
waterproof Shola sticks warehouse which can
be used by the units to keep their raw material
and access it as per their need. The availability
of raw material in good condition is a priority
for all the units. The raw material can be
bought in bulk by the clusters which would cost
lesser for the units.
- A awareness program has to be launched in
the cluster region to engaged the young talent
to be part of the Sholapith craft in different
capacities.
- A common training centre can be developed
where the younger population with interest
in Sholapith craft can be given training in the
business and product design of the Sholapith
products.
- There is a greater need to empower the
women workforce in the region to play a bigger
role in the Sholapith business and community
development.
- A common facility centre (CFC) has to be
developed to tap the international market
and connect to the buyers and the customers
directly.
- Engage local and nationalized banks and
the financial institutions for entering into
a pact with the cluster, under which the
country’s efficient lender would provide easy
and affordable credit to Sholapith units and
craftsmen.
- Engage the local government and the
136
panchayats to speed up the infrastructure
developments in the region. Instead of making
mud and brick roads, the roads should be made
pakka using concrete and charcoal which would
be less expensive in long run since it would
require less maintenance every year especially
in rainy seasons. Better roads would facilitate
easy movement for the people and vehicle
carrying the raw material and finished products.
- Set up a Common Computer Training Centre
(CCTC) which will help the units members
and the craftsmen to learn using computers.
They can be effective in connecting to exporters
& business, learn new design softwares to
design products with better specifications and
do a research about new market and product
opportunities.
- Engage research, business and design experts
to impart better training to the cluster units and
the craftsmen.
- Encourage the cluster & the farmers and
promote better agricultural practices in
the region to produce high yield and better
quality food products. The aim is to bring in
the food security in the region and cut down
the unwanted food price inflation. Bring in
the perspective of community and collective
farming among the farmers.
- Water quality standards should be revisited,
especially for chemical contamination by
Arsenic, and more research done.
- The local government and the panchayat
need act in advance to secure the arsenic free
drinking water supply in the cluster region.
Central Government should encourage state
governments to develop community based
water quality monitoring guidelines.
- The cluster community need to be trained
and empowered to manage their own drinking
water systems, including quarterly (minimum)
monitoring of water quality. This should be part
of a well planned and implemented campaign
to generate awareness, change attitudes and
behaviour.
- Majority of the craftsmen do not have
electricity supply in their houses. In
unfavourable summer and rainy seasons, it is
impossible to work inside the house. Even in
days with good weather conditions the work
ends by 6:30 p.m. after which the sunlight is
enough to continue the work.
- Immediate uptake of small scale renewable
energy generation (grid connected and off-grid)
units in cluster region is needed to ensure
quality generation of electricity and supply at
local level to ensure supply of electricity to all
units and the region in general.
supply in the cluster region. Evaluate
opportunity for solar and wind powered
electricity generation in the region.
- Efforts by the central and the state government
should be made to ensure that the house in the
cluster region are pukka (brick and concrete)
with permanent walls and permanent roofing.
The permanent nature of the house would
facilitate the people such the house is able to
withstand the peak summer and rough rains
and the weather conditions in general of the
place throughout the year.
- The houses should have disaster resistant
technology to be able to withstand earthquakes,
cyclone, floods, etc.
- Most importantantly the spaces should be
designed to help the units and the craftsmen to
organize their Sholapith work, store their Shola
wood safe and totally water proof and utilize the
space most effectively for their peak production
orders.
- Revisit the government plans for rural
education and ensure the education is met for
all with the help of qualified teachers, school
infrastructure, and the quality education.
- Introduce subjects on creativity, design
and technology in the basic curriculum in
government schools and private schools which
in long run would help the regions innovation
capability. The schools will be the microcosm of
the cluster and the region in general.
- Need for a visionary educational framework
to strengthen institutional partnerships
between the government, local bodies and
the community in the task of adult education
promoting equity and quality for all in the
region.
- Set up of a research centre for Shola plants to
increase its yield and improve Sholapith use.
The education and the raining programs should
also focus on the awareness and better design
practices.
- Train and enhance capacity of local health
centres and panchayats to effectively own,
control and manage public health services.
- Ensure representation of existing cluster
community group and the general population
on existing medical facilities centres may
help facilitate their work and feedback to the
community.
- Promote access to improved health-care
at household level through the village level
volunteer worker.
- Introduce bilingual education in schools for
help students learn languages such as Hindi
or English other then Bengali. Multi language
capability will help the students, the cluster and
the region in general to help in transition to
mainstream global business and lifestyle.
- Set up recreational centres for the cluster
members especially focussing on the elders and
the senior citizens to come together for group
activities, social support, public information,
and other purposes. The senior members of the
Sholapith cluster can also utilize the centres
137
to discuss the issues and action plans for the
cluster.
- Promote Sholapith craft region as craft
based tourism for artisans and craftspeople
to produce and sell their work in local and
tourist markets is often critical to the overall
success of a community. Successful craftsmen
and craftspeople contribute to a successful
communities.
- Encourage the cluster to be proud of a long
Sholapith craft history for both preservation
goals as well as encouraging entrepreneurship
and new business development opportunities.
- Engage experts from across the design and
business world to help the Sholapith cluster
units achieve balance between the traditional
processes within the cluster and the modern
pull for the new products and services.
- The cluster members and the craftsmen must
be moulded out of tradition approach to handle
the Sholapith material and design new products
targeting the modern lifestyle requirements
across different cultures
- Focus on Sholapith clusters continuous
growth will help preserving cultural
inheritance, employment generation,
transformation of local raw materials into
useful goods and supplies to meet the needs
of both rural and urban communities, income
generation and linkage with other sectors.
138
- An efficient sales and marketing team is
required to be in place to help the cluster
approach buyers directly and capture markets
across the globe. A better demand for Sholapith
products would boost the clusters power to
boost the local economy of its region.
to develop new products and business together
with the units and the craftsmen.
- Include design and technology in the
curriculum at all the primary and secondary
schools in the region with focus on vocational
training: learning by doing. The focus on
- Shola plant research is a catalyst for future
students should be on involving students in
growth of the Sholapith craft and the cluster.
thinking, writing, drawing and sketching and
build in knowledge of materials, tools and
- Set up a research facility under the CFC for the processes as well as craft skills.
Shola plant committed to generating awareness
of environmentally sustainable applications of
- Setting up a common design and technology
Shola wood through research and education.
facility under CFC with help of Ministry of
MSMEs, state & central government and NID.
- Encourage and facilitate the cluster to take
initiative to focus of Sholapith plant cultivation
- Exchange of design and technology ideas
collectively. The aim is to cut down cost of
can be initiated through workshops and
the raw material and help achieve Shola raw
other idea exchange programmes with indian
material sustainability in the region.
and international craftsmen, designers and
technologists.
- Provide access for Sholapith units and
craftsmen to databases of product profiles from - Engage experts from design and architecture
target markets, media resources or connect
background to develop the common workplace
service providers providing information on
such as CFC.
product demand trends.
- Ideal work spaces have to be designed and
- Facilitate the unit members and the
work spaces to be optimized to minimize
craftsmen of outbound missions to develop an
human effort and increase productive in less
understanding of product profiles, trends and
time.
requirements.
- Common machines such as plastic ball
- Engage designers, technologists, associations
moulding machines, dying facility, etc. can be
such as BWWA, NID, management institutes
introduced at Common Facility Centre.
and entrepreneurship development institutes
supply such as solar and wind powered
electricity generation in the Common Facility
Centre toe help the units and the craftsmen to
work in bad light conditions.
- A sourcing facility under the CFC should be
set up to secure the raw material supply for
the units for entire year. The raw materials if
bought in bulk for the cluster, would be less
expensive because of economy of scale.
- Finance facility under CFC for production of
raw material in the local region with assistance
from the local government and financial
institutions.
- Communication and promotion facility under
CFC should be set up.
- Set up Common Facility Centres and install
common machines such as plastic ball
moulding machine and wire cutting machines
used in the cluster.
