Panja daris lose space as demand declines

Once 300 families engaged in this small scale industry. These settled their shops in the Hajipur Mohalla of Sironj.

"Inflation, frequent power cuts, increasing input cost and dwindling orders from the government-owned Hastshilp Vikas Nigam (Handicrafts Development Corporation) and MP Khadi Bhandar (State Khadi and Gramodyog Board) landed us in a spot 10 years ago.

Competition from synthetic carpet markers has aggravated our problems. We can only sell daris in nearby rural areas, where there are few buyers," says Abdul Gaffar, a panja dari maker, whose forefathers settled in Sironj 200 years ago from Farukkhabad (Uttar Pradesh). He says he has to pay power dues of Rs 60,000 for a single point connection.

A cooperative society with 200 members of Sironj Panja dari makers was dissolved 15 years ago and the craftsmen have no voice. Most of the panja dari makers are now unemployed.

Cotton prices have gone up from Rs 65 for four-and-a-half kg to Rs 175, needed for making a dari. A dari also requires at least two persons two days to design.

"Once there was no problem for our business, we were paid at Rs 13 per sq ft for 8X10 sq ft or 10X15 sq ft daris in bulk orders from MP Khadi Board. Now there are no government buyers," says Rafeeq Khan, another dari maker, who works as a daily wage labourer to survive.

Hajipur Mohalla once produced 400-500 daris a day and exported them to Pakistan and the US, on orders from Bombay and New Delhi. Now it produces 15-20 daris a day. "Barring the previous chief minister Digvijay Singh, no one has taken an interest in promoting our business and art," says Kale Khan ,another dari maker, whose business is almost finished.

Madhya Pradesh Khadi Board officials were unavailable. MA Khan, secretary, rural industries, said that some orders for Panja daris would be given as soon as possible.