Shuttered shops, empty shops, changed line of businesses; this is the story of seasonal manja- making business in Hyderabad’s Dabeerpura area due to the popularity of ‘Chinese manja’ and demonetisation.
“This is the time when wholesale dealers from surrounding districts like Karimnagar, Gulbarga and Medak etc., used to flock to us for kites, manja and charak (bobbin). But this year, I am saddled with this huge inventory but no sales,” says Muhammad Riyaz aka Chotoo, a master manja maker of Motinala, Dabeerpura. “I used to employ eight persons for one month. Now, I am managing the shop alone,” he says.
Out of the fives shops in the lane, only one was open on Wednesday and it was empty. The lane, which is a hub of activity during December and first fortnight of January with colourful manja being prepared by youngsters and families, presented a deserted look.
Change of business
Sitting inside his shop with vegetables in small baskets, Viqar Ahmed says he has changed his line of business due to low sales of kites and manja . “We used to sell kites and manja but not any more. This is better. I have a regular income and I don’t have the tension of ups and downs of business,” said Mr. Ahmed.
The twin blows of cash swap and Chinese manja have adversely impacted not just the shop owners but also the few families that are into kite making and its ancillary cottage occupations.
“These bamboo bobbins are a cottage industry in Babanagar. But there are no sales this year and we have asked the families not to make any more charaks for us,” informs Ahmad Shahid, drilling small holes to hang the charaks to the shop front near Kali Kaman area.
Sales down
The downturn in a seasonal business can be seen from the figures dished out by one of the oldest shop owner in Gulzar Houz area: Mahbub Aziz.
“Each trader from districts would buy goods valued at between Rs. 4,000 and Rs. 5,000 but now the few that have come to purchase have bought goods valued at Rs. 2,000 only. The shops that do a business of Rs. 10 lakh in these few days will be making only Rs. 2.5 lakh and this will affect everyone including the craftsmen,” says Mr. Aziz who makes paper kites besides selling them.