- Design and develop new machines to assist
the mass production of existing and new
innovative Sholapith products. This will bring
down the cost of the production and speed it up
as well.
- Developing new machines is a threat to
employment of thousands of craftsmen in the
cluster region but if the market size can be
increased, it is possible to retain the craftsmen.
- The tool design facility under the CFC should
be set up to design the tools to make it safer for
the craftsmen as they are big and sharp in form
which is not safe for the craftsmen themselves
and the family members as the workplaces are
part of craftsmen houses.
- The tools have to be designed as well to speed
up the processes and add quality to the work.
- There is ample scope for redesigning the
products under CFC for local and national
markets. The markets at the national level other
than local villages and Kolkata have never been
explored.
- The existing traditional products can be made
more contemporary and relevant
and according to the latest trend with the help
of Indian and International designers.
- Focus on new product developments, its
applications and design for new markets.
- Improvisation in Sholapith craft technology
through R&D activities.
- Apart from decorative and lifestyle products,
there is a need to focus on more functional
products considering the Shola pith material
properties as there are lighter, flexible and have
good insulation property.
- A financial facility operating under the
Common Facility Centre (CFC) should be
set up which arranges to buy raw material
(Shola plant) in bulk from the suppliers by
negotiating well with them on account of
long-term relationship and economies of scale.
Mechanisms should be devised to provide
this raw material on loan to the units and the
costs should be recovered by the CFC after the
completion of the sale-transaction, preferably in
the export market.
- The finance facility of the CFC should also
encourage financial education of the unit
owners so as to be able to leverage the CFC
support in a wholesome and healthy manner.
- The processes should be streamlined and
a quality should be incorporated decrease
rejections by the exporters.
- A Common Facility Centre can be set up with
modern technology to connect to the foreign
buyers and customers for closer insights to
design and develop new products.
- The process will have planned to be more
efficient, speedy, and to better quality in case
the units enter the export market on their own.
- Conduct continuous researches in terms
of consumer trends, market trends and
competition in the local and international
market.
- Setting up of Common facility Centre is
important to carry out certain processes such as
use of machines, dying or Sholapith materials.
New and effective packaging techniques have to
139
be established to reduce the products damage
during transportation.
- The CFC will be of advantage for the entire
cluster since the above processes are expensive
in nature, not required all the time by the
units and may require machines which uses
continuous electricity supply.
- The sharing of these machines by the units
of the cluster through Common Facility Centre
would reduce their expenses and give equal
access to new technologies.
- The farmers have should be encouraged
to do collective/cooperative farming which
can provide more produce, reduce effort,
reduce expenses and lead to sharing of better
cultivation processes and technology use.
- Cooperation and understanding between the
cluster units is to be established to deal with
outside exporters as a result the units can be
more commanding in pricing of products.
- The cluster can be more effective and can save
cost if they act together and buy raw materials
in bulk. The common warehouses which are
designed to store raw materials safely can be
shared by the units.
- Together share the Common Facility Centre
and increase their expertise to avail the facilities
provided by these centres. The centres can be
140
effective in ways such as conducting researches
common for all and setting machines which
can be shared by all. It can also be used as
nodal point for the cluster and the outside
experts such as designers, researches, business
mentors, financial institutions to share, design
and develop new products, plan the businesses
and avail common facilities
- Facilitate a better practice of research and
development to keep the cluster in tune wi
the trends for around the world market. The
proposed ‘Hourglass model’ helps to see the
Sholapith craft system in a very simplistic
way and how build interaction between the
customers and producers to innovate.
- The CFC should empower the units by
negotiating on behalf of the units with the
exporters. In due course, the CFC should enable
direct footprint for the units in the export
market, removing the reliance on exporters.
This could be done by setting up an Export
facility within the CFC which will procure all
relevant licenses required to export the Shola
products.
- The export unit of the CFC should be armed to
negotiate with all buyers, retailers and exporters
from a position of strength.
- The CFC should create an e-commerce portal
for these units and also create awareness about
their art through the online medium by use of
blogs and other social media channels.
- A financial facility operating under the
Common Facility Centre (CFC) should be
set up which arranges to buy raw material
(Shola plant) in bulk from the suppliers by
negotiating well with them on account of
long-term relationship and economies of scale.
Mechanisms should be devised to provide
this raw material on loan to the units and the
costs should be recovered by the CFC after the
completion of the sale-transaction, preferably in
the export market.
- Re-skilling and skill diversification should
be undertaken to ensure that the alternative
materials could be used by the units in their
craft in case Shola goes out of favour in
the international markets. This should be
undertaken by the CFC.
- The CFC should facilitate the participation
of the unit members in various national and
international fairs and exhibitions for better
exposure.
5.2 Sholapith cluster’s NAS: Conclusion
The sustainability of the Sholapith craft
depends on the sincere dedication by the
stakeholders towards the craft’s business
and design development aspects. The future
sustainability of the craft can be achieved by
bringing the front end (the users) and the
back end (the producers) of Sholapith craft in
sync by understanding their needs in a better
way and working towards fulfilling it.
The future scope of work for NAS of
Sholapith cluster are as following:
More in-depth and primary research on the
end user front.
More in-depth and primary research on the
exporter and the buyers.
Tool improvement and machine design
possibilities for the Sholapith production
processes.
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142
Photo: Kalipada Mondal showing a Sholapith poppy flower at his unit
6.0
APPENDICES
143
6.1 Tool, chemicals, machine, etc. of Sholapith cluster
1
2
144
3
4
Photos: Knives used in the Sholapith craft.
1. Wire cutter and scissors
2. Measuring scale: plastic and wooden with knife
3. Knife of different sizes: with & without wooden handle
4. Pointed handle of the knife is sused to remove hard wood
5. A craftsman using a knife with a plastic handle
6. The knife is digged in the mud floor for use
7. A craftswoman holding a knife in between the toes
8. A craftsmen sharpening knife on a wooden bat
9. A craftswoman peeling a Shola wood with a knife
10. Knife is used to cut a coconut
5
8
6
9
7
10
145
11
12
13
146
14
16
15
17
Photos: Tools used in the Sholapith craft.
11. A craftsman sharpening his knife on a stone block
12. A craftswoman is rolling a Shola strip on a wooden board
13. A wooden board for rolling the Shola strip
14. A craftsman holding a needle for use in the craft
15. A craftsman is using a needle to join the logs of Shola
16. A craftswoman rolling the edge of the Sholapith petal
17. A craftswoman rolling the edge of the Sholapith petal
18. Sholapith rose petals’ rolled edges with the help of a needle
18
19
22
24
20
23
25
21
Photos: Tools use in Sholapith craft
19. Nylon tyre thread in the shop, South bishnupur
20. A craftsman using a nylon tyre thread to tie the flower
21. Plastic string tied to a piller for pulling and tying flowers
22. A craftsman holding a cotton thread
23. A craftsman using a cotton thread to tie a Sholapith bud
24. Hand made measuring tool made of Sholawood
25. A craftsman is using a handmade (Shola wood) tool for
measuring and cutting Shola sticks in bunch
26. The handmade wooden tool is still in hand while the cut
cut part is dropped off the bunch
26
147
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
148
34
Photos: Adhesive used in the Sholapith craft
27. Polysynthetic resin adhesive, Grippo by Pidilite
28. A craftswomen using Grippo adhesive to make
Sholapith kali (white) ball
29. Grippo is kept in open in the adhesive container’s cap
30. Polyurethane Adhesive, Stiko
31. A craftswoman applying adhesive on plastic ball
32. 3. Stiko adhesive is poured in a coconut shell
33. Polysynthetic resin adhesive, WG, a wood adhesive
34. A craftswomen using WG to make Sholapith hexa
chips rose stick
35
Photos: Blowmoulding machine to produce plastic balls
35. Semi automatic blow moulding machine
36. Plastic granules for producing the plastic balls
37. A preform of the ball is drawn inbetween the cavities
38. The cavity is closed and the hot air is pumped in
39. After 3 - 5 seconds the cavity is opened to detach the ball
40. The hot plastic ball is put in cold water to cool down
41. The final plactos balls are ready to be dispatched to the
Sholapith units for making decorative balls
36
37
38
39
40
41
149
6.2 Step by Step process of Sholapith rose making
There is almost 250 variety of Sholapith products
in making in the Sholapith cluster in a year. Here,
the author is putting a step by step process of one of
Sholapith product. Sholapith beauty rose flower has
been chosen to show the process of the flower making
150
form Shola wood. The making of the flower can start
from a simply from a Shola stick or the ready made roll
of Shola sheet is used to save time for production. The
process of making he flower can start from ‘a’, ‘e’ or
‘f’. To make the process easy to understand, the author
chose to start the process form the very beginning,
using a few Shola sticks. The process for the same
starts at ‘1’ and completes on ‘78’. Rest of photos aims
to show the packaging and the delivery process. In the
end a few of the concerns are highighted.
a
c
e
b
d
f
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
151
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
152
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
153
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
154
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
155
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
156
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
157
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
158
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
159
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
160
91
92
93
94
95
96
161
6.3 Step by Step process of Sholapith dying
Photos form 1 to 32 shows the Sholapith dying process
and the making of Sholapith kadam flower (known as
aliflaila as the flower is multicoloured).
