Understanding Aural Life Worlds

8/3/2019 Understanding Aural Life Worlds

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Ethnographic Research

Artisans making silver jeweller for adivasis of Madhya Pradesh

Simran Chopra

NMD 2010-2012


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Demographics


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Participant Observations


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Date: 25th March, 2011

Time: 3 pm to 6:30 pm

Venue: Manek Chowk

Nature: PO, one to many

Actors: Old man (running a printing press, wearing spectacles), another man (helper in printing press),

Tanuja and me.

Yesterday I was unsuccessful in deciding a group that I was interested in or who would talk to me. I1

was really confused what is that I was looking for and wanted to study, so decided to go to the field2

again today. On reaching Manek Chowk still didnt have any idea of where to go and what to look for.3

The quest started through the small lanes and heavy traffic by keeping my eyes and ears open. I was4

heavily depending on my instinct, a reaction or response that will trigger an interest. Passing through5

the small lanes looking out for probable workplaces, workshops where I could find a group of people6

working. Was still wondering what exactly you call a group that I can study. People working together,7

relatives, sharing the same business, from the same community, from the same cast or background etc.8

were the thoughts crossing my mind. All this while I was concentrating only on my thoughts rather than9

my eyes and ears that I had initially started with.10

Going further deep into the web of smaller lanes I grew conscious of the sounds that were there as the11

noise of the traffic had faded out. I could hear the noises of a bicycle bell, a pressure cooker, a bargain12

happening on the road. You could hardly see any vehicles on the roads a few passersby on foot. I felt13

as if the pace of life had suddenly changed. A few lanes deeper, the lifescape changes in the same14

area of the city. But to think of it no two places or people are the same so why was I expecting it to be15

the same. Maybe I am accustomed of seeing similar looking lane patterns, relating to where I come16

from (Chandigarh) where everywhere you see order and everything looks same. I was still trying to find17

people who looked free and friendly enough to talk. Walking down the lane saw a few metal workshops,18

people working on jewelry, scrap shops and some vegetable vendors. I moved on to find something19

more interesting.20

At a distance heard a sound I was familiar with, the sound of paper being cut. On a big machine when21

you have heaps of paper kept in bundles cut by a manual blade machine. I thought to myself that it was22the sound of a printing press or a book binding store. Trying to locate the sound I looked around and23

saw a dusty looking old shop with a metallic shutter on whose entrance a table was kept and a really24

old man was sitting there. I thought the place looked approachable enough. I crossed the road and25

reached the small stone steps leading up to the shop. The old man looked at me with wide eyes maybe26

waiting for me to ask him something. He looked really old with wrinkled face, long white hair and beard27

sitting on an old table. He was wearing a white kurta pajama and a pair of wide rimmed spectacles,28

reminded me of my grandfather. The place too was really old; the shelves behind him with books had29

gathered dust, ceiling fan looked as if it wasnt cleaned for decades and the table had bottles of30

medicines. I was observing the place trying to see the scope of my project and how it can fit with the31

surroundings making the poor man wait for me to give him a reply to his questioning eyes. There were32


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two other people at the scene probably helpers as one of them was in the inside room binding books33

and the other one was sitting right opposite to the old man in the front room of the area. The inner room34

had the machines and the heaps of printed paper. I turned to the old man and the first words that came35

out of my mouth were aap yahan printing press chalate hai which was a stupid obvious question to36

ask and the obvious answer was yes. The old man said yes in a questioning tone and asked me what I37

was looking for. I tried to give him an explanation that I am a student of NID who has to choose a group38

in the field and have to study the group and understand how they work and what they do. The incident39

got weird because I couldnt explain to him what I needed from him and why was I here in a more40

certain tone maybe because I was not clear myself. I made a total fool of myself asking random41

questions like do they manufacture the medicines that were kept on his table which looked ayurvedic to42

me because of their which plastic bottle packaging with a yellowish red sticker on them. I asked him if43

there were other printing presses in the area and he replied no in a suspicious low tone. He kept asking44

me what I want and how can he help me Aap mujhe batayengi nai thik se to mere ko kaise pata45

lagega, mein aapki madad kaise kar sakunga were his exact words. The other man sitting in front of46

him probably a tried to join the conversation but was shut up by the old man. I was really embarrassed47

of the situation I thought to myself that I was not able to explain him even though I thought that48

explaining him would be easy. Maybe in my subconscious mind I had perceived him to be dumb or a49

easy target. I confronted the fact that I myself was too confused to give a clear answer to what I was50

doing and asking. Before I could do damage control he mentioned a NID kid who had once come to see51

his workshop and also couldnt explain him his purpose of visit he said he just wanted to see the52

architecture of the place which the old man then also couldnt understand. He repeatedly said if you53

dont tell us what, how we can help you. Flabbergasted I thought it would be better if I took more time to54

understand and explain to myself before I do to others of what I was doing and going to do. I told the55

old man I needed more time to explore other professions people had in the place and will come back if I56decided to do a study on printing presses. It seemed unlikely that I would be back as I was highly57

embarrassed, smiled to him, climbed down the stairs and silently walked along the lane. The situation58

had just shown me that I needed to think before I speak and act.59

Walking along I thought about what to say to people, what I was doing and why should they allow me in60

their work place. Suddenly it struck me that I didnt know where I was and suspected to be somewhere61

in the back lanes of the stationery market. From one lane to another, without knowing where I was62

heading and what I wanted to do next I carried along my quest. Finding answers to the jumble that was63

going on in my head. Face the world yourself was the inspiration and a fact that I had to stick to and64

move ahead.65

Trying to find my way back to Manek Chowk seemed like a solution at the time but I didnt want o ask66

my way out. I wanted to discover the road back myself hoping that in the process I will find something67

or someone that will interest me in my project. It was getting to me, the heat and the frustration. I was68

agitated and irritated because I had just had a bad experience; I was lost, couldnt find anyone today69

also who I could study as a group for my project and time was running out.70


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Venue: Manek Chowk


Actors: Baldev Bhai (old man in supposed power, wearing spectacles), Hiralal (other old man man

wearing spectacles), Mukesh Bhai (old chinki looking guy, always smiling), Kamlesh Bhai (youngest),

Tanuja and me.

Couldnt find a main road for a long time so took to what I thought would be north, thinking that it would71

lead me somewhere close to Teen Darwaza. On my way was again trying to listen and concentrate on72

sounds that I can hear in the vicinity in the areas I was crossing.73

The noise of the traffic was blocked out I could hear people chatting and clinging of porcelain teacups. I74

was on a lane surrounded with houses on either sides the walls were white but were old as I could see75

the white wash faded out at places and the bricks of the wall being exposed. The small lanes were not76

more than 2ft wide. Only a two wheeler could be the mode of transportation here is what I thought to77

myself. A tea stall was just around the corner and I was right in recognizing the sounds I had heard78

earlier on. The typical sounds of the tea stall, comprising of the chitchat, clinging of china, boiling of tea79

in the enormous pan and the tap of a spoon on the vessel. I thought I could take the tea stall as my80

area but on the other hand I thought that it was my desperation to fixate on a group that was making81

me select the tea stall. I also thought that it would be very limiting as there will only be one man82

operating the stall and the group I could target would be the people visiting the tea stall daily. Walking83

along in the same lane I saw two cement benches placed opposite each other in front of a small house84

whose placement was angular and whose entrance was 5 mts away from the road with the front being85

the two benches.86

I could hear the sound of a blow torch used for welding. I wanted to know where the sound came from87

and started looking for the source. Inspecting further the sound came from the same place the small88

house that I had been seeing because of the benches. On the other hand I wouldnt say it to be a89

house as it didnt seem like one, it was angularly placed between two buildings that were taller to it and90

it had a common entrance leading to three other doors that were open. The place seemed very91commercial there were two men in their 50s probably were sitting together on one of the benches and92

discussing something. One of them was talking in Gujrati and the other was paying attention to him93

listening keenly. I didnt pay much attention to them or the discussion at hand as I was more concerned94

about the sound that was coming from inside the house. I crossed them and I caught a glance of them95

looking at me from the corner of my eye. I couldnt understand the look that they were giving but I didnt96

bother too much. I headed towards the entrance of the house.97

Crossing the main doorway which didnt have a door, I saw three doors inside. On two of them there98

were men sitting. The small white broken door in front of me just opposite the entrance was where the99

noisy sound was coming from. At the entrance sat a man in his early 20s with the blow torch torching100

some springs kept on two bricks. On the other door now that I walked closer in, saw two men sitting on101


