When a livelihood dies a way of life vanishes; and the language too is diminished.
Cho Dharman
But if you can create an honorable livelihood, where you take your skills and use them and you earn a living from it, it gives you a sense of freedom and allows you to balance your life the way you want.
Anita Roddick
It’s been more than a year. The horrendous corona has been galloping away with a vengeance, scorching millions of clueless victims and destroying several livelihoods that have vanished through the aerosol loaded atmosphere.
Lives and livelihoods are parallel forces that are mutually sustained. To choose one over the other is nearly impossible. There is no life without livelihood; livelihoods die without any patronage by life.
However, it’s not the Corona that is bothering us now. Let’s backtrack to the era of BC {Before Corona).
I recently read the book ‘’NINE RUPEES AN HOUR’’, a brilliant and disturbing documentation of lives and livelihoods of rural India where well over 60% of our population lives. It’s about people – specially skilled and self-employed men and women who arduously strive to preserve the traditional livelihoods that are gradually losing sheen due to diminishing workforce and waning patronage.
The book has been authored by Aparna Karthikeyan, an independent journalist with a high degree of sensitivity towards people-centric issues; especially those who are marginalised and pushed against the wall due to rapid industrialisation and urbanisation in the state.
The book is all about the fading livelihoods that add a lot of value to our lives, which we hardly recognise. It’s about those warriors who wage a losing battle in an unkind war zone that is totally unfamiliar to us. Simply put, it’s about the ways of life and work which do not interest us inspite of our dependence on them.
An engaging story teller that she is, Aparna Karthikeyan makes us sit and listen to her engrossing stories – ‘’stories of everyday people who do extraordinary things to earn a living’’ – stories about the champions of the rural landscape who struggle to keep their traditional livelihoods alive.
Aparna Karthikeyan takes you to a very different milieu – to the sun scorched villages where mere existence itself is challenging. And she introduces ten of her protagonists through whom she unveils a panoramic scenario of how lives and livelihoods in the rural landscape could constantly face threats from not just nature but also humans in the form of social discrimination. These predacious and disruptive elements snuff out the aspirations of over two thirds of the country’s population.
In these villages the caste divides are sharply and acutely felt. The poor get poorer by the day. Also here is where the highly skilled workmen take pride in their creations despite the agonising knowledge that whatever craft they pursue or skill they display, will not last beyond their lifetime.
Hereditary skills passed on from one generation to another might not thrive anymore as the younger generation is reluctant to take over the reins from their parents as these livelihoods are neither viable financially nor respectable socially.
Perhaps, for the first time, most of us – the city bred, get a true perspective of life and occupation of our fellow citizens who toil with dignity to uphold a tradition that is fast eroding. Watching from the other end of the spectrum, it doesn’t take much time for us to realise that their lives are much different from the ones that we lead in mega cities.
Fighting shy of being being didactic, the author drives home the fact that if we lead contented and peaceful lives it is because of the faceless farmers and craftsmen who strive to preserve the culture of the state in a dignified manner.
Aparna Karthikeyan fleshes out real life characters and taps their minds and hearts to recall and recount their joys, pride, disappointments and mounting concerns about the future of their livelihood. And of course, the inevitable question as to who will take forward their legacy remains an open one.
Come let’s just have a peep into their lives and livelihoods!
‘’Let Them Eat Rice’’
A farmer ‘’ who puts food on our plates’’, considers farming not just as a livelihood but as a way life. The tribe of honourable farmers is gradually dwindling, thanks to agrarian distress, especially frequent drought conditions. Podhumani, Jeyabal, Chandra, Poovayi – are all struggling farmers who share a special bond with the earth and constantly look up to the skies, praying for good rains. These small farmers tell you their story. We wonder whether we have let them down in a big way!
We are told that Indian economy is agriculture based with over 70% of the population dependent on it for their livelihood. But the extent of damage done to this agrarian fabric is appalling. Once full time farmers are now serving as stewards in restaurants; run bakeries; drive tractors to ferry construction materials; a few others have migrated to bigger towns to become swimming and physical training instructors. And quite a few of them commit suicide, unable to face the overwhelming challenges!
“Singaravelan; Fighting for the Bulls“
Singaravelan, the stud bull, handsome and hardy with a ‘’soaring hump’’ and ‘’sweeping horns’’, is a terror in the village. But it turns a meek buddy when Soundaram wraps her hands around it. Soundaram, who rears over half a dozen stud bulls, is passionate about the indigenous cattle. Her handsome bulls, treated like her sons, belong to the indigenous cattle breed Kangayam.
But the growing craze for exotic and crossbred cows that yield more milk and mechanisation of farming methods have kept the indigenous cattle out of favour. Cattle breeders tell us how the ban on Jallikattu and Rekla threatened the future of indigenous cattle. They are happy that the ban is revoked.