The chemical colours are bought locally from the
market. The white Sholapith products are dyed at the
cluster unit level and many a times they are dyed at the
exporters units. The expoxters do it at their end as they
are better equipped to maintain the colour consistency
for the entire production.
There is a need for a colour and dying department at
the common facility centre for the Sholapith cluster. As
a result the units will be compatible to carry out these
processes and keep up the quality of the production s
per the buyers quality standards.
1
2
3
4
5
6
162
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
163
16
17
19
20
22
23
164
18
21
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
165
6.4 Sholapith products made for the export market
The Sholapith products made in Sholapith cluster of
Sholapith Jui flower
PALM FLOWER
Mandirbazar block is 100% (approx.) made for the export
Sholapith Kadam flower
Palm Flower - pink
market. The products made in the cluster units are directly sent
Sholapith Kadam (Aliflaila) flower
Palm sunflower
to the exporters who further process it and send it forward to the
Sholapith Kundari flower
buyers in the foreign countries.
Sholapith Lily flower
PALM STICK
Sholapith Lokhi/Lakshmi flower
Palm Lily stick
List of the Sholapith products made in the Sholapith cluster are
Sholapith Lotus flower
Palm artichoke stick
as following:
Sholapith Magnolia flower
PALM BALL
SHOLAPITH FLOWER
Sholapith Marine Rose ball
Sholapith Artichoke Bud
Sholapith Lotus (new) flower
Sholapith Bakulia flower
Sholapith Pana flower
SHOLAPITH STICK
Sholapith Beauty Rose flower
Sholapith Patol flower
Sholapith Aakundh kudiya
Sholapith Beldum flower
Sholapith poppy flower
Sholapith Belli flower stick
Sholapith Belli flower
Sholapith Rajnigandha flower
Sholapith Belli flower, bud and leaf stick
Sholapith Belli (new) flower
Sholapith Rose flower
Sholapith Belli flower and Corn leaf stick
Sholapith Button flower
Sholapith Rose flower - pink
Sholapith Berry stick
Sholapith Carnis flower
Sholapith Australia Rose flower
Sholapith Chili stick
Sholapith Chakri flower
Sholapith Thai Rose flower
Sholapith chips dahlia stick
Sholapith Chips Dahlia flower
Sholapith Shankha flower
Sholapith Chips Flower stick
Sholapith chips flower
Sholapth Sunflower
Sholapith Chips Wave stick
Sholapith Chips Lotus flower
Sholapith Dahlia flower
Sholapith Cosmos stick
Sholapith Chinese Java flower
Sholapith Zinia flower
Sholapith dhaneshish stick
Sholapith Chinese joba
SHOLAPITH FLOWER - skin
Sholapith Fan stick
Sholapith Fan flower
Sholapith skin lotus flower
Sholapith flat pine stick
Sholapith ………… flower 1
Sholapith skin beauty rose
Sholapith Gulab stick
Sholapith Gandhraj flower
Sholapith skin lily flower
Sholapith Jhudi stick
Sholapith Gardenia flower
Sholapith Skin rose flower
Sholapith kachurmukhi stick
Sholapith Skin Zinia flower
Sholapith kudi flower & wire spring stick
166
Palm artichoke ball
Sholapith lanka kali stick
Sholapith Lata ball
Sholapith Lata ball, Corn leaf and Shola skin rajani bud stick
Sholapith Log ball
Sholapith Lily stick
Sholapith Paper ball
Sholapith Lily bud stick
Sholapith rekha ball
Sholapith Lily flower and fan stick
Sholapith ring ball
Sholapith Lily flower (with coconut stick) ting ting stick
Sholapith Rose ball
Sholapith Log stick
Sholapith Rope ball
Sholapith Peacock stick
Sholapith Round Step ball
Sholapith Poppy stick
Sholapith Slice circle ball
Sholapith Rajni stick
Sholapith Tip ball
Sholapith Rajnigandha flower stick
Sholapith tube ball
Sholapith Rose bunch stick
Sholapith white crape ball
Sholapith rose flower stick
Sholapith white tip ball
Sholapith Zinia stick
Shola Zebra ball
SHOLAPITH BALL - skin
SHOLAPITH STICK - skin
Sholapith skin crape ball
Sholapith Skin Chips Lily stick
Sholapith skin crape ball - white
Sholapith skin Jhudi flower stick
Sholapith skin guli ball
Sholapith skin Lily flower stick
Sholapith skin rope ball
Sholapith skin rajnigandha stick
Sholapith skin tip ball
Sholapith Skin ting ting stick
SHOLAPITH BOUQUET
SHOLAPITH BALL
Sholapith bouquet - small
Sholapith Artichoke bud ball
Sholapith bouquet - tall
Sholapith Ata ball
Sholapith flower bunch bouquet
Sholapith berry ball
Sholapith wreath bouquet
Sholapith Busy Rope ball
Sholapith Cabbage ball
Sholapith maize leaf stick
Sholapith chatka ball
Halder tree
Sholapith Chips ball
Bead stick
Sholapith Cone ball
Khel Kadam ball
Sholapith Crape ball
Babul dori ball
Sholapith Gardenia ball
Corn skin ball
Sholapith Guli ball
Maize leaf stick
Sholapith Kali ball
Benti Ball
167
6.5 Sholapith products as seen in the foreign market
Below are the listed Sholapith items available in the
22. Sholapith flower wreath by Mederuno, Japan
international market. The countries which have a demand for
23. Sholapith pink rose heart by Yatris Home and Gift, UK
Sholapith products are such as USA, UK, Australia, Canada,
24. Sholapith white rose circular wreath by Yatris Home and Gift,
Germany, Netherlands, Japan, Thailand, Korea, China and
UK
India.
25. Sholapith potpourri by Mederuno, Japan
26. Sholapith flower glass bowl by Mederuno, Japan
Photo:
27. Sholapith flower by UK stokists, UK
1. Sholapith shoe clips by Apple & Ivy (on Etsy), USA
28. Sholapith flower by Stacy K Floral, USA
2. Sholapith flower bouquet by Green with Envy, USA
29. Sholapith small sola coloured lotus bag by Sweetscents,
3. Solapith wreath by Decofleur, Netherlands
Australia
4. Sholapith Belli flower fragrance diffuser by Essense & Fleur,
30. Sholapith flower fragrance diffuser, Epos Card Co., Ltd.,
Artlab, Japan
Japan
5. Sholapith flower garland by Little Retreats on Etsy
31. Sholapith Pueak flowers by TCIE, Thailand
6. Sholapith flowers by Decofleur, Netherlands
32. Sholapith dahlia flower - pomeroy diffuser by Macys, USA
7. Sholapith napkin rings by House of Peltier, USA
33. Sholapth roses wall hanging by Melody Craft Gifts
8. Sholapith cherry rose flowers on Etsy
34. Sholapith gardenia favour box by Yatris Home and Gift, UK
9. Sholapith flower place cards by Engaged & Inspired, USA
10. Solapith roses flower ball by Andreafays, UK
11. Sholapith flower stem-95cm by Dunelm
12. Solapith flowers and fragrance diffuser by Commonplus living
13. Sholapith bud bouquet-115cm by Dunelm
14. Sholapith flower accessory by ‘The Soil and Sea’ on Etsy, USA
15. Sholapith flower wallhangings by Carole Anne Designs, UK
16. Sholapith flower table centrepieces by J C Floral Designs, USA
17. Sholapith pink rose garland by Yatris Home and Gift, UK
18. Sholapith flower bunch by Flores del sol, on Etsy
19. Sholapith flower stick by Floristik24, Germany
20. Sholapith twin rose decorations by Yatris Home and Gift, UK
21. Sholapith tulip flower tree lights by Thaihandicraft, Thailand
168
1
4
6
2
5
8
3
6
9
169
10
12
14
11
170
13
15
16
21
17
19
18
20
22
171
23
25
27
24
172
26
28
31
33
29
30
32
34
173
174
Photo: Basudeb Halder to his way to his unit.