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a white cloth covered gadda in deep discussion and their backs rested on the wall. I wanted to go102

inside to the door where the man was torching, wanted to see what he was doing. At first glance it103

looked as if a metal workshop, I deciding to go in and talk to him. I asked myself if I was barging in and104

it would be nicer to get permission before I disturb him. I smiled at him and asked kya mein ander aa105

sakti hun, through the noise of the blow torch. May be he couldnt hear me through the noise was my106

understanding so I asked again also using my hand gestures this time. He replied something I couldnt107

hear, both his hands were busy with the work he was blow torching some coils which looked like108

springs, but he smiled. I took it as an indication and reached the door. I wasnt sure of what he was109

doing and would he like me intruding in his work. I took out my floaters noticing that there were 4 pairs110

of slippers and shoes at the doorstep. I entered the room and the noise stopped. I saw three more men111

who were older to him by at least 20 30 years, working on similar looking metal. I quietly walked in112

without an explanation. At the moment I thought I should sit down on the floor like them and observe113

what they are doing rather than asking them questions. Observing them will answer the questions that I114

had been struggling with in my mind and will allow me to decide if I would want to take them as my115

group. I smiled looked around and sat down on the floor crossed legged as soon as I did that all of116

them looked at me with wide eyes. I immediately asked them aap yahan kya banate hai suspecting117

that I soon will be bombarded with questions. The old man sitting on my right with respect to where I118

was said something in Gujrati and I gave a blank look. He further explained something which also didnt119

make sense to me so I told him in a low voice mujhe samajh nahi aya. The man replied gehney120

banate hai MP (Madhya Pradesh) kshetra ke liye. I told him again that it didnt make sense to me and121

he replied Adivasi ke liye, he asked me if I was an Indian. I replied to him by saying haan mein bharat122

se hi hoon par kabhi naam nahi suna is jagah ka inspite of me not catching the name of the adivasis or123

the place. He explained again hum banate hai jo adivasi log pehente hai. He further asked me if was124

from Ahmedabad and I replied yahan rehti hoon par yahan ki nahi hoon after saying it I realized it125didnt make sense I should be more elaborate in my explanation. He asked me kahan se ho, gujrati126

nahi aati I replied Punjab and I told him nodding my head that I couldnt understand gujrati. The127

younger one in the group suddenly jumped in the conversation and said Jalandhar and replied back128

saying nai Chandigarh.129

I asked them to give me permission to sit for a while and see what they do. They allowed me to sit and130

watch them at work. While I was still in my thoughts they all got back to work. They all had smiles on131

their faces which could mean a lot of things at the moment. Only girl among them appeared from132

nowhere asking them permission to sit among them and see them work, I was thinking of the level of133

weirdness for them and me. I was not sure if they would entertain me and could they be my group for134the research. I was still wondering, so decided to ask them a few more questions and see if they are135

willing enough to answer. Sitting crossed legged on the floor and observing all of them working at an136

incredible speed. I decided to concentrate, ask question to the person who had been questioning and137

replying to me so far. I thought to myself that he would probably be the person in power in the group as138

he took the lead to ask me questions. He would be the one responsible for the other three.139

Three of them looked approximately the same age maybe in their late 40s or early 50s and the fourth140

one would be in his early 20s. All of them wore torn old clothes. The predominant color was white and141

light shades like beige. The top was the Baniyaan and the bottom was a white pajama or an old pant142

which had holes or torn ends. The dressing of all four of them was more or less the same only one of143


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them wore a t-shirt on top which was very old looking; he was the one continuously smiling. The neck of144

the t-shirt had worn out and was hanging in an irregular form it was also torn at a few places. All the145

three oldies had white hair and wrinkled face telling their approximate age. Two of them wore146

spectacles, the one in supposed power and the one who was silently working in his corner. They were147

working in a room which would be around 20ft by 10 ft. with a few machines like a metal cutter, a148

stationary drill machine, strip cutter, blow torches and weighing scale.149

The place was filled with sounds or I would say noise, making it difficult for me concentrate on my string150

of thought and the questions that I was framing in my mind. Obviously I couldnt ask them to stop151

working so I shouted in the noise and asked the old man on my right, the one in power probably what152

metal they were working on he replied to me saying everything was silver. I was astonished to know153

that because the amount of metal they were working with was a lot and would mean a lot of money. He154

explained to me that the metal doesnt look like silver because of the grease coating on it. He directed155

my attention to the younger one who was torching the coils and how they turn white when he finishes.156

The old man himself was cutting out smaller pieces of the metal strips he held in his hand, meticulously157measuring each one of them so that they are of the same size. His measuring device was simple,158

another piece that he had already cut to size. He kept on working and talking at the same time but it159

was really difficult for me to understand anything because of the noise in the room.160

Then came the question why I was there I tried explaining that I was a student at NID, national institute161

of design which he didnt understand so I translated in Hindi saying rashtriy design sansthaan. I told162

him that I was studying in a course there I didnt want to mention new media design it would be striking163

an axe on my own foot. Explaining new media design to someone who doesnt even know about NID164

would be really tough. Leave that I am not able to explain to my parents or to the fact to myself what165

exactly is new media. As I was wondering in my own thoughts he asked me to design karte ho I166

replied yes and thought to myself of how nowadays everyone knows the word design and have their167

own interpretations of it. I was further terrified if he asked me what is design or what do I do at NID. I168

took a sigh of relief as the topic didnt turn up and he went back to his work. To explain why was I there169

and what I was doing I gave an explanation saying that our teacher has asked us to see and find a170

place, a profession that we can study and learn from. We have to make report of our findings.171

To divert the topic to their work I asked him what they were making. He told me something but I couldnt172

understand the word maybe because of the noise or his Gujrati accent. He said explaining pair mein173

pehente hai from a steel cupboard kept at a corner of the room took out a bowl full of some heavy174

chain like things. Took out one of the pieces of jewelry and showed me and said pair me. I replied in a175

understanding manner pajeb, payal ki tarah. I thought to myself maybe he perceives me to be dumb176

as he was explaining me stuff again and again as I dont make sense of it at the first go. But from my177

point of view the blame goes to the amount of noise present there.178

I continued the conversation and asked them who they make it for, the old man in power replied they179

make it for people who give them orders. I asked them who the ones were giving them order he said180

Vyaparis who deal in silver ornaments. I asked him further were the Vyaparis from the same place, he181

gave me a blank look so I added people who run jewelry shops at Manek Chowk. He told me that they182

take orders from outside the state and dont supply to people at Manek Chowk. He said his payals go183


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far ends of the country and supplying nearby means a lot of magajh mari. I asked them aap kitne log184

hai, he replied saying bus hum, jo abhi hai.185

They are self employed, getting orders, working on them, outsourcing the work they cant do example186

finishing and polishing. I asked them the timings of their work he told me it was 9:30 in the morning to187

7:00 in the evening. I told them that they worked long hours. The old man replied rozi roti hai, pade188

likhe nai hai na, haath ki mazdoori karni padti hai. I probed more and asked him isnt that good, he189

replied saying padh likh jate to white collar job milti, kam nai karna padta. I was listening and laughing190

to myself what people they think of the typical educated man that he doesnt work. I told him people191

who can read and write or are educated also work and have a lot of pressure for earning their lively192

hood. Sitting in big offices they also work for 18 hours or more in a day. He replied to my remark saying193

zada kam hota hai to overtime karte hai. The youngest one added haath ki mazoori karte hai to194

neend achi ati hai. The other old man with spectacles said Kaam nai karte to neend bhi nai ati. I195

thought to myself it was about time the other three became a part of the conversation as there was only196

of them asking me questions and replying to mine. It was him again who asked me what does your dad197do? I replied him my dad is in the bank. Manager hai? I replied Haan.198