Sustaining the cattle ecosystem is a challenging task and people like spirited Soundaram are proudly supporting the cause. This narrative is a treasure house of information about different breeds of cattle and their breeders. And for those of us who always use the generic term ‘cow’ for all types of breeds, this story will be an eye-opener.
“Fifty Feet Above….“
Even as a 5 year old, Anthony Rayappan, from Rayappapuram village in Ramanathapuram district, was fascinated with the tall palm trees. The allure of the adventure, seeing his father swiftly scaling the towering tree, was so strong. As a little boy, he too climbed up and down the trees without a care. But then, as years rolled on, the adventure turned into a responsibility and a livelihood. He leased palm trees and became a full-time palm tree climber, while his wife boiled padhaneer until it became karupatti, a brown and hard traditional sweetener.
Palm tree climbing is a risky job, that involves frequent falls and fractures. The climbers are requesting for safety gears and hydraulic climbers to scale the trees. But, as of today, technological advancements have not touched this sector.
Apart from fighting for their security, palm tree climbers also protest constantly against indiscriminate chopping of the ancient trees. According to Tamil Nadu government statistics, 50% of the palm trees in the country are in the state. But in reality over a crore and a half trees have been felled already, threatening the livelihood of the climbers.
“Welding, Work and Worship“
At a pattarai opposite to the busy weekly market in Thiruppuvanam village, Chandrasekaran hammers a piece of iron that is already crimson with heat. Once again he heats the iron. Heating and hammering continues until a sickle appears – the famous Thiruppachetti sickle, the most sought after sickle that serves as an agricultural tool in the fields and also a preferred tool in kitchen.
Chandrasekaran dreams of the day when he would quit and settle down to a quiet life. Sickle making is not for his sons who are keen on a desk job and big companies. The risky hard labour in front of a furnace will end with him. Perhaps, his two assistants might take the task forward. PERHAPS!
“Thaka Thari Kita Thaka“
The story of Kali Veerapathiran from Kovalam, near Chennai, is a story of passion and triumph. Even as an eight year old youngster, Kali was fascinated by Bharatanatyam dance. The illustrious Kalakshetra opened its gates for him. Apart from Bharatanatyam, he also learnt various forms of folk dances in Tamil Nadu. When Kali came out of Kalakshetra, he was a fully bloomed dancer who excelled both in the classical and folk art forms.
Today after having established himself as an avid performer, Kali still feels the urge to learn and grow – “I have a fire in my belly, a burning desire to learn and grow. I want to be the best”. Being young, highly skilled and famous is a winning combination and that’s exactly what he wants – to conquer and succeed by performing both the classical and the folk art forms.
“The Man Who Drew Ten Thousand Designs“
The unique Kancheepuram weave that was awarded the geographical index tag , has been an integral part of this region for centuries. While 25 years ago the town was bristling with 70,000 weavers, in a matter of 25 years, the number of weavers dwindled to 36,521. Weavers like Krishnamoorthy and Veeraraghavan are proud of their creations in handlooms; however the introduction of power looms has changed the market for Kancheepuram silk.
The disillusioned weavers have turned salespersons in the silk showrooms in Kancheepuram and Chennai. And some have parted ways with weaving and moved on to a completely different zone to take up catering business. Some have become drivers and watchmen. This migration of highly skilled weavers to unskilled jobs has already signalled the gradual fall of the centuries old Kancheepuram weave.
“Making Wood Sing“
Narasingampettai in Thanjavur district is the home of Nadaswaram makers. Today, about four families are in the business of making nadaswaram. Working on the wood delicately, they ’make the wood sing’’. N.R. Selvaraj, son of the famous nadaswaram maker Ranganathan Achari, is now teaching the craft to his son.
Narasingampettai is also the home of the Thanjavur Veenai, which is the first musical instrument to get the GI tag. Grant of the GI has no significant impact on the sales front. Making a Veenai,with jack fruit wood is a difficult job. It demands rich skills and an ear for music.
What keeps echoing in our ears is the angst these master craftsman experience – that they do not get the recognition they deserve, while the musicians – nadaswaram and veena – get all the applause and recognition. Even the GI certification for Narasingampettai nadaswaram has not worked in their favour. This lack of recognition, respect and frugal monetary returns make the profession very unattractive to the younger generation.
“The Kuchaali And The Korai“
Pathamadai, a tiny village, in the Tirunelveli district is famous for Pathamadai ‘pai’, which decorates several houses in the state. Mat weaving is entirely the forte of women, especially Muslim women. The women struggle to keep alive this five-generations old tradition.
The mats are made from commercially cultivated korai; the superfine silk variety is made from wild korai which grows along the river Thamirabarani. Right from sourcing the raw material and weaving the exquisite mats, women work from morning to evening for a salary of “Nine Rupees An Hour” – less than a hundred rupees a day.