6.6 NAS schedule, Sholapith cluster
Schedule | Need Assessment Survey | Sholapith cluster | Mandirbazar block, South 24 Parganas, West Bengal
Prepared on 3rd May of 2011 | By Saurabh Kumar
Sr. no. Sholapith unit
Village
1
Satyaranjan Halder
Bazarberia
2
Bhishradeb Halder
Bazarberia
3
Satibrata Halder
Bazarberia
4
Kalidas Nasker
Bazarberia
5
Kalipada Mondal
Gokulnagar
6
Sudeb Purkait
Gokulnagar
7
Debashish Sarder
Gokulnagar
8
Arjun Paik
Ratneshwarpur
9
Basudeb Halder
Maheshpur
10
Subhankar Halder
Maheshpur
11
Prashant Kumar Halder
Matilal
12
Sushanta halder
Matilal
13
Sushanta Gayen
Pukuria
14
Jayanta Gayen
Pukuria
15
Pradip Sarader
Gokulnagar
16
Debu Gayen
Makhimpur
17
Uttam Halder
Bazarberia
18
Biswanath Gayen
Maheshpur
19
Sanath Halder
Maneshpur
20
Chinibus Mistry
Bazarberia
3rd - May
4th - May
5th - May
6th - May
7th - May
8th - May
9th - May
10th - May 11th - May
175
6.7 Sholapith resources on internet
Country Resource
Type
Email
contact@7thhouseontheleft.com
Phone
USA
7th House on the left
Blog
India
Airbridge Greens
Trading
India
Aitbridge Dryflora
Trading
Alibaba
E commerce
USA
Amazon.com
E commerce
http://www.amazon.co.jp/gp/switch-language/product/B000VT0HYE/ref=dp_change_
lang?ie=UTF8&language=en_JP
UK
Andreafrays
Supplier
http://www.etsy.com/listing/9506670/beautiful-flower-girl-cream-sola-rose
contact@airbridgedryflora.com
http://7thhouseontheleft.com/category/regular-features/etsy-thursday-regular-features/page/2/
91-33-26771449
http://www.airbridgegreens.com/product/product-details.php?pID=20#20
91 33 2667 7208
http://www.airbridgedryflora.com/sola.htm
Apple and Ivy
Japan
Art Lab. Co. Ltd.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/Appleandivy?ref=pr_shop_more
Supplier
http://www.artlab.co.jp/en/
USA
A Spacial Day Designs
monique@aspecialdaydesigns.com
530.903.0163
http://aspecialdaydesigns.com/mobile/?page_id=6
Japan
Attract Ltd.
postmaster@attract-em.com
088-880-9877
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/attract/solaflower_potpourri_glass/
Japan
Ayura Laboratories Inc.
ayura@ayura.co.jp
Become Inc
info@become.co.uk
44 203 170 5643
http://home-and-garden.become.co.uk/sola-flowers-cream-box-of-40--compare-prices--sc339160530
info@bhalotiainternational.com
91 33 4008 1602
http://bhalotiainternational.com/sola.html
852-23459887
http://www.hicrafts.com/product-86321/Peony-Flower-Head-Artificial-Flower-2.htm
UK
India
Bhalotia International
Exporter
China
Bick Cheong Ind. Co.
Trading
USA
Blissbloomblog
Blog
USA
Blue Whale Arts
Bollea
Blog
China
UK
Busy Trade
E commerce
Carole-Anne Designs
http://www.bollea.com/sola-wood-bridesmaid-bouquet
801-232-6269
http://www.bulkbotanicals.net/index.html
vipcs@busytrade.com
86-4000008308
http://www.busytrade.com/sellingleads-search/sola.html
enquiries@carole-annedesigns.co.uk
01873 882954
http://www.carole-annedesigns.co.uk/photo_gallery.html
Chinaqualitycrafts
Company India Ltd.
India
Craftziners
Creative
community
Dazzle Yellow Pages
B2B, B2C
info@dazzleyellowpages.com
Decofleur
Suppliers
info@decofleur.com
Dry De Fashion Pvt. Ltd.
http://www.bluewhalearts.com/?s=sola
gonzales2619@comcast.net
India
India
http://blissbloomblog.blogspot.com/
603-679-1961
contact@bollea.com
China
Netherlands
http://www.ayura.co.jp/en/OnlineShop/commodity_param/ctc/pr0303/shc/0/cmc/10038166/backURL/
http%28++www.ayura.co.jp+en+OnlineShop+main/detail.html
mellievee@gmail.com
virescens@yahoo.com
Bulkbotanicals
176
Internet link
B2B
www.chinaqualitycrafts.com
http://www.companyindialtd.com/coltd.php?company=10570_1_Turnkey_Groups_
(India)#Turnkey%20Groups%20(India)
http://craftziners.info/photo/sola-wood-flowers-1?xg_source=activity
91-141-2358331
http://www.dazzleyellowpages.com/Listing-Details/?12420/Flowers
http://www.decofleur.com/index.php
Country Resource
Type
Email
Phone
Internet link
Dunelm-Mill
Trading
customerservices@dunelm-mill.
co.uk
0845 1 65 65 65
http://www.dunelm-mill.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?freeText=sola&storeId=10551&catalo
gId=11100&langId=-1
Korea
E C Plaza
B2B, B2C
82-2-476-1144
http://www.ecplaza.net/search/3s1nf5sell/sol_aroma_diffuser_sola_flower.html?id=EnjiaEnterprise
India
Edison pamps Pvt. Ltd.
Exporter
91 33 26511745
UK
USA
Engaged & Inspired
Blog, Seller
China
Enjia Enterprise Co., Ltd.
Trader
allison@engagedandinspired.com
China
Enjia Services
Japan
Epos Card Co., Ltd. /
Shouhintamaru.eposcard
India
eSuppliersindia
E commerce
info@esuppliersindia.com
USA
Etsy Inc.
E commerce
partners@etsy.com
wilco@enjiaservice.com
http://www.engagedandinspired.com/shop-our-wedding/
886-03-3347410
http://www.made-in-china.com/showroom/enjiaenterprisecoltd/offer-detailWqFmtcavhLrM/Sell-SolaFlower-7.html
886 3 334 7410
http://www.enjiaservice.com/product_solaroma.htm
http://shouhintamaru.eposcard.co.jp/keyword_search/?keyword=Sola+Flower%5B%A5%BD%A5%E
9%A5%D5%A5%E9%A5%EF%A1%BC%5D&cat_id=0&loc=header
91-11-46710500
http://www.esuppliersindia.com/products/dried-flowers.html?keyword=dried-flowers&set=1&page_
no=2
http://www.etsy.com/?ref=so_home
Ever Lasting Florals
http://www.etsy.com/shop/everlastingflorals?ref=pr_shop_more
India
Fast Flowers
http://www.fastflowers.in/category/best-flowers/dried-flowers
India
Fauna International
Exporter
fauna@cal.vsnl.net.in
91-33-22114366
www.faunaintl.com
India
Flora Classique
Exporter
info@floralclassique.com
951-676-18888
http://www.floraclassique.com/
India
Floral Exports
Exporter
91-44-26720290
http://chennai.indiabizclub.com/products_catalog/1634880~floral_exports~chennai
USA
Floral Labs
info@theflorallab.com
760-585-8380
http://www.theflorallab.com/weddings.html
USA
Flores del sol
flowersofthesun@gmail.com
Germany
USA
http://floresdelsol.blogspot.com/search?q=sola
Floristik24
http://www.floristik24.de/Naturartikel/Sola-Skin-Stick-gebleicht-10St.