Showed me how each part that each one of them is making will be put together and will form the199

jewelry he held in his hand. The strips will make the lock, the coils will be made into the chain and the200

other strips will join the anklet in places. He was kind enough to take patience in me and time off cutting201

his strips and explaining his work to me. I kept quiet for a while looking at them work and decided that I202

would like to work with them as my group so I should ask permission to come daily and spend time with203

them. I asked him if I could come daily and learn from them their craft for my project. The old man said204

ladies not allowed he said I cannot allow you to work here, on inquiring why he explained me that the205

place had dangerous machines and could get badly hurt. The youngest one added bahot aawaz hai,206

pollution bhi hai on asking him what he means by pollution he said garmi, acid, shor, dhua aur sans ki207

bimari. He couldnt make a sentence just told me words, maybe these were the words that he could208

relate to as pollution to him. I told the old man that I would not interrupt their work, would just observe209

them and learn by seeing. He again said machine se choat lag jayegi and they will be concerned210

about my safety all the time I will be present there.211

To make them a little open and flexible towards me I explained them I had already worked with wood212

and metal in my earlier projects and there were similar machines in the wood and metal workshop213

present on campus. Teaching us to work on machines is a part of the course in which we learn the214

importance of hand labor (hath ka kaam). I had handled machines like these before and I will not get215

hurt. He asked me to move and sit at a distance further off than him. Maybe he was trying to keep me216

away from where they all were working. They all went back to their work and I started observing the217

surroundings. There were two fans one was a ceiling fan and the other a table fan kept on a small218

wooden drawer cupboard. The fans were old rickety and noisy. They would be switched off and on, on219

intervals. On the wall next to the table fan was a thick twirled wire mounted between two nails on which220

there were different sizes of the same tool hang. They looked like pliers and were commonly called as221

Sadsi between the four of them. Thick, thin, small, huge are some of the words that can describe all222

the shapes and sizes present there of the tools. On the wall was a pipeline probably for the electrical223

wiring. There was a gas cylinder kept right next to the fan which had blow torch nozzles with pipes224attached to it. Just below the string of tools was the stationary drill machine used by one of them (the225


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smiley one) to coil the silver wire. He was coiling them into spring like structures with concentration and226

patience. He was getting hurt at intervals by the wire which went haywire when it was coiling. He was227

trying to control it using a wooden board through which he was feeding the wire in the machine. I had228

seen the same thing being done at a smaller scale with a small hand drill in the Lifestyle Accessory229

Design Studio for Jewelry in college. There was also a small munimji table kept right next to the steel230

almirah which probably stored all the finished and unfinished products. The gadda was sandwiched231

between the table and the almirah on different ends, it was green in color. The table had a marble top232

had a digital weighing scale, a watch, spectacles, telephone, old nokia mobile phone and a brass233

tortoise kept in a brass plate filled with water and flowers. May be it was a representation of some god234

or goddess they pray. Speaking of gods the wall behind me had a small wooden shelf which had deity235

photographs. The largest frame was of Durga followed by smaller frames which had different other236

gods and goddesses. Also behind me were small wooden low seating stools (peedhis) with vices237

mount on them, I remember those so well because they are there in our campus as well and on seeing238

them I thought the basic machinery to make anything everywhere remains the same.239

The noise of the blow torch made it impossible to listen to any other sounds present there. I thought to240

myself that there was too much of noise or on second thought I was not attuned to the noises or the241

surroundings that I was finding it as noise. They all were shouting on top of their voices and speaking to242

each other in Gujrati. The torch was the main source of the noise and would be made to turn off just to243

make conversation with me. To start talking to the old man again I asked him Uncle apka nam kya hai,244

he replied to me saying Baldev M patel. I looked around towards the others as they were working and245

asked their names as well, they answered me saying Hiralal (the other old man with spectacles),246

Kamlesh Bhai (youngest one of the lot) and Mukesh Bhai (the older one who always smiled).247

I wanted to confirm with Baldev Bhai if he would allow me to come every day and spend time with them.248

If he said no as his final answer then I would have to leave to go out again to find a new group to study.249

I asked him again if he would allow me to come to their place. He started off saying something on kaam250

and I interrupted him to say that I could watch and learn. He further said jinka poora dimag hota hai wo251

dekh ke seekh jate hai, kuch log nai seekh pate. Making his statement he again got back to work with252

the noise reaching my nerves this time. All of them were at work and three of them were using all the253

available blow torches which were four in number. The youngest (kamlesh) was on the door using two254

blow torches to heat up the remaining coils the smiley one (mukesh) had just finished making. Mukesh255

was now sweeping the floor meticulously collecting the leftovers of the wire that were cut off and filled256

them in a plastic bottle. My first thought was that why is he collecting waste but then it struck me that257

even the waste was silver, that is why he was even collecting the dust on the floor.258

A new man stepped in he smiled at me, my first thought was that maybe he smiled looking at me as the259

only lady in an all men group or maybe he was a part of the group or saw me as a guest or relative. He260

was carrying a big bag which he emptied on the floor next to the small table which had the weighing261

scale. The bag had big heavy chains, Baldev bhai got up took out a small notebook from one of the262

drawers of the table and did hisab kitab with the man in his native tongue Gujrati. Mukesh Bhai was263

helping the man put the chains onto the weighing scale for Baldev bhai to see the weight and note it264

down in his note book. The man left leaving all the chains with them. Suddenly Mukesh Bhai jumps265

from one point to another like a monkey hands on the ground legs in the air. Baldev Bhai said aap hai266na isi liye aisa karta hai. It clicked to me later; he meant to say that Mukesh was springing across the267


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floor because I was there; it made sense because he had been looking down smiling all through this268

time. I asked them what did the man who came with the chains do, Hiralal told me that he scrapes the269

woven chains to finish them and give them shine. He showed one of the chains to explain me what he270

meant, I asked him what happens of the silver that he scrapes off. All of them started laughing on my271

question and Kamlesh said baki ka bhi to chandi hai, wo wapas ajata hai aur hum pighla lete hai.272

Baldev Bhai finished cutting strips came and sat on the machine kept besides me. Fixed a huge cutter273

(sadsi) and started cutting the coils that had been torched and cooled. I asked him what he was cutting274

the coils for. Mukesh jumped back from the coiling machine he was working at and explained to me275

taking out pieces from the metal bowl into which the pieces of the coil was falling into. He joined them276

manually like a chain and told me this you can do this is done by ladies, it is easy. I felt there was a277

huge distinction and divide present here in their minds to what work a man and a woman can do. It278

dealt with issue like getting hurt, strength and mindlessness.279

As I trying to make the chains myself, twisting the pieces, making them close using a plier. I didnt want280

to be perceived as a woman who will not fit in the place of hard labor. I think they all perceived me as a281

upper class woman who is there to study them, cannot do manual labor like them and will only waste282

their time. This was my only change that they had given me to prove myself is what I thought, it might283

just not be true but I took it that ways and tried my best to make the chain. Hiralal saw me working on284

the chain and told me I dont have to close the mouth of each piece as they will be finishing each of285

them through welding. I told him that I had never even thought that a simple payal takes so much of286

skill and hard work to make.287

Everyone was working including me making my chain. I concentrated on the sounds present there,288

cutter cutting the coils, falling silver pieces of the coil into the metal bowl, noisy old table fan, blow torch,289

coiling wire, drill machine, hammering sound, sound of metal pieces turned in a metal bowl while290

torching, sizzle of hot metal pieces put in water and scrubbing of chains with a metal haired brush were291

few of the sounds I could identify with. There were three other machines in the room and they will also292

make some kind of sounds as well but no one was using them at the time so I dont know.293

Suddenly Hiralal asked me parikshayen chal rai hai? I answered hamri likhne wali pariksha nai hoti,294

he continued madhyam kya hai? I told him report banate hai I tried explaining that in the report we295

have to explain what I had seen, learnt and made. Then he gave a smile tooth to tooth exclaiming that296

you have to make things to show your skills, which was maybe he found similar to his group. Baldev297

Bhai added saying you cant learn the trade in a few days and you will have come every day to learn,298he explained that it takes time to develop the skill. I looked at the wall clock mounted on the wall top of299

the shelf which had the photos of deities. It was 6:40 pm and to catch my 7:00 pm bus I had to leave. I300

told them that I had to go now as I have to catch my bus from Paldi to Gandhinagar. I explained that the301

course I am studying is in Gandhinagar campus. There is a bus running at regular intervals between302

the two campuses of NID. I told them that I will come and meet them tomorrow. I asked them the way303

out to the main road as I didnt know how I reached this inner road, where their workshop was situated.304

I asked them the way towards Manek Chowk. I had already spoken to Tanuja that I will be meeting her305

there, near the stock exchange building. Baldev Bhai sprung up on his seat and said your taking the306

wrong way out it is in the opposite direction if you have to go to Paldi. I told him that my friend was307

waiting for me there so that we could go back together taking an auto. He was still trying to explain me308


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that I was wrong in doing so and I should listen to what he was saying. He seemed a bit disappointed309

that I still wanted to go to Manek Chowk and that I was not listening to him.310

Baldev Bhai directed Hiralal to drop me till the main road leading to Manek Chowk. Hiralal did so I311

thanked him and asked everyones names again saying I should know everyones names, people who I312

will be working with. He said it is difficult to talk and listen when there is so much noise inside because313

of the machines. He repeated everyones name and said he is a karigar here was from the state of314

Rajasthan from the district of Baswada. I thanked him again and bid farewell saying that I will see him315

tomorrow again and moved on in the busy street.316


17/69



Venue: Manek Chowk


Actors: Baldev Bhai (old man in supposed power, wearing spectacles), Hiralal (other old man man

wearing spectacles), Mukesh Bhai (old chinki looking guy, always smiling), Kamlesh Bhai (youngest),

another man (around 25 years old, scrapes payals for the group), Tanuja and me.

