Nawada. The lighting of lamps during the festival season not only removes darkness at night, but it also brings new employment opportunities to the people. Many artisans associated with the festival take advantage of the available market by creating different products through their art. In the era of modernity, the demand for hand made products is decreasing. Despite this, there has been some awareness among people about local products. The convenience of online shopping has caused huge losses in the local market. But this is what online shopping requires, it has also brought to us such products, which till now were limited to only some areas.
Effort to create vocal to promote local products
Along with promoting art, we should also become vocal in promoting local products for economic strength. Bouquets made from plastic and other colored papers locally. Local level artists make attractive Bandanwar for decorating houses from bamboo, Gharaunda for puja, attractive photo framing decorative items for decorating houses etc. The products made in the district are being sold in abundance on the streets these days. Many nomadic families from Gorakhpur region of Uttar Pradesh have also come to sell their products in the district market and the bouquets made by them are being liked a lot.
Employment opportunities are available
Festivals like Diwali, Chhath provide new employment opportunities. Goddess Lakshmi, the goddess of wealth, also opens new doors of employment for people on her arrival. After the lockdown, the effect of recession is spread all around. At such a time, with the beginning of the festival season, many new employment opportunities have become available among the people. Especially at the time of Diwali, artistic prosperity increases among the people and many new work opportunities also emerge. Coming out of the recession, the crowd of customers for sales in shops increases. Many artists get a source of income by showing their art only during Diwali. During Diwali Puja, people are liking the Gharaundas, toy-like earthen pots, bouquets made of paper and plastic, bandanwar made of bamboo and other papers etc. which are worshiped by the daughters of the house.
Encourage purchasing of local products
The slogan of Vocal for Local has been given by the Prime Minister. Appealing to promote local products, people have been appealed to use the products around them as much as possible. The appeal to light earthen lamps on Diwali is now visible even in the modern advertisements of many companies. To encourage local arts, they should get fair prices in the market. Many efforts are also being made to improve the quality of online products so that they can be sold at other places. Many people are also being inspired to make different local products through Jeevika and other voluntary organizations.
People prepare for the festival
The products made on Diwali also reflect the expectations and aspirations of most of the families throughout the year. For this festival of lights, making Gharaunda, clay toys, lamps, decorative items, ledgers etc. is started months in advance. Most of the women and girls of the house play their role in these works. Making housewares, earthen pots, vases, ledgers, photo framing etc. requires skilled hands. These workers get work during festivals. The specialty of the Indian social system is that the importance and usefulness of every section of the society remains intact. Certainly, art gets its work in the markets only during puja. Many other types of art are being seen at this time.
What do the shopkeepers say?
These days, bouquets made of paper and plastic are sold in abundance. Our family basically lives in Uttar Pradesh, but during the festival season, we stay in Nawada for last many years for three to four months and work in making bouquets and selling them. Apart from mother and father, everyone in the house is involved in making and selling bouquets. It is sold a lot during Diwali season.
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Mohammad Sohail, bouquet seller
At present the demand for clay toys remains only during Diwali. Clay toys bring children closer to nature. After spreading awareness among the people, apart from earthen lamps, no other product shows significant increase in sales. In the city, the sales people get some work throughout the year, but even today, it is difficult for the mill operators in the villages to meet their expenses for the whole year.
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Rakesh Pandit, sculptor
By mixing bamboo with paper and other things, bandanwar and other products are made to decorate homes. Apart from this, soups, daura etc. used in Chhath Puja are also made by local artists. Apart from the family members, we also bring the products made from Hisua and other places and sell them.
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Sachin Kumar, bamboo products seller