Flortini Designs
http://flortinidesigns.com/
Flower Advisor
E commerce
Japan
Funroom
Blog
Japan
Garitto
India
Gayen Enterprise
India
Global Dry Flower
USA
Google
USA
Happily Feather After
China
Hi Crafts
House of Peltier
USA
Illuminated Garden
http://www.floweradvisor.com/florist/japan/gifts/for_women/137/page-2
http://funroom.exblog.jp/9867391/
info@ocnk.net
Exporter
91-33-22162489
http://in.local.yahoo.com/Kolkata/gayen-enterprise-db2c6d5faf3e94c7a2a72d06dbdb47bd/
Search
engine
http://www.etsy.com/shop/HappilyFeatherAfter?ref=pr_shop_more
Supplier
HIWTC
USA
flower_advisor@yahoo.com
ads@hiwtc.com
http://www.hiwtc.com/products/sola-flower-786-1572.htm
Manufacturer
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62573827/napkin-rings-set-of-6-made-with-burlap
816-595-0400
http://www.illuminatedgarden.com/natural-elements.html
177
Country Resource
Type
India
Indiamart
India
Indian Dry Flowers
India
Indian Dried Flowers
Exporter
India
Indo Global Exports
Exporter
India
Intercon Impex Pvt. Ltd.
USA
It’s a Shore Thing
UK
John Lewis
USA
JC Floral Designs
India
Jolly Enterprise
India
Justdial
USA
Kabbodle
India
Hong Kong
Email
Phone
Internet link
91-120-6777777
http://catalogs.indiamart.com/cgi/catprdsearch.mp?ss=sola+flower
indoglobal@vsnl.net
91-33-26630936
http://www.indiamart.com/indiandriedflower/dried-flowers.html
contact@interconimpex.com
91-33-2359
7271
http://www.interconimpex.com/home.php
Jennifer@Itsashorething.net
850.835.2854
http://www.etsy.com/shop/itsashorething?ref=pr_shop_more
B2B
B2C
http://www.esuppliersindia.com/indo-global-exports/sola-flowers-pr572907-sFP-swf.html
technicalsupport@johnlewis.com
http://www.jcfloraldesign.net/
B2B search
sales@jollyenterprise.in
91-03322656072
http://jollyenterprise.in/dried_flower/sola_flower
mumbai@justdial.com
91-22-28884060
http://Kolkata.justdial.com/gayen-enterprise__hLoG.kuqqzzzmkfpd.fjXX.ekXXPbiq.htm
info@kaboodle.com
408.492.0028
http://www.kaboodle.com/reviews/2-natural-sola-tip-tapioca-wood-balls-12-balls-for-4.99
Kalalayaa
Blog (craft)
kavi_kalalayaa@yahoo.co.in
Kamala Enterprise
Manufacturer
ajay@kamalaenterprise.com
KKC Home Accents Co.
Ltd.
Manufacturer, Trader
Japan
Lasting Green
Japan
Commonplus Living
USA
Love and Lavender
Blog-wedding
Luna and Chole Weddings
USA
Mackensley Designs
Blog
USA
Macys
B2C
USA
Made by Jessa
Blog-home
http://kalalayaa-artclub.blogspot.com/2009/08/how-to-make-solar-wood-flower-basket.html
91-03325422687
http://kamalaenterprise.com/sola_balls
86-763-3383931
http://reeddiffuser.cn/
0797-63-5881
http://living.commoplus.com/goods/090210122950.html
info@loveandlavender.com
http://www.loveandlavender.com/?s=sola
lunaandchloe@yahoo.com
http://www.lunaandchloeweddings.com/2010_03_01_archive.html
mackensleydesigns@gmail.com
http://mackensleydesigns.blogspot.com/
http://www1.macys.com/catalog/product/index.ognc?ID=514144&CategoryID=55974#fn=sp%3D1%
26spc%3D180
jessa@madebyjessa.com
http://www.etsy.com/listing/62573827/napkin-rings-set-of-6-made-with-burlap?ref=sr_list_8&ga_
search_query=thanksgiving+napkins&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=&order=&includes[0]=ta
gs&includes[1]=title&filter[0]=handmade
India
Madhu flowers
tulika@cal.vsnl
99-33-465 5811
http://www.madhuflowers.com/flowers1.htm
China
Manufacturer
service@manufacturer.com
0571-8893-8435
www.manufacturer.com
Japan
Mederuno
info@mederuno.com
Melody Craft Gifts Co., Ltd. Manufacturer, Supplier
Canada
178
http://www.johnlewis.com/Search/Search.aspx?SearchTerm=sola
Merchants World Wide
merchants@rogers.com
http://mederuno.com/SHOP/243997/list.html
886-0258807771
http://www.tootoo.com/d-cps12655805-1-Melody_Craft_Gifts_Co_Ltd/
905-670-4321
http://www.merchantsworldwide.ca/search.asp?keyword=sola&search.x=16&search.y=21
Country Resource
US
Morgann Hill Designs
UK
Morjarias Toys & Gifts
Japan
Naver (blog.naver.com)
USA
New Life Companies
India
Noorana Exports
Type
Email
Phone
morgannhill@gmail.com
Internet link
http://morgannhilldesigns.blogspot.com/2010/09/personalized-flower-girl-basket_9013.html
0870 333 6898
Blog
http://toysgifts.biz/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=123_135&products_id=3611
http://blog.naver.com/PostView.nhn?blogId=seory7&logNo=10094710200
MorgannHill@gmail.com
760-630-4488
http://newlifecompanies.com/Personalized-Flower-Girl-Basket-With-Sola-Paper-Flowers-MHD1433.
htm
91-9500403371
http://www.indiamart.com/nooranaexports-coimbatore/decorative-dried-flowers.html
info@notonthehighstreet.com
0845 259 1359
http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/home-garden/living-decorating/interior-accessories/silk-paperflowers
info@obsays.com
610.558.4855
http://www.obsays.com/product-newlook.asp?m=3&c=mixed/interior%20design&l=i
omimpex@vsnl.net, swati.omimpex@vsnl.net
99038-89312
http://www.omimpexindia.com
http://www.outstandingdm.com/
Notions N Things
UK
Notonthehighstreet.com
USA
O’B Says
China
Ok Ok China
India
Om Impex India
China
Outstanding Design &
Manufacture Co., Ltd.
86-02151698303
India
Pargel Fauna Exports (Pvt.)
Ltd.
033-22904439,
65348503
Pearlessence
800.648.5153
http://www.pearlessence.com/default.htm
India
Petals Concept
91-33-22432154
www.petalsconcept.com, http://www.tootoo.com/d-cps986801-1-Petals_Concept/
India
Radharam Sohanlal Pvt.
Ltd.
91-33-22722419
http://www.esuppliersindia.com/radharam-sohanlal-pvt-ltd-/sola-flowers-pr572881-sFP-swf.html
Japan
Rakuten, Inc.
India
Ramesh Flowers Pvt. Ltd.
India
R. B. International
India
R. P. Tiwary & Co.
Japan
Sanwa Trading Co. Ltd.