On reaching Manek Chowk I oriented myself to the way I had returned back yesterday, so that I can1

find the route back to the silver workshop that I had visited yesterday. I took the same street back that I2

had crossed and Hiralal had dropped me till. I crossed the tiny lane in terms of its width and the amount3

of traffic it had. The street was blaring with noise of traffic and people alike. There were shops on both4

the sides of the street. I knew that the small lane that I was looking for was on the right side of the road.5

I moved along the road keeping close to the pavement but was confused about the turn. I remembered6

seeing a chai wala on the corner on the inner lane turning so I kept that as my reference. Saw a chai7

wala on the main road itself and there was a turn behind him but I had a hunch that this wasnt the turn.8

Totally confused I was moving down the lane, now I could see the end of the road with some kind of a9

temple where the road split. Didnt remember seeing a temple yesterday suddenly I saw a shop on the10

side entrance of a inner lane. There was an old man sitting there doing hand printing for a lady on a11

piece of cloth. I wanted to go closer and see how he was doing it with the wooden block in his hand. I12

turned into the lane and to my surprise found out the chai wala I was looking for. I smiled to myself,13

stopped for a few seconds at the chappa wala saw him working then carried down the lane to see if it14

was the right one. Crossed a Jain temple on the corner where two women were chatting away maybe15

passing time. I recognized the two cement benches in front of the house that I was looking for. I walked16

into the house with white door which had om and swastika made on it with red sindoor. I hadnt noticed17

the door too well yesterday but thinking that it was a silver workshop inside the symbols made sense18

through my experience. There was no one on the doorway today. At the first peep it looked empty. My19

first thoughts were they didnt even ask my name yesterday would they welcome me today. I took off20

my floaters and walked in. I greeted them and sat down on the floor cross legged like yesterday. Baldev21

Bhai was in his corner like yesterday near the gadda working on some chain. He was cutting it into22

smaller pieces. Kamlesh bhai was arranging them on a plate. Mukesh bhai was as usual coiling on the23

drill and Hiralal bhai was sitting near the blow torch maybe waiting for work.24

Today was the second day I was visiting them I dont think they were very sure of why I was visiting25

them and what were my true intentions. The main person Baldev Bhai was in my mind suspicious of me26

because I returned the next day. He didnt look too pleased to my return and had a long straight face27

without expression but the other three smiled and probably were happy to see me back. I wanted to sit28

in the middle empty space but he directed me to the green munimji gadda with the munim ji table29

saying aap yahan baithiye. I did as I was told because the scene looked intense; everyone was30

working with concentration without looking up. I thought maybe, trying to finish the order at hand. They31were working at an incredible speed as they had finished making the chains for which they were cutting32


18/69

links yesterday. I was amazed to see the amount of work they had finished; making the links, joining33

them together to make chains, soldered them to finish and even scraped them for the highlights all in34

the span of hours from last evening to today afternoon. It was really hot and the noisy table fan was35

relief. As I was wondering about the fan it was ordered off by Baldev Bhai. It had been only minutes36

since I had arrived I felt as if he was trying to see how dedicated I was to staying with them. Will I sit37

through the heat in the small room with them without the fan? They were probably more use to the heat38

than I was. As they blow torched with ease without the fan in the heat of the day. I found it rude to39

switch off the fan like that but I decided to myself that I wont budge.40

After a while Baldev bhai said hamne socha nai tha aap wapas ayengi I replied back saying that I had41

told you that I will come back. I have to make a report in which I have to write about daily activities how42

you work, what you do, and the process you follow. He exclaimed saying aap har roz ayengi I told him43

kam kaise seekhungi. He asked me ye report ka kya hoga, kya karengi I told him that whatever I44

observe and learn I have to write as a document and submit as a report to this he said aap Income tax45

se to nai ho, jo itni jankari chahiye I thought to myself oh god! This is what he thinks of me I told him46that I am just a student and wouldnt even think of doing such a thing aap aisa kyu soch rahe hai. He47

replied kaam aisa hai hamara, kya karein I told him that I will be coming everyday and he could trust48

me that it was just for a project for college purposes. I asked him if I looked suspicious and income tax49

kind to him. I made him notice that I didnt even carry a pen or paper to make any kinds of notes, I told50

him that I just had to make my observations by seeing them work and going and writing about what I51

saw in the night. hamara dhanda vishwas pe hi chalta hai, chandi ka kam hai na. I didnt know what to52

say so nodded my head and looked around. Everyone was working no one had stopped but everyone53

was listening. Maybe they had a discussion about me yesterday or something like that that is why the54

suspicion. He continued to say chandi ati hai jati hai sab vishwas pe hi chalta hai. I had guessed that55

Baldev bhai was the man in power amongst the group and I felt he was behaving as a BHAI or don56

amongst them.57

After talking to Baldev bhai who was cutting pieces out of a strip and talking at the same time. I thought58

it would be nice of me to try to help them with some of their work so that I can gain some trust. I thought59

the starting point would be to show keen interest in what they are doing and try and get them to give me60

some work. I thought for starters it would be nice to go and sit besides Hiralal who was blow torching I61

could observe what he is doing and would get a chance to talk to him. I sat there for a while watching62

him work. I got up and sat beside him he told me to sit away as I could get hurt, I told him he didnt63

have to worry about me as I have experience in iron welding. I told him I knew how welding works, he64

replied to me saying this was different from iron welding as it runs on gas. Sound of the blowtorch today65

wasnt bothering me too much and I was keenly looking at him work. After a while Baldev Bhai came66

toward me and said aapka naam kya hai I thought to myself about time they asked me my name and67

wondered if he had taken off some time and come to talk to me. I replied to him saying Simran the68

next thing he said was Simran bhen please shift he wanted to sit where I was sitting besides Hiralal. I69

felt weird but I got up and moved to the centre of the room and sat there. He adjusted himself nicely70

with a small table in front of him and started to blowtorch like Hiralal on the payals made ready by71

Kamlesh. Kamlesh asked me Simran ka matlab kya hota hai I told him bhagwan ko yad karna,72

bhajan mein hota hai na simran karo, he smiled and said sumiran karo hota hai. I nodded my head73

and said haan.74


19/69

I kept sitting there looking at them work continuously. Mukesh kept coiling the wire, one after another.75

He used a wooden board to hold the wire and the wire would pass through his hands and the wooden76

board making a peculiar sound, somewhat similar to when you rub a wooden piece. The drill too made77

some buzzing noise when the wire coiled onto the rod but the sound was only for a matter of a few78

seconds. Once in a while he would do ahh as he was continuously getting hurt by the wire which went79

haywire and uncontrollable at times it even struck him on his face. He didnt stop working even then80

and a few times would pick up tweezers kept beside me and pick his hands of some metal piece. I felt81

sorry for him the wires were thick, looked hurtful enough but then I thought to myself it was his assigned82

work he couldnt help it.83

As I was watching Mukesh rolling and getting hurt the Seth shouted through the noise of the blazing84

blow torches and asked me to do something. I couldnt understand maybe because my concentration85

was come where else. He switched off his torch and told me to weight some strips of silver that were86

kept besides me using the weighing scale kept on the munimji table. He told me the weight should be87

38 grams plus or minus of 2grams. Kamlesh got up from his place and switched on the weighing scale88whose switch was on the wall where the gadda was kept. The machine went beep beep beep and got89

on I got up and sat on the gadda ready to do the assigned work. Kamlesh gave me slabs on which I90

had to make bundles of the weighed silver strips which were used for welding. I was precise in91

calculating the weight always tried for a 38 on the scale. It was good of them to give me some work92

however small at least they trusted me with their silver. I would drop the thin silver strips into the metal93

container kept on top of the scale and they make the sound of thin metal pieces hitting each other. I like94

doing this as the sound was pleasing compared to the noise the blow torches were making. I finished95

my work made the piles. Kamlesh was intermediating between me and the welders passing them the96

bundles that they were using for welding the chains. Baldev bhai switched off his torch and asked97

