LUCKNOW(PTI): Their traditional vocation lost, the 12,000 poverty-stricken Mallahas (fishermen, boatman) of Uttar Pradesh’s Sultanpur district depend heavily on weaving “bagn” (twine) out of local wild grass “Moonj” that grows on the banks of their lifeline  the river Gomti.

However working day and night the artisans, on an average, earn a meagre five rupees a day or on occasions a little more.

The Mallah families in the good old days started preparing “baan’ from the local Moonj grass, apart from plying boats and catching fish,

They used to build their huts with thatch or sarpat of which a major component is Moon).

The other part of moon) the sarkanda was often used for erecting walls of the huts, and the fibreportion was used for preparing baan (twine) and sold in the focal market since times immemorial.

“Baan” is extensively used in mal weaving and several fancy goods like foot mats, bags, wall hangings and ladies purses.

In the absence of proper training and marketing facilities and with the increased exploitation by middlemen, the Mallah community continues to suffer badly despite the fact the baan or moonj of Sultanpur is in great demand in many states including Uttar Pradesh.

Today many men from the community are gradually shifting to rickshaw pulling to supplement their income while the women continue with the age old tradition of baan weaving.

Children at a tender age help their mothers by selling the baan products in the local market.

There have been some attempts by the all India Khadi and Village Industries Commission (AIK VIC), commercial banks and the district administration to develop it as a collage industry.

Despite lakhs of rupees having been pumped in the name of training programs, installation of machines and the marketing facilities their success is elusive.

Uttar Pradesh Khadiand village industries board a few years ago installed over 300 “pedal operated machines” for twisting of baan in Shukul Bazar, Jagdishpur, Musafirkhana and jamoblocks, Now only 100 machines are in operation,

Besides, the officials engaged in the program admit the traditional method of making baan by palm or charkhi produces goods of better quality than that by specially designed machines.

Officials also admit that the ongoing training programs are of too short a duration. The training program should also be more comprehensive so as to instill in the artisans not only weaving skills but also self-confidence, so as to market their products profitably.

The marketing facilities are to be centralized to ensure that every artisan gets his due share, officials feel.

According to officials, the different agencies and the lead commercial banks should be brought together at the common platform to work out a strategy fora common goal up-liftmen of Mallah community socially and economically.

Article extracted from this publication >>  June 11, 1993