Online shopping
India
S B Enterprise
Exporter
Thailand
Australia
Scent 2 u
Thailand
Siam Quality Industries
Company Limited (Brand
MELLOW)
Blog-wedding
http://www.okokchina.com/p/Fresh-Flowers/Dried-Flower-87048.html
http://en.item.rakuten.com/auc-jolly-heart/sora8/
sales@rameshflowers.com
91-461-2340505
http://www.rameshflowers.com/products.php
91-653-23192
http://www.maxyellowpages.com/indian_manufacturers_exporters/flowers_floriculture_and_dried_
flowers/index.php?s=1&rec=50&page=3
info@sanwatrading.jp, info@
sanwatradinginc.co.jp
03-5833-2320
http://www.sanwatrading.jp/shopping/?brd=1176711012-214629
indryflowers@vsnl.net
91-33-2242
6547
http://www.indiandryflowers.com/index.html
http://scent2u.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=71&zenid=n4hiq52ujr
bsvgvdeoa4trur47
candles@sqigroup.com, artscrafts@
sqigroup.com
(662) 582-2009
www.sqigroup.com
179
Country Resource
Type
Email
Phone
Internet link
Thailand
SQI group (Siam Quality Industries Company
Limited)
China
Shanghai Ailsa Crafts &
Gifts Co., Ltd.
86-02113671618556
http://www.ailsacarft.com
China
Shanghai fine-v life style
Co. Ltd.
86-02154862773
www.fv-lifestyle.com, http://www.tradekey.com/product_view/id/1640279.htm
China
Shanghai Jieyute Trade
Co., Ltd.
86-02137693670
http://otchomedeco.en.alibaba.com/
Japan
Shikki
UK
Shopperhive Ltd.
UAE
Shoumiaslam
USA
Simply Pretty Wedding
India
Singhvi International
USA
Soap daily news
USA
Solutions
USA
Stacy K Floral
USA
Style feeder
USA
Sugar and Charm (Blog)
Australia
http://www.sqigroup.com/home_fragrance_oil.html
Trading
http://item.rakuten.co.jp/kururi-poche/aroma-hd1/#aroma-hd1
Online
http://shoumiaslam.blogspot.com/2011/05/sola-flower.html
Blog
simpleprettywedding@gmail.com
singhvi_intl@eth.net, singhvi_intl@
vsnl.net, singhvi@cal.vsnl.net.in
http://simplyprettywedding.blogspot.com/2010/06/recommendation.html
033-24750866
http://www.singhviflowers.com/
http://www.soapdelinews.com/2010_11_01_archive.html
Blog
http://www.solutions.com/jump.jsp?itemID=16512&itemType=PRODUCT
stacy@stacykfloral.com
585-244-1414
http://www.stacykfloral.com/blog2/tag/weekly-floral/
info@stylefeeder.com, For partnership : shergul@stylefeeder.com
617-500-4101
http://www.stylefeeder.com/i/xq0vsjhk/Pomeroy-Diffuser-Dahlia-Sola-Flower
eden@sugarandcharm.com
http://www.sugarandcharmblog.com/2010_11_01_archive.html
info@sweetscents.com.au
03 5149 7288
http://sales.sweetscents.com.au/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=69
nattha@tcie.com , nattha2@hotmail.
com
66-54-382778
http://tcie.com/sola_flowers/
Texon Exotic International
91-33-23451530
http://www.esuppliersindia.com/texon-exotic-international/decorative-sola-handmade-flowers-sticks-pr524463-sCATALOG-swf.html
Thailand
ThaiHandicraft
66-87-0724111
www.thaihandicraft.net
Thailand
Thai trade fair
USA
The Soil & Sea
kristi@thesoilandsea.com
949.873.2149
http://www.thesoilandsea.com/
China
Tootoo (Ninetowns Internet
Technology Group Company Ltd.)
service.tootoo@gmail.com
4006-160-186
http://www.tootoo.com/buy-sola_flower/
India
Thailand
India
180
Sweetscents
1-800-342-9988
Tara Maa Dry Flower
Manufacturer and
supplier
TCIE Ltd.
B2B
Country Resource
Type
Email
Phone
Trademart.in
B2B
info@trademart.in, sales@trademart.
in
91-120-4729550
Tradenote
B2B
India
Tristarr Hortitech
Exporter
priyashankar@tristarr.net , merchandiser1@tristarr.net , sales@tristarr.
net
91-462-2335503
http://www.tristarr.net/decorative-bunch.html#grass-bunch
India
Tropicana Exports
Exporter/
Manufacturer
91-33-22802693
http://www.tradeindia.com/Seller-2184293-TROPICANA-EXPORTS/
India
Turnkey International Co.
91-33-25343372
http://www.esuppliersindia.com/turnkey-groups-india-/artificial-sola-flowers-pr466953-sFP-swf.html
India
Tuugo.in
India
UK
B2B
support@tuugo.in, legal@tuugo.in
Internet link
http://www.tuugo.in/
UK Stockists
http://www.ukstockists.co.uk/cheap/sola-flower
India
Vacchi International (P) Ltd.
vaachi@vsnl.net , sales@vaachi.
com, shankar@vacchi.com
India
VAC Exim Private Limited
India
Vanam Orchids
Thailand
Vivianpotpourri
Trading
China
Wellness Group Co.,Ltd.
Trading
USA
Weddingbee (eHarmony,
Inc.)
Blog
India
Exporter
info@orchidsasia.com
91-33-2219
0429
http://vaachi.com/product6.htm
91-33-22205545
http://www.theindianbusiness.com/get/indian-companies/suppliers-directory/arts-and-crafts/flowersfloriculture-and-dried-flowers/vac-exim-private-limited.htm
(0422)-2443170
http://www.orchidsasia.com/driedelement005.htm
662-9462035
http://www.vivianpotpourri.com, http://www.hiwtc.com/company/1344375/
bee@weddingbee.com, lovebug@
weddingbee.com, blueberry@weddingbee.com
http://www.weddingbee.com/, http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/flower-inspiration-1
World Dried Flowers
(WDF)
abhishek@driedflowerswdf.com
http://www.driedflowerswdf.com/eng/solaflowers.html, http://www.esuppliersindia.com/world-driedflowers/sola-flowers-on-ting-pr443423-sFP-swf.html
USA
Wreaths for Door
Lkarras@landmglobalenterprises.
com
Japan
Xuite
Blog
India
Yahoo! India Pvt. Ltd (Yahoo Local)
B2B
UK
Yatris Home and Gift
(YHAG)
1-888-838-2109
http://www.wreathsfordoor.com/servlet/the-Silk-Wreaths/Categories
http://blog.xuite.net/bethelhone/teatime/37992391
http://www.yatrishomeandgift.co.uk/, http://www.notonthehighstreet.com/yatrishomeandgift
181
Shola is sometimes called
the fire of love. Flowers
and decoratives made from
its wood are used during
all important 'love' occasions- love for man as well
as God. The irony is that
those who sustain this fire
of love, the craftsmen, are
in dire straits. This report
aims to understand their
situation and find ways to
better their lot, keeping in
mind the market realities
along with traditions.
www.designclinicsmsme.org
182
SHOLAPITH FLOWER MAKING CLUSTER, 20/12/2011 to
DESIGN CLINIC WORKSHOP SCHEDULE: 24/12/ 2011
PRESENTATION / NATURE OF WORK
TIME
Day 20th December (Tuesday), 2011 {For
1
Association/NGO & Unit Owners}
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Welcome address by - Mr. B. S. Kayal and Mr.