Hiralal something in Gujrati. Hiralal also switched off his torch and picked up took two pieces of the98

cooled payals that he had worked on earlier and came towards me. He dropped them into the metal99

plate on the weighing scale I could hear the same sound that I had just liked with the payals too only a100

bit louder and shorter maybe because of the weight. Hiralal saw their weight and told Baldev zyada101

hai. He went back to his work on the torch. Baldev Bhai looked at me and said dimag lagta hai, sab102

ganit se chalta hai Kamlesh added ganit bahot zaroori hai is kam mein, upar neeche nai chalta103

baldev bhai said sab vazan se chalta hai.104

Kamlesh had finished making sets of payals to be welded by placing them on the slabs. He was now105

turning the metal strips by hand the ones that Baldev had been cutting earlier. I asked him if I do it as106

well he replied to me saying mazoori wala kam hai, mehnat wala kam hai ap nahi kar paogi. I told him107

he should give me a chance, as I wanted to try and if I couldnt do it I will let him do it. He showed me108

how to do it using both the hands using pliers by holding them in a certain way. It looked easy but when109

I tried it, it sure needed a lot of strength. After doing a few I got the hang of it and devised my own way110

to turn them. Kamlesh said dum lagta hai, choat nai laga lena I replied saying nai nai lagegi111

Baldev bhai had finished his work at the torch washed his face with the water from the bore well. The112

sound of the splashing water sounded soothing in the heat as still the fan was off. He sat down beside113

me where I was turning the metal pieces and started rolling the turned pieces into circles with a rod and114

a hammer. Hammering away he said dekh ke seekhna thik hai par kam karne se hi ata hai maybe he115was saying it seeing me struggling with the strips I repeated his words karne se hi ayega kam.116


20/69

Kamlesh was now on the doorway heating up some pieces of metal in a metallic bowl. I couldnt117

understand why but it was a delight to look him. It looked as if he was playing with the pieces in the118

metal bowl. The action was like that of a bhelpuri wala who tosses the namkeen to evenly coat it with119

spices. He was doing a similar action using a holder to hold the metal bowl from one hand tossing the120

pieces and heating them using a torch which he held in his other hand. The sound was a mixture of the121

blow torch and the metal pieces jumping in the metal bowl. It seemed as if the pieces were dancing. I122

could relate to the payal that will make a similar sound when worn because of the ghungroos. It was as123

if a precursor sound of the payals itself as the pieces when put together will make the payal.124

Received a call in between, my phone sounded really distinct and mismatched to me according to the125

surroundings and the group of people as it has a Jazz ringtone. The call was from Tanuja as she was126

asking me if I had gotten free and we could catch the 5 oclock bus back as she had not found a group127

still for her work. I told her if she didt find anyone in another half an hour or so we could head back or if128

she wanted to take time we will catch the 7 oclock bus. Baldev bhai was looking at me with wide open129

eyes maybe because of my ringtone I thought. I told him it was my friend that I had mentioned130yesterday who is visiting the same area to find a group to do a similar study. He told me he could131

introduce her to some other people in the same profession. I told him she doesnt want to take gold and132

silver people and clarified that she only wanted all women group for her project. He told me that he133

would ask around as he had heard of some women who paint the payals that they make. He said134

peela neela karte hai na wo, usmein dimag nai lagta Kamlesh added siraf rang hi lagta hai Baldev135

bhai continued asaam kam hai auratein karti hai. I started thinking of what they thought about women136

and the work they can do. Did they think that women had no or less brain and couldnt do the heavy137

work they were doing? If they thought that then I was intruding into their all men heavy metal, heavy138

mehnat world and I should try not to barge too much into their work.139

A man arrived like the one yesterday; I thought he would also be someone they outsource their work to.140

Kamlesh gathered all the freshly made payals and dropped them on the weighing scale Baldev bhai141

noted the weight in a small booklet that he had asked me to take out from the drawer of the munimji142

table. This man looked dressed according to the group people who wore torn and holed clothes. He143

was talking to the others in Gujrati and would smile at me whenever he looked towards me. Kamlesh144

emptied the weighing scale tray on the ground. The payals hit the floor and made the same peculiar145

sound of metal hitting metal. The man collected the payals and dropped then into a huge bag that he146

took out from the almirah kept besides the gadda. Seemed like a trusted man of the group or why147

would they allow anyone to touch the almirah like that. He took the payals away saying saying148

something in Gujarti what I could understand was match nai dekhna aaj. Kamlesh told me aaj South149

Africa khel rahi hai after a pause he said Mukesh bhai ki biwi Zimbabwe se hai. I was taken aback by150

the sudden mention of biwi and I said acha Hiralal added dikhne mein kali hai. They were both151

teasing Mukesh and he just kept blushing and smiling after a while said uska rang gadda hai, wo yahi152

ki rehne wali hai. I aked Mukesh if he is originally from Ahmedabad he replied saying yes and nodding153

his head and added biwi bhi yahin ki hai154

Everyone was working continuously and I had finished my metal pieces. I knew I had not done a155

satisfactory job as Baldev Bhai would make sounds uhun move his head rolling the pieces I had made156

into circles by hammering. I asked him I had done them wrong he told me that I will learn over time if I157keep doing mehnat and he will correct them when he is rolling. The man who had taken the payals158


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earlier returned with the finished ones the payals were weighed again, the weight noted in the note159

book. He asked me Gujrati nai ati I told him no and then he started his conversation in Hindi with the160

rest of them. He said match hai monday ko Mehsana mein India Australia ka, seth ko bolo chutti161

dede. Kamlesh replied to him saying hamara seth aisa nai hai I was thinking who were they reffering162

as Seth I thought they told me that they work on their own just four of them. I always had the163

impression they didnt have any one vyapari or Seth that they work for. Now I thought that maybe I had164

heard or understood wrong. The man continued aisa kro kal kam karlo aur Monday ko chutti lelo, sab165

chutti karenge, aur tum hi sab kam karoge Kamlesh replied to him saying hum to chutti mein bhi kam166

karte hai everyone was laughing on the conversation. The man said Seth se bolkar TV lagwalo yahi167

par, kam karte karte match dekho Baldev Bhai got up from his place and said yahan TV aur biwi not168

allowed and went to drink water from the mud matka kept at the entrance. The laughter continued and169

the man left. I was wondering who the Seth in the conversation was and was Baldev indirectly making a170

sarcastic comment on me being a lady in the all men group.171

Baldev and Hiralal went back to torching with the arrived payals now welding the locks (made out of the172circles) on them. Kamlesh was placing the payals on the plates again with the circles just made and173

smearing them with a liquid chemical. On inquiring about the liquid and the plates he explained that the174

plates are made of mud to which Baldev said high centigrade leleti hai Kamlesh continued telling me175

that the liquid was like gum to silver as used for paper. I was feeling like a chai break and asked him176

when everyone has chai he told me chai time had passed. They have it after lunch on asking about177

lunch he told me around 12:30. So I kept quiet and forgot all my intentions of having a simmering cup of178

tea. He gave me the paintbrush through which he was applying the liquid which I probably thought had179

some chemical. He showed me how to place the payals and the locks and where to put the liquid. I took180

up the work and he went off to the doorway to heat some metal pieces as earlier making the chan chan181

sound of silver pieces in the rusted iron bowl.182

I continued doing the work assigned to me and passing the plates to Baldev and Hirala. Mukesh had183

finished coiling all the silver wire and taken a break, sitting on the floor crossed legged ideal. He hadnt184

been doing much talking so to start a conversation I inquired where does he stay in Ahmedabad185

Kamlesh replied Asia ke sabse bade hospital ke pas I told him I didnt know anything about it so he186

added airport ke pas I asked Mukesh how does he commute he replied to me saying BRTS. I asked187

Kamlesh the same question and he said he was also from Ahmedabad only. I knew Hiralal was from188

Baswada in Rajasthan so I asked him where he satayed in Ahmedabad and he replied yahin rehta189

hun. I asked Baldev and he replied sarkhej I said that was pretty far off how he manages to come190

every day so far. He told that he has a scooter and commutes by it. I asked him if he belonged to191

Ahmedabad he told me that his goan is in Rajkot in north of Gujrat. He came to Ahmedabad to work.192

Kamlesh strated off telling how Baldev and Hiralal were friends, started working together as silver193

karigars, learnt the work, Baldev bhai became the Seth and Hiralal remained as a karigar. Hiralal added194

mehnat se admi kahan se kahan pahonch jata hai Baldev must have felt awkward so he explained195

saying kismet bhi to hoti hai. Kamlesh directed the conversation towards me and said aap itni mehnat196

kar rahe ho to aapka project bhi acha banega I replied to him saying mehnat to kar rahe hai par fal ka197

pata nai he replied to me saying hum hai na mudad karne ke liye, sab kuch sikha denge.198