Social constraints make it difficult for these women to improve their business prospects through marketing. The GI tag too is not helping much. But the women are stoic and have tuned their minds to a positive frequency, constantly focussing on their business.
“Draupadi Plays a Final Game of Dice”
It’s already 10 pm and the crowd gathered at the well-lit open ground in Kancheepuram reverberates with the synchronised sound of the orchestra. Time for Kattaikkuttu or popularly known as Therukoothu, to begin. The performers step in one by one – their face heavily made-up and costumes shimmering in the dark. All through the night, the artists sing and dance as they recreate stories from the epics.
Therukoothu is a visually rich dance drama with song and dance sequences that make the entire show a true spectacle. P.Rajagopal, who runs a gurukulam in Kancheepuram for training in Kuttu, traces the origin of the art form back to four generations. The performance was initially dominated by men who also played the role of women, But attracted by the art form, young women like P.Thilagavathi and S.Tamilarasi stormed the male bastion and became popular.
With the performers belonging to very backward classes, Kattai Kuttu is not a socially respected art which makes it difficult for parents to send their kids for training. All that they need now is recognition, respect, pay parity with the Carnatic musicians and a slot in the December music festival season in Chennai.
“The Dance of the False Legged Horse”
N.Kamachi, the queen of Poikkal Kuthirai, attaches the wooden stilts to her legs, even as she dances to the Maratha drums. It’s time to start the show. Kamachi, who got married at the age of 11, entered a family of performers of the art. She was initially trained in Karagattam (dancing with a pot balanced on the head ) and she hit jackpot on the day of her first performance itself when everyone showered her with silver coins. Soon Kamachi became a star in the world of Poikkal Kuthirai.
Kamachi laments the impact of changing times. Glamorous costumes and lustful movements have become a part of the shows. The future of the art form is not bright. It is neither financially viable nor considered respectful by others. The new breed of dancers lack dedication and not many youngsters are in the profession.
Heart Warming And Evocative
Aparna Karthikeyan has spread out a canvas that is vibrant with artists and art forms. Each and every skill is unique. So are the persons who pursue them. But for the world outside, they are faceless individuals and their fight for recognition, respect and appropriate remuneration has no impact on us.
The book carries no photographs of the artists or craftsmen or farmers. Why?
I found it curious!
Podhumani, the farmer; Soundaram, the Bull keeper; Rayappan, the palm climber; Chandrasekaran,, the sickle maker; Kali, the young dancer; Krishnamoorthy, the skilled weaver; Selvaraj, the nadaswaram maker; Zeenat, the mat weaver; Tamilarasi, the kuttu artist; Kamachi, the queen of Poikkal Kuthirai; All of them are uniquely talented and are true representatives of their unique livelihoods.
The author begins at the micro level and moves slowly to the macro level, encompassing the entire community of these cultural ambassadors and their struggles, aspirations and fears. The story of Soundaram is also the story of all the members of the farming community! And that of Kamachi is the story of all Poikkal Kuthirai artists. They stand in solidarity with their fellow artists, craftsmen and farmers . And they all seem to speak in one voice!
Apart from remuneration and social recognition, another common thread that binds all these skilled workmen is their angst about the future of their livelihood. Each one of these master craftsmen acknowledge with a heavy heart that he cannot vouch for the continuity of the tradition as they have no compelling reason to convince their sons and daughters to walk their path. The kids, who are witnesses to their parents’ struggle, are keen on acquiring a degree and moving to cities where chances of good placements are many.
The narrative of the livelihoods is described as a document. But Aparna Karthikeyan lifts these stories to a different realm, through her lucid and evocative prose, empathetic understanding and admiration for her leading men and women.
We are not left with pity,. But only abundant hope and admiration!
The stories are interspersed with interviews of well known personalities – farmer, journalist, writers, economist, musician – who give us different perspectives not just from their professional stand points, but also through insightful discussions on economic viewpoints.
Tamil Nadu is a well developed state with a diversified manufacturing sector. The state ranks 2nd highest in the GDP list of the country. Next only to Maharashtra. It is also the second wealthiest state in India. It’s a surprise the state is unable to support and sustain its traditional livelihoods that are gradually declining. One hopes that the required support and incentives reach these master craftsmen, farmers and cattle breeders whose livelihoods need rejuvenation desperately.
These livelihoods that have been in existence for generations, have historical value as they reflect the lives and times of the bygone decades. They are also vital parameters of evolution of human skills and evaluation of the quality of life in the past.
Read the book if you are interested in rural folk who are multi-talented ambassadors of culture!
Definitely grab this book if you feel grateful and want to convey it to the farmers and other skilled workmen!
Read the book if you are keen on getting the right perspectives on the issue of economics of rural livelihoods and wages, from the experts!
Read it if you are concerned about the future of these waning livelihoods!
And finally, go for this book if you love humanity and nothing more!
Myriad Moods of Sudha 