Ashok Mondal
Presentation on Sholapith flower Cluster
"Interactive Design & Need Assessment Study" by
- Mr. Saurabh Kumar
Question & Answer Session
Various Government Scheme for MSME,
Presentation by MSME
Lunch Break
Presentation on 'Design Thinking' by –
Mr. Saurabh Kumar
Question-Answer & Discussion
Tea / Snacks Break
Presentation on Design Process 'Some Design
Projects Discussion' by – Mr. Saurabh Kumar
10:00 to 10:45 am
10:45 to 11:45 am
11:45 to 12:00 pm
12:00 to 12:30 pm
12:30 to 02:00 pm
02:00 to 03:00 pm
03:00 to 03:30 pm
03:30 to 04:00 pm
04:00 to 05:00 pm
05:00 to 05:30 pm
Day 21st December (Wednesday), 2011 {For Unit
2
Owners}
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Export market scenario and business processes by
– Mr. Saurabh Kumar
Presentation & Discussion on 'Product Marketing'
by – Mr. Saurabh Kumar
Lunch Break
One to One Interaction & Practical Works by –
Mr. Saurabh Kumar
Tea / Snacks Break
One to One Interaction & Practical Works by –
Mr. Saurabh Kumar
10:00 to 11:15 am
11:15 to 12:15 pm
12:15 to 12:30 pm
12:30 to 02:00 pm
02:00: to 03:30 pm
03:30 to 04:00 pm
04:00 to 05:30 pm
Day 22nd December (Thursday), 2011
3
{Representative from the Registered Unit}
1
Presentation & Discussion on 'Communication
Design' by Mr. Saurabh Kumar
10:00 to 11:00 pm
2
3
4
5
6
Presentation by - Mr. Saurabh Kumar,
Contemporary Scenario of Sholapith flowers
Lunch Break
One to One Interaction & Practical Works by Mr. Saurabh Kumar
Tea / Snacks Break
11.00 to 12:30 pm
12:30 to 02:00 pm
02:00 to 03:30 pm
03:30 to 04:00 pm
04:00 to 05:30 pm
Day 23rd December (Friday), 2011
4
{Representative from the Registered Unit}
1
2
3
4
5
One to One Interaction & Practical Works by Mr. Saurabh Kumar and Ms. Nidhi Agarwal
Lunch Break
Tea / Snacks Break
10:00 to 12:30 pm
12:30 to 02:00 pm
02:00 to 03:30 pm
03:30 to 04:00 pm
04:00 to 05:30 pm
Day 24nd December (Saturday), 2011 {For
5
Association / NGO & Unit's Owners}
1
2
3
Presentation - case - studies - example discussion by – Ms. Nidhi Agarwal
Benefit of Design for MSME units by - Mr. Sudev
Mandal
Concluding Session, feedback, Suggestion and
future direction of the cluster
10:00 to 11:00 pm
11:00 to 12:00 pm
12:00 to 2:00 pm
Note: Time limit for each unit for one to one
discussion is 45 Minutes
Sr.
no.
Member speakers
Total Days
1
2
3
Mr. B. S. Kayal
Mr. Saurabh Kumar (Design consultant)
Ms. Nidhi Agarwal, Guest (Indian handicraft
exporter)
Mr. Ashok Mondal (DCS, East Zone)
Mr. Somen Ghosh (DCS, East Zone)
Mr. Sudev Mandal (DCS, East Zone)
5
5
3
5
6
7
5
5
5
Activities during five days (20th,Dec to 24th,Dec,2011)
Design Clinic Workshop and a short report
Date: 20th December 2011
1. At the outset Mr. Bimalendu Sekhar Kayal, Managing Director of
M/S. Bengal Women Welfare Association (BWWA) welcomed the
participants and introduced Guest Speaker, Design Experts and
other invited guests in the opening ceremony of Design Clinic
Workshop for Sholapith cluster.
2. The flower bouquets were presented to Dr. Sandeep Ghosh, Ex
CGM, NABARD; Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Design consultant; Mr.
Soumen Ghosh, Coordinator at east zone Regional centre of DCS,
NID and Mr. Sudev Mandal, Designer at Regional Centre of DCS,
NID by Mr. Bimalendu Sekhar Kayal, M/S. Bengal Women Welfare
Association (BWWA) and Sholapith unit members.
3. Then the seminar were inaugurated by Dr. Sandeep Ghosh
(Invited Guest Speaker), Mr. Bimalendu Sekhar Kayal, Mr.
Saurabh Kumar (Invited Design Consultant), Mr. Soumen Ghosh
and Mr. Sudev Mandal through lighting the inaugural candle.
4. Mr. Bimalendu Sekhar Kayal in his address delivered brief
information about workshop schedule and activities for the next five
days. Also he appealed the Sholapith cluster to take part with their
full presence in the deliberation of the design experts to make the
programme success. He also promoted the scheme enthusiastic
for taking it further as an initiative.
5. Mr. Soumen Ghosh, coordinator - East zone, DCS, NID delivered
detail speech on 2nd & 3rd phase DCS benefits with the MSME
participants engaged in Sholapith craft.
6. Presentation and Discussion upon the report of Sholapith ClusterInteractive Design & Need Assessment Study titled 'Flower of the
Wood' by design consultant & expert- Mr. Saurabh Kumar.
7. Presentation on 'design thinking and some design projects
discussion by- Mr. Saurabh Kumar.
Date: 21st December 2011
8. Presentation & Discussion by- Mr. Saurabh Kumar on 'product
marketing'.
9. One to one interaction on practical works by Mr. Saurabh Kumar
(one hour for each unit).
10. Presentation & discussion by Mr. Saurabh Kumar on 'export
market scenario and business processes.
Date: 22nd December 2011
11. Presentation & Discussion on 'Communication Design' by Mr.
Saurabh Kumar.
12.Presentation by - Mr. Saurabh Kumar, Contemporary Scenario of
Sholapith flowers.
12. One to One Interaction & Practical Works by- Mr. Saurabh Kumar
Date: 23rd December 2011
13. One to One Interaction & Practical Works by- Mr. Saurabh Kumar.
The Sholapith members were divided into group of five members each
and were briefed about the design processes and development
techniques. Each group was given a product category such as
apparel accessories, Christmas decorative items, bouquets and
wreaths, lampshades, fragrance diffuser and potpourri, wedding
decorative items, hanging items, lifestyle products for home, offices
and hotels. The aim was to engage the unit members with practical
work experience with the help of live project examples.
Date: 24th December 2011
15. Presentation – case studies - example - discussion by- Mr.
Saurabh Kumar.
16. ‘Benefit of Design for MSME units’ by- Mr. Sudev Mandal and Mr.
Saurabh Kumar.
17. Concluding Session, 'feedback, suggestion and future direction of
the Sholapith Cluster'.
Registration/List and details of participants for the
Sholapith cluster design clinic workshop:
Sr.
no.
1
NAME
2
Arun Halder
3
Basudeb Halder Halder Dry
Flowers
4
Bhishmadeb
Halder
Lakshminarayan
Sola Bhandar
5
Biswanath
Gayen
Mayarani Sola
Shilpalaya
6
Buddhadeb
Naskar
Buddhadeb
Naskar
7
Chandrasekhar
Halder
A. R. Sola
Enterprise
8
Chinibas Mistry
Tripura Sola
Works
9
Debashish
Sardar
Maa Kali
Handicrafts
10
Debu Gayen
Om Dry Flowers
11
Jayanta Gayen
Radhakrishna
Sola Supply
12
Kalidas Naskar
Kalidas Naskar
Arjun Paik
COMPANY
NAME
Paik Enterprise
Shanti Dry
Flowers
COMPANY ADDRESS
Ratneshwarpur, Mandirbazar block,
24-Parganas (South), Pin: 743395,
West Bengal
Maheshpur, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Bengal
Bazarberia, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Bengal
Bengal
Jafarpur, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Bengal
Gokulnagar, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Mokhimpur, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Pukuria, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Bengal
13
Kalipada
Mondal
14
15
Madhai Baidya
Pradip Sardar
16
Prashanta
Gayen
17
Prashant Kumar Halder Sola
Halder
Supply
18
19
Ruhit Gayen
Sanat Halder
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
Baba Loknath
Sola Products
Bengal
Baba
Bishwakarma
Sola Products
Radha Krishna
Sola Supply
Bengal
Pukuria, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Motilal, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Maa Kali Sola
Flower
Bengal
Satibrata Halder Maa Tara
Bazarberia, Mandirbazar block, 24Enterprise
Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Satyaranjan
Maa
Bazarberia, Mandirbazar block, 24Halder
Mangalchandal
Sola Bhandar
Bengal
Subhash Halder Maa Monasa
Maheshpur, Mandirbazar block, 24Sola Products
Bengal
Sudeb Purkait
Subed Purkait
Gokulnagar, Mandirbazar block, 24Dry Flower
Bengal
Sushanta
Radhakrishna
Pukuria, Mandirbazar block, 24Gayen
Sola Supplier
Bengal
Tapan Halder
Tapti Dry Flowers Bazarberia, Mandirbazar block, 24Parganas (South), Pin: 743395, West
Bengal
Tapan Kumar
Tapan Kumar
Pukuria, Mandirbazar block, 24Halder
Halder Dry
Flower
Bengal
Tarun Halder
Tarun Sola and
Haattala, Mandirbazar block, 24Dry Flowers
Bengal
Details/ profile of speakers and topics/practical exercises covered:
1. Dr. Sandeep Ghosh
M.Sc in Agril, Ph.D , Ex CGM, NABARD having vast experience in
rural development and different Govt. sponsored program related
to weaker section of the rural community in India.