It was already 6:30 I had to leave to catch my bus I called tanuja and asked her to reach where we had199met yesterday. I said bye to them thanking Hiralal and Baldev bhai for their help yesterday by telling me200


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the way out to Manek Chowk. I stepped out of the door wore my floaters and hurried out to the street.201

Today was an important day as I had gained some access and discovered that Baldev bhai was the202

Seth and the other three were his workers.203


23/69



Venue: Manek Chowk


Actors: Baldev bhai (Seth), Hiralal (Seths friend), Kamlesh bhai (youngest), Mukesh Bhai (chinki

looking, silent one, nicknamed popat at the workshop), Rajesh Bhai Bhausar (takes up work from Seth

for a womens Grahan Udyog run by him), Seths son, Tanuja and me

I took a break of two days from my field work and got back today to resume my study. Sunday was1

already a holiday for the group I was studying and I took a break for myself on Monday. When I had last2

seen them on Saturday I had told them that I would see them next on Monday. I was a bit concerned of3

how they will take me for my absence and not keeping my word. I reached my usual turn saw Mukesh4

Bhai hurrying away out of the lane to the main road. As I was looking at him he noticed me and smiled I5waved back at him smiling, he nodded his head. I thought to myself why is he always smiling and never6

talking. I moved towards the chai wala where I could always hear the sound of the kerosene stove and7

the tea boiling as if reaching the rim of the vessel. I wondered if my group got their tea from the same8

vendor. On crossing the Jain temple whose doors are always open there was never a sound of a chant9

or bells. I would always find some aunties sitting on the steps and chatting away. To me it seemed like10

the village well you see in old Hindi movies where women gather to gossip and pass time.11

On reaching the workshops door I could not hear the sound of torching. I took off my shoes and12

entered keeping my bag next to the strip cutter machine towards the wall of the room entrance. Moved13

my eyes around to see what everyone was doing and sat down on the floor as usual. As soon as I sat14

the Seth commented aaj aap late ho gaye 4 baj gaye. My instant reaction was that I looked at the wall15

clock right behind me I told them haan meri bus late ho gayi thi. In the same second the younger one16

added laughing Apne kal chutti marli. Hiralal smiled and said haemin to laga tha aap ayengi hi nai. I17

thought to myself why do these people have to do work and talk like a chain reaction one after the18

other. One says something the others follow. I clarified nai meri kal poora din class thi, subah aur19

sham. It felt to me as if they were a bit relaxed today, maybe they had finished the work at hand. Or20

they could have finished the order they had and were waiting for a new lot of jewellery to be ordered.21

It felt like a good moment to mellow down some conversation with a cup of tea. I asked everyone for22

Chai and they agreed. I asked who all will have tea so that I could get it from the outside tea stall that I23

cross every day. Baldev bhai asked me not to go and told me you should not go. He sent Mukesh who24

had just got back from outside to get tea for all of us. I thought I would get lucky if I could melt things up25

with a bit of tea and sweet talk. As I was waiting for tea to arrive Seth got up from his place he was26

again cutting metal pieces by hand and picked up a nice looking shiny magenta metal thermos bottle27

kept next to my bag. He asked me if I would like to drink, first I thought it was cold water. On inquiring28

he told me it was chiku juice. I thought to myself chiku juice? Does anything like that exist? The seth29

took out a steel glass poured in some and offered it to me. Not to be rude I took the glass, the juice30

turned out to be chiku shake instead. He was waiting for me to drink it, had fully opened glaring eyes.31

He was standing beside where I was sitting on the floor it looked as if he was looking down on me. I32didnt know what to do still deciding should I drink it or not I gulped a big sip down my throat. I looked33


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up to the Seth he smiled and I smiled back. I didnt want to drink the chiko shake anymore so I told him34

bahot meetha hai and passed on the glass to Mukesh who was just back with the tea. He held the35

glass in his hand for a while I asked him why wasnt he drinking it the Seth added pile Mukesh pile kya36

soch raha hai, Mukesh gulped it down all in one go. I told the Seth that I preferred tea more than chiku37

juice. Tea was served in saucers. It had arrived in a big aluminium cup, I could associate it the cups38

that the Army Jawans or the mountain climbers use. The tea was divided into two saucers and the39

leftover in the cup. The saucers were white and had flowers made on it in one corner they looked of40

really cheap quality. I asked everyone to take their pick of whatever they wanted it would have been41

really rude of me if I picked up anything first. The Seth refused to have tea and so did Mukesh. So the42

saucers were shared between Kamlesh and me. Kamlesh was making slurping sound while having the43

tea from the saucer. I did too I thought no one could escape the slurping sound when drinking from a44

saucer. The cup was taken by Hiralal and finished instantly. The tea wasnt hot at all and got over in45

seconds. As soon as we finished tea a man arrived to the workshop.46

I thought he would be one of the lot that comes and goes daily picking up or dropping some work off.47He was a man in his late 50s, looked peculiarly well dressed, wore a white cap, tucked in shirt belt and48

trousers. He spoke in Hindi, I thought to myself he wasnt from the worker community. Hiralal said that49

he should have arrived a minute or two early, as we had just finished tea. Hiralal reminded me that he50

had told me about the chains being made by women. I said I remembered he then told me that this was51

the man who takes the links from them and gives it to a community of women to make them into a52

chain. I started taking to the man who had just arrived he could speak fluent Hindi and English. I asked53

him his name he said Rajesh Bhai Bhausar and told me that he belonged to the Bhausar community54

which I didnt know anything about. He told me that he takes work from the Seth and gives it to a55

Graham Udyog which has 80 women working for him. He wanted to know why I was there and what I56

wanted to do. I started talking to him in English as I felt more comfortable talking to him rather than57

Hindi which I had been doing since I had got to the workshop. I explained him that I was a student at58

NID and was doing a research. He knew about NID, I thought to myself, half of my problem was solved.59

I told him I had to choose a group on a site I had already chosen which was Manek Chowk and study60

them to understand their life and work better so that I could design for them some product or61

something. I told him my project was a little vague and more clarity will be there when I articulate my62

research and its findings. To divert the topic from me to him I asked him if I could come and see the63

women working on the chains. He told me that I would have to come in the night around 8:00pm that is64

when all the women come and take work. He told me that he had 80 women working for him. He said65

they all come in the night when they had finished their house work and food. All through the66conversation i was talking to him in English while everyone else worked on their bit. Today luckily there67

were no major sounds that were disturbing to the ear no torches or hammering everything was mellow.68

I could hear the ringing of chains and silver pieces on the floor. As I was having a nice chat with Rajesh69

Bhai Hiralal the Seth started working with the metal cutter. He was cutting small ornamental pieces70

through the machine from thin strips of silver. I asked Rajesh bhai what he did before his Graham71

Udyog business, he told me that the Graham Udyog was his side business and he was really an72

accountant. Hiralal had just switched on the radio which was not playing the FM but the AIR. This was73

the first time since I have been visiting that the radio was switched on. I didnt even know if there was a74

radio in the workshop. I would always hear Kamlesh and Hiralal humming while working but the radio75

was a new find. Maybe they play it at times when there is less noise and work in the workshop.76


25/69

He asked me a few more questions about NID. I wasnt worried about his questions maybe I had77

already thought that he would understand and I wont be in a condition with loss of words. There were78

some old songs playing in the background. I compared myself in the times when I actually feared to tell79

my workshop group what actually I was studying. The fear was because I thought that I wouldnt be80

able to make them understand or use words in Hindi as smoothly and fluently as I was doing right now81

in English. Translating words would have been very difficult for me as I am really bad at remembering82

words. As soon as Rajesh bhai left all my fears came true I was asked similar questions from my group.83

Maybe they got extra curious of me and what I study after seeing me chitter chatter in English who was84

a complete stranger to me a few minutes ago.85

The Seth as usual started the topic aapka kya course hai, kya padate hai. I repeated the explanation86

I had just given to Rajesh Bhai in English translated in Hindi. I took time with long pauses, English and87

loss of words. I told them I was studying design, my course was related to computers and the88

requirement right now was to conduct a research on a group and their work through which I will make a89

product for them. Kamlesh exclaimed in joy hamare liye I replied to him saying yes. I told them that I90have to understand how they work, their daily routine their needs etc.. They seemed a bit lost and i91

thought giving them examples will work better. I told them that our batch of 13 people had gone to Agra,92

