‘Dear ladies, we love your pappadams in Canada. Keep up your great work, namaste - Karen Anderson and friends, Calgary Alberta’, reads one of many such messages in the visitor’s book of Sree Mahila Thejas Pappad unit in Veli, Fort Kochi. Formed nine years ago, after the popular Lijjat pappad venture, employing more than 200 women from the area was shut down, the feisty women of that unit refused to go down with the closure. Three months into an unemployed state, 20 from the group strategised and with the help of Cochin Corporation and Kudumbashree began this unit on a partnership basis. Soon, they were back to kneading dough, rolling it out, drying and packing pappads that have found its way on to the shelves of natty supermarkets, rustic bazaars, and from there on to the tables of homes across Kerala.
Molly P.P., in charge of the unit says, “Sometimes we are so busy, our hands engaged in different work that we cannot even offer the visitor’s book to the guests, who come here.” Four months ago the women purchased machinery worth Rs.10 lakh to meet rising demand and to keep abreast of competition.
At four in the evening work is on in full swing at the venue; freshly rolled out pappads lie on cardboard mats, drying in the afternoon sun. A few women cart the mats into the main hall, where about a dozen are busy rolling out dough into sun-like pale yellow circles. A strong smell of asafoetida hangs as one from the team leaves in a hurry declaring that its time to fetch her child from school. The others ask her to wait for a group photo but her excuse is validated, the child is small. “Such is the camaraderie among us,” says Molly adding that they are like one big family.
Sree Thejas Mahila Pappad opens at 7.30 in the morning when two from the team arrive and oversee the mechanical kneading of roughly 200-300 kilograms of dough. In a few hours others begin to arrive, “after completing their housework,” and set to designated duties. By now each one is attuned to their work and goes about it routinely. If some begin rolling dough, others carry and fetch the rolled out discs into the sun; others wipe the dried pappads and stack them in long, fitting polythene bags to be packed at a convenient time, into retail packs of 250 gm, half and one kilo packs. Molly and a few of the main partners keep note of inventory, muster, purchase and despatch. A small ad-hoc office maintains accounts as the women adhere to self cultivated professionalism. “There are about 50-odd women who work with us from their homes,” says Molly. One of the tasks at hand for the governing group is to deliver dough to the homes of these women and check on the hygiene conditions of their work areas. “We are particular about it. Each of these women is paid Rs. 26 for rolling out a kilo of dough. Some roll out as much as 10 to 12 kilos in a day, depending on their time and home conditions,” says Molly. The women receive bonus too and Molly shares a secret of the bonus plan. “It is actually Rs. 28 for a kilo but we keep Rs. 2 back and give the cumulative amount once a year, as bonus, with an added amount from the profits. “It’s just one of those things we do,” she says.
Draped in bright red, black and white printed saris, a uniform that changes every year these women work very hard. “It is tough physical work,” says Jessie bringing roasted pappads for the team to have with their tea. “This is our daily production test. We taste what we have made” says Shanta Sukumaran who is one among the Lijjat legacy. One of the most satisfying moments for the women has been a visit by a Lijjat official from Mumbai who was immensely pleased at the success of their venture. He wrote: ‘My good wishes to your business’.
“We treasure that, because we began from there,” says Sophy Jacob who is one of the oldest, being in her sixties.
At this juncture it is the big machine installed recently that’s occupying their thoughts. It will soon change the way the women work. With cutters, rollers and dryers all in one conveyor belt system the machine will takeover the manual work of many. But it’s demand that has the women optimistic.
It has forced them to diversify their products, from the staple pepper speckled masala pappad into the plain urad dal- Kerala pappad, chilli-garlic flavoured ones, jeera pappad and a chips model too. They have two salesmen who market their products across the State. They are “the only two males and we have a watchman in our team.”
“Here work is not like one in a factory,” says Molly implying that women don’t think of their work here as an employment. “There’s a personal connect. We are like one big family.” And this one big family takes an annual one-day-tour to a place close to unwind and enjoy. A trip to Cherai last year is fresh in their minds.
This year they have lots of challenges, competition being the most pressing. “We are ready to meet competition with our new machine and things made with hand are made with love; we have both” says Molly offering more roasted pappads.