> Topics covered at the Design Clinic Workshop for Sholapith
cluster are as following
- Innovation: Business and entrepreneurship
- Institutional collaborations for cooperation and coordination
- Need to institutionalize small entrepreneurship as producer
companies
- About NABARD and it's assistance
- Examples of projects assisted by NABARD
2. Saurabh Kumar
Chief Strategy Officer, Designhumon Consultancy Services, Ahmedabad
> Educational qualification
- Executive post-graduate diploma in International Business, IIFT,
New Delhi (2011-12)
- Masters in Strategic Design Management, NID, Ahmedabad
(2007-09)
- Masters in Strategic Design, Politechnico di Milano, Milan (2008)
- Graduate diploma in Lifestyle Accessory Design, NIFT, New
Delhi (2000-03)
> Work experience
- Chief Strategy Officer, Designhumon Consultancy Services,
Ahmedabad (2010-present)
- Strategist, DMA Yellow Works, Mumbai (2010)
- Design Manager, Lumium Innovations, Ahmedabad (2010)
- Senior Design Engineer, Automotive Design, TATA Elxsi,
Bangalore (2006-07)
- Senior Designer, Two-wheelers division, Honda Research and
Development, Gurgaon (2004-06)
- Senior Designer, Jayanita Exports, New Delhi (2003)
Topics and practical exercises covered at the Design Clinic
Workshop for Sholapith cluster
> Topics covered are as following:
- Discussion on the findings and recommendations of the 'Need
Assessment Survey' report
- Design and its evolution
- Why design: it's roles and responsibilities
- Design for socio-business
- Business strategy
- Domestic and international market scenario
- User, usage and usability
- Design for function and aesthetics
- Design approach and methodology
- Some design project discussion - product and branding projects
- Handmade design and development
- Design for Indian and foreign markets
- Design research - user, market and technology
- Design conceptualization and creation
- Mock-ups and prototyping
- Design documentation
- Product marketing and communication design
- Labeling and packaging design
- Contemporary scenario of sholapith flowers
- Domestic market scenario and business processes
- Export market scenario and business processes
- Product lifecycle and sustainability
- Design and environment
- Design and community
> The practical work aims at creating awareness for new product
development for international market and domestic market. The
unit members were divided into groups of four and assigned
different product areas. The product categories chosen were
apparel accessories, christmas decorative items, bouquets and
wreaths, lampshades, fragrance diffuser and potpourri, wedding
decorative items, hanging items, lifestyle products for home,
offices, hotels, etc., everyday decorative items for shops, home,
offices, hotels, etc. and packaging.
Photographs on workshop:
Feed back form (22 nos.)
Name of the Association members/Contact person associated with the Organization of
Workshop
Sr
No
Name of the Participants
Address
Contact no.
1
Mr. B.S.Kayal
MD. BWWA
9433051510
2
Mr. D.Purkait
Director, BWWA
9732923670
3
Mr. A.K.Maity
Exe. Office, BWWA
9830194450
4
Mr. P.Sikdar
Exe. Office, BWWA
5
Mr. M.K.Das
AFC (Guest)
6
Mr. Sandip Ghosh
AFC (Guest)
7
Mr. P.K.Chakraborty
Staff BWWA
8
Mr. B.Santara
Staff BWWA
9
Mr. D.Naskar
Staff BWWA
10
Mr. M.Mondal
Staff BWWA
11
Mr. P.Naskar
Staff BWWA
12
Mr. S.Middey
Staff BWWA
13
Mr. B.Majumder
Staff BWWA
14
Mr. R.Kayal
Staff BWWA
15
Mr. B.Mondal
Staff BWWA
16
Mr. B.Mazumder
Staff BWWA
17
Mr. S.Middey
Staff BWWA
18
Mr. P.Bhowmick
Staff BWWA
19
Mr. R.Naiya
Staff BWWA
20
Mr. C.S.Bhattacharya
Staff BWWA
21
Mr. S.Das
Staff BWWA
22
Mr. S.Naiya
Staff BWWA
23
Mr. S.Kar
24
Mr. T.Saha
Driver
25
Mr. S.Khan
Driver
Projector Operator
Opportunity areas, remedial design solutions & design project:
The existing products of the unit are currently serves as a mass
production of running items which only fulfil the exporters demand
(international market). The domestic market has not been explored by
the units.
The proposed design intervention will provide the relevant inputs to
transform this conceptual prototype into a cost effective and popular
product both in domestic and international market. The design
intervention will specifically address the technical, functional, ergonomic
& aesthetic aspects of the product and upgrade the current fabrication
methods into a standardised production process.
There is an urgent need for the design projects which will lead to
innovative and multipurpose Shola decorative as well as functional items,
which will create a unique market segment & identity for the units
engaged in.
7
Design consultant shall be starting the project with design research,
attempt to understand the market, market segment, new product line,
competing products, context of use, ergonomic issues, environmental
issues etc. This stage will also have a presentation showcasing the form
trends and possible directions to be taken during ideation.
The ideation phase that follows the research phase shall focus on first
defining a functional direction that is aesthetically pleasing, relevant for
the product category and production friendly. The design directions shall
also be influenced by the overall size specifications and design. This is
an iterative process and shall be made more effective by leveraging
concepts from the team of designers through design consultant.
With the initial design direction frozen, design consultant shall venture
into the Industrial design phase of the project. There are expected to be
iterations moving between the Industrial design and Ideation phases
considering there would be overlaps and also parallel processing
required. During this phase, design consultant shall prepare threedimensional model options of the direction as necessary. Design
consultant shall prepare a mock-up of the concepts to allow for physical
look and feel and proportion check of the selected concept along with the
digital renders.
Design consultant shall do the detailing on the product, process detailing
and move into the technical phase. The task at this stage would be to
complete the technical drawings, do the component and material
selection, organize the final layout of components, do the technical
reviews and finalize the drawings. The prototype will follow and based on
the learning’s from the prototype, the drawings shall be finalized. To
make the designs mass production friendly the design consultant should
work closely with the unit members and define & document the process
for the same.
The proposed innovative Sholapith items would be targeted both to
domestic as well as international customers.
Final design projects:
The proposed design projects aims at new product development for
international market and domestic market. The product categories
chosen were apparel accessories, Christmas decorative items, bouquets
and wreaths, lampshades, fragrance diffuser and potpourri, wedding
decorative items, hanging items, lifestyle products for home, offices,
hotels, etc., everyday decorative items for shops, home, offices, hotels,
etc. and packaging. Each product category can lead to individual projects
involving the design processes from concept to customer. The ten
product categories/projects are mentioned as following:
Project one: Design and develop a range of apparel accessories
Project two: Design and develop a range of Christmas decorative
items
Project three: Design and develop a range of innovative
bouquets and wreaths
Project four: Design and develop a range of lampshades
Project five: Design and develop a range of fragrance diffuser
and potpourri
Project six: Design and develop a range of wedding decorative
items
Project seven: Design and develop a range of decorative
hanging items
Project eight: Design and develop a range of lifestyle products
for home, offices, hotels, etc.
Project nine: Design and develop a range of everyday decorative
items for shops, home, offices, hotels, etc.
Project ten: Design and develop a range of packaging

flower of the wood - Design Clinic Scheme

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