Taj ganj the place surrounding the Taj where no development or construction could happen. We went93

and asked the people what they want a few said their lively hood depended on the Taj, few said94

breaking the Taj would be the real help, some wanted to relocate and some not. I explained how the95

findings through research can bind such different points of view into a report which will have a general96

outcome. I also gave them the example of Nokia and our senior batch doing a research on why a model97

of Nokia failed in the market. Kamlesh said haan wo to fail hojata hai, log lete nai hai na. Now there98

was news on the radio, I could immediately remember my Grandfather at home who listens to the radio99

news three times a day like a ritual. Hindi news playing at the back I dont know if anyone was even100

listening to it. I explained further saying if the makers of Nokia phones didnt understand what the101

people who use them wanted or wouldnt consider the money they could spend on the phone, the102

phone was bound to fail in the market. The Seth added haan jaise hum Jadda (motta) patla payal103

banate hai, taki sab kharid sakein I didnt know what to say more I nodded my head. They had finally104

made some sense of my work and all happily went back to their respective works. The room fell back to105

the sounds of the Hindi news, the clinkering chains and the dropping of metal pieces.106

After a while as i was helping Kamlesh in straightening the chains the Seth asked aapki college ki fees107

kitni hai, i genuinely told him the fees for the whole year including stay and food was around a lac per108

year. He immediately replied to me saying kafi zyada hai, private hai? I told him nahi sarkari hai he109

repeated bahot zyada hai. I told him loan liya hai, education loan. The Seth changed the topic asking110

about Tanuja and her group that she wanted for her research. I told them that she had found a111

community that makes the doris used behind necklaces, but they were rude to her today and they112

asked her to go for a walk and come back after some time. Kamlesh as he is with his instantaneous113

one liners added ye to Agra jaisi bat hogayi. He had made some connection in his mind between the114

incident I was telling them and the things I had just told them about Agra.115

As I was about to leave the Seth told me that I was the first lady that had entered this workplace. He116

said aapne himat kari, nahi to sab dar jate hai, sabki neeyat ek jaisi nai hoti, sab alag hote hai sab117burre nai hote aapne hum pe vishwas kiya he continued further saying sab ek se nai hote i was118


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wondering why was he saying this again sab ek se nai hote what did he mean to say. Did he mean that119

I trusted them as good men as I was the only lady around maybe or did he mean it the other way round,120

that he trusts me now? I was not so sure but I added to his statement by saying aapne bhi to mujhpe121

vishwas kiya, seekhne diya kam, wo bhi badi bat hai. Everyone was working simultaneously with the122

radio playing at the back, now it had some farming program playing with some Hindi question and123

answer round. Kamlesh added mujhe bhi poora kam nai atta, mein bhi seekh raha hun, Mukesh bhai124

to seth se bhi bade hai, unko tak ani ata. Seth said dimag chahiye kam seekh ne ke liye Hiralal125

added dimag kam chalta hai Seth ended it by saying hum sub popat bulate hai ise. Between the126

conversations a man walked into the room. He was wearing jeans, t-shirt and spectacles before i could127

think more I was introduced to him by the Seth as his son who was studying engineering in Gujrat128

College. I said Namaste and asked him which stream of engineering was he studying he replied129

Mechanical. I told him that my brother was also doing Mechanical Engineering from Punjab130

Engineering College in Chandigarh.131

It was time for me to leave, I reached for my red back bag on the floor but it was hanging on the wall132where normally the Seths tiffin box is. Mukesh said meine rakha. I smiled and said thank you, bid133

farewell to all of them and left for home telling them I will be returning tomorrow. Today was a session134

of inquiry about me maybe they were getting sure of me and my intentions.135


27/69


Time: 3:30 pm to 7 pm

Venue: Manek Chowk


Actors: Baldev bhai (Seth), Hiralal (Seths friend), Kamlesh bhai (youngest), Mukesh Bhai (the silent

one, nicknamed popat at the workshop), Tanuja and me

Tanuja and I share the same location for our field study and we had missed our 2oclock bus from our1

Gandhinagar campus to the Paldi campus. We took public transport and reached Teen Darwaza.2

Today was the day of the India Pakistan match. As we walked past Teen Darwaza the scenario and the3

atmosphere was totally different to what we normally see on that road. The roads were empty in the4

sense of being deserted for a place where at this time of the day you dont get space to even walk. The5

traffic of pedestrians and automobiles on the not so wide road filled with roadside shops and hawkers,6is overwhelming. It seemed as if we had reached the wrong address. There were only three four7

shops open. I am not sure if they were ready to entertain customers. They all looked glued to their8

television sets kept in their shops. We crossed our usual landmarks and lanes ready to proceed to our9

respective sites for study. We took our own paths at the common intersection, deciding to call each10

other when we get free. Walking past the main empty road leading towards the smaller inner lane to my11

group I thought to myself that today may just be the day when I get insights about some serious issues12

like caste and religion. As being a day of India Pakistan match emotions will be high and topics like13

these are bound to be discussed.14

As usual I reached kept my red bag in the corner of the room on the floor right next to the strip metal15

cutter. I sat down on the floor crossed legged orienting myself so that I could see what everyone was16

doing. As asked yesterday Mukesh asked me again pani piyoge, thanda pani hai. He sees me17

carrying water with me in my backpack and then also keeps on asking me if I wanted water. I declined18

saying nahi thank you. It was very hospitable of him maybe he thinks that I had just come from the19

scorching sun but I was concerned about the quality of water and the hygiene. They store water in a20

mud Matka which has a metal plate kept as a cover on top and a single steel glass to drink from. I was21

also not sure of from where they fill their water from. Was it the normal Municipality tap water or was22

from the bore well which they keep on using for their daily work which has involvement of a lot of23

chemicals like sulphur.24

They were all working as usual with their heads down and concentration on things they were doing. I25

was sitting silently and observing waiting for an opportunity to ask a few questions for today. Baldev26

Bhai and Hiralal were on the blow torch finishing the payals, welding the locking system onto the27

finished ornaments. Mukesh Bhai was making the chains ready for welding by placing the three pieces28

onto the mud slabs, adjusting them so that they could be welded in place with the other cut out pieces29

and finished into payals. He smeared the placed to be welded with chemical needed for welding silver. I30

wanted to be a part of their work and was waiting for someone to get a little free so that I could ask for31

work. I thought maybe if I do some part of their work, the work will finish faster and it will give them time32

to talk to me. Also I would get to see and learn part of the process. He saw me keenly looking at him33working and asked me if I would like to do it. I said yes and helped him with the procedure, meticulously34


28/69

placing one chain after another with a guide which was made from a cheap aluminium wire bent into a35

U. It had markings on it made with a permanent marker as guidelines. He showed me once and I learnt36

the trick. He kept on seeing how I was doing it and checked. I made a few small mistakes of forgetting37

to brush on the liquid chemical. On which Baldev Bhai said something to Mukesh Bhai and not me. It38

sounded something like he should see before he gives the plate to him. I too felt accountable as I was39

also working on the chains and it could have been anyones plate that Baldev Bhai was working on why40

was he only telling Mukesh Bhai. Maybe he thought I was an amateur and Mukesh Bhai was41

responsible for me when I was working with him. Kamlesh Bhai was sitting in the extreme end of the42

room, he was cutting the edges of the welded payals and then sanding the the edges to make them43

smooth after the cutting. All of us were working continuously without a word and the worked seemed to44

flow without interruptions or even a word. If someone would finish what he was doing he would know45

what to do next. I was looking out for some kind of sign language or key words that might be directing46

the continuous work. But there was no ishara or key word that was given to anyone, everyone of them47

knew what they had to do next. The only time anyone spoke was when it was really necessary like if48

something went or about to go wrong or something was done wrongly or if someone needed something49

when they were in the middle of welding.50

We all finished working with the chains they got completed to a level where we could call them payals,51

pieces of jewellery. The welders (always Baldev Bhai and Hiralal) ran out of silver pieces that would be52

on top of the locking mechanism. Baldev Bhai asked Kamlesh something in Gujrati. That is when I53

realized that he needed something. Kamlesh was going to use the metal cutter machine to cut out54

pieces from strips of silver. I asked him if I could do it, I had been watching him work on it for a few days55

now it seemed simple and easy. Suddenly the noise of the blow torch stopped Hiralal and Baldev56

stopped working. Baldev told me that it is difficult to operate this machine it needs a lot of strength.57

Kamlesh added by saying mushkil hoga, aapko choat lagjayegi. I persisted telling them that if I find it58

too difficult I will let it be. Baldev Bhai said that if I hurt myself he will be the one responsible as I was59

working under him. Kamlesh fixed the KHANCHA in the machine which is the cast / dye of the piece60

that you want to cut. Fixing the KHANCHA he showed me how the machine operates, instructed me61

and got up. I sat down oriented myself to the machine and the huge heavy handle on top of me. I62

wanted to give it a go before I decided that it was impossible for me to work with it as thought by the63

other four in the room. Getting the hang of it was difficult in the beginning as the metal strip had to be64

cut exactly at equal intervals. Baldev Bhai was sitting right next me, he had stopped working and was65

looking at me work with the machine. He kept on instructing, I asked him if it was ok with him if I didnt66

do a good job because I felt concerned it was his work that I was doing and it was silver. It meant67serious work to him. He replied saying that I should learn and I will get a hang of it. I showed him my68

first cut out strip he told me where I had gone wrong. I continued further now more confident after his69

approval and as I had got the hang of the machine better. After finishing he inspected the cut outs and70

told me that I had done a good job better than Mukesh Bhai. He said iska to dimag kam chalta hai, ye71

to bhagta rehta hai machine se, aap to bahot mehnat karte ho. I thought that was very judgemental of72

Mukesh and his work as there was an incident a few hours ago too where he had said something73

similar to him. If he was paying me would he still think that I was doing a lot of mehnat. Nevertheless74

everyone looked satisfied with the work I had done, after the prior explanations they were giving me of75

the machine being too tough to handle and I getting hurt. Baldev bhai said chandi ke kam mein ganit76

lagta hai, sab log nai kar sakte dimag wale log hi kar sakte hai. Kamlesh added saying Mukesh and77


29/69

him were not full Karigars till now and were still learning the trade. The dimag explanation had landed78

again into the conversation as it was also mentioned yesterday. What did Kamlesh mean when he said79

they were not full Karigars was it that they couldnt do or they didnt know how to do the work? Was it80

something to do with the kind of work (superior or junior).81

Then Baldev Bhai said something that made me and the others burst out in laughter, he said Aapne jo82

kaam kiya wo to koi aurat nai karti, meri gharwali nai karti, Usko bolta to kehti mein na karti jo karlo aur83

do thapad bajati. I took it as an immediate opportunity to ask about his home and family which I had84

been looking for past so many days. It was always so focused on work and I felt that I would get85

intimidating if I ask directly. I asked Baldev Bhai aapke ghar mein kaun kaun hai, he told me has two86

kids, two boys he mentioned and said bada wala MBA kar raha hai. On asking him where he said87

Canada mein. I was shocked and amazed; first of all he was making a nice amount of money from the88

business. Second he must be spending a lot on his kid in Canada so why was he commenting on me89

paying a lot of money as my college fees at NID yesterday when I told him the amount. I smiled to90

myself thinking how contradicting he is in his words and actions. I asked about the second son, he told91me he was in college doing engineering. On asking him which college he told me Gujrat University. He92

asked me if I had seen the university area I replied saying yes I had been there but dint know about the93

engineering college, where it was. I knew that his house was on the Sarkhej Highway as he had told94

me yesterday I asked him aapka ghar to kafi door padta hai. He replied saying gharke paas se I95

inquired Sarkhej se door nai hai. He explained that it is nearer to his home and the university area96

comes in the middle of Ahmedabad, if you take a particular road. I didnt know of this I always thought97

that SG highway was an extreme new end of Ahmedabad with new housing cut off from the main98

Ahmedabad. He explained it by saying beech ka rasta.99

To continue the conversation and ask others about their home I repeated aapke do ladke hai and then100

I looked at Mukesh Bhai who never talks much but just smiles. It was answered by Kamlesh who is101

always keen to answer. He told me Mukesh Bhai is the oldest among them and had five kids out of102

which four were girls and one guy, one girl died. Hiralal interrupted him and said char bache hai teen103

ladkiyaan ek ladka, Mukesh was not answering himself Hiralal and Kamlesh was doing the job. I104

thought why Hiralal interrupted Kamlesh so suddenly when he was talking is it a sensitive issue to talk105

about. I couldnt understand maybe I need more information to make any kind of understanding. I didnt106

want o ask any more questions about Mukesh and his kids maybe it was a touchy issue. I immediately I107

asked the youngest Kamlesh if he was married, he replied saying yes he had been married for three108

years but doesnt have any kids. I wanted to ask why but that would have been stupid of me so I didnt109

open my mouth. I looked at Hiralal and he spoke himself that he has 3 kids, out of which two were girls110

and one guy. On asking him what they do he said the boy is the middle child who is in 3 rd standard,111

eldest is in 9th and the youngest girl was too small to go to school. He looked as old as Baldev who had112

kids studying in college, how come he has such small kids. I was also told that both of them were friend113

and had worked together before they became worker and the Seth so I always thought that they were114

the same age.115

After a bit everyone looked a little free. Hiralal was humming away while welding, Baldev had taken a116

break. Mukesh asked me again pani piyoge. Yesterday my reply was not conscious because I wasnt117

thirsty, today morning was a conscious reply. But the realization I had made was triggering my118thoughts. I should not pose as a person having inhibitions toward any kind of caste or people and119


30/69

maybe that is why he was asking me water again and again. I thought it was high time I should leave120

away all my health issues and hygiene inhibitions behind and drink the water. As I was lost in my121

thoughts he said Seth ka pani hai, thanda. The words struck me I gave him a questioning look. He122

pointed out to a plastic decanter kept in the corner of the strip cutter machine where my bag was kept123

and repeated again Seth ka pani. It was as if I had never seen the decanter laying there I always124

perceived the Matka to be the source of drinking water. I told him mujhe laga Matke mein peene wala125

pani hai he replied to my question saying Matka to hai par Seth ka pani thanda hota hai. He handed126

me a steel glass filled to the brim, without even asking me for water but then I thought he has already127

asked me too many times. I drank the water; it wasnt hard water or cold as I had expected it to be it128

was sweet with normal temperature. Now the agenda was to see the water differentiation between the129

Seth ka pani and the Matke ka pani and to see who drinks from what.130

Everyone was looking a bit free, work and the blow torching noise had stopped. Today Baldev bhai131

asked me if I will have chai, yesterday I was the one to ask them. It wasnt their tea break and they132

were taking a break so I took the opportunity to talk to all of them with open arms and said yes to the133tea. As usual Mukesh went to the tea stall to get tea and was back within a few minutes. The134

conversation had already started I told them I had missed my campus bus today and reached teen135

darwaza directly and walked till their place. On the way all the shops were closed and the streets were136

empty teen darwaza didnt look like teen darwaza at all. Hiralal added aaj match hai na. Kamlesh said137

wahan mat jaya karo wo red alert area hai, wahan commi dunge hote hai he continued to say wahan138

sirf Mohomdan rehte hai, teen darwaza unka ilaka hai, Manek chowk ke bad sirf Hindu rehte hai I had139

been to teen darwaza a lot of times and thought it was completely normal and there was no distinction140

of Hindus and Muslims there but I didnt know his part of experiences to make such a comment. Baldev141

asked me aapke wahan nahi hota, commi dunga. I was a little taken a back didnt know what to142

answer I was about to ask more questions on how they feel about it but now the questions were143

directed towards me. I answered saying that there hasnt been an incident in my lived history. He again144

asked wahan mohomdan hai, I answered sikh aur punjabi zyada hai I didnt know what was true for145

Chandigarhs population of Muslims but I told them what I thought to be true.146

They only instance I could think similar to the commi dunge which I could relate to was Partition as told147

in the stories of my Grandfather. I told him the same that maybe partition was the time when such148

things happened in the place where I belong to. Baldev bhai immediately added to the conversation149

Sikh riots, and then I remembered the sikh riots that had happened because of Indira Gandhis150

assassination. As I was connecting the dots he told me that there were riots in the northern states due151

to Sikhs and their want of a separate state. I remembered the Khalistan issue and told him about it. I152

put the issue to rest saying that all this happened years before I was born and I only hear stories about153

it from my family. I told him that my Grandfather tells me stories about the partition with tears in his154

eyes. All of them listened keenly without a word drinking their tea. Everyone made the slurping noise155

through the saucer. I thought maybe they were all wanting to know my interpretation of commi dunge or156

the Hindu Muslim divide from the place I originally come from.157

The break was over everyone got back to work. I asked all of them if they liked cricket. Kamlesh said158

aaj cricket

Documents

Understanding Aural Life Worlds