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| Charmi agreed to be the model and promote this bag |
There is a bearded,
well mannered old man in Madurai. He has inherited the art of making cloth
canvas bags. For three generations he says, his family has survived on this
business. His bags are not for the very rich, but for the traders who need a
strong companion to carry their stuff.
He goes to the cloth
market and sources good quality canvas cloth. He is worried as the price per
kg of this cloth has shooted above Rs.200. This old man in his early fifties
brings the cloth home in a cycle (the cycle looks half as old as him). He carefully cuts it and stitches to make
awesome bags like the one shown in this picture.
He carries couple of
dozens in his cycle. Hangs them in the front handle bar. He has made it the
right size so that the bags can swing , but not touch the front wheels of the
cycle. It is a customer expectation for him. His customers will not buy if it
is long and could touch the front wheel. Now, he says it is a market standard
size for these bags.
His place of
business lies about 9kms from his house. He does not ride his cycle. He just
walks with the cycle. Walking with the cycling slows him down, but attracts the
passers by and shop keepers. He could sell 1 or 2 bags on the way to his place
of business. He reaches his place of business by 9.00am. He makes sure he is
ready to be there till 7.00pm. It is an old and dynamic trading spot. You could
see people selling everything from onions to ornaments. The sellers and the
buyers would need a bag. His bags are not sold in super markets or in the
shops. They all have moved on to plastic bags. Those who see the value of Rs.120 in
his bag are his customers. They negotiate and he will be happy to sell it at
Rs.110.
Once the sale is
made, he makes a value addition. He says, "I can attach rivets to the handle. My
bags are strong enough , but the rivets will make it stronger for ever". If the
customer is convinced with this sales pitch, our bag maker earns Rs.10 extra.
At the end of the
day, he is happy to sell 4 or 5 bags. I asked him, "Why not 40 or 50 bags
a day?". He replied "These are expensive bags, do you expect to sell
40 or 50?". I saw the business-man missing in him, but I could see a man
who loves his livelihood. He has to now walk back the 9kms home. I asked him,
why not leave the goods and cycle somewhere nearby. He says, that will cost me
Rs.25 a day. Why spend that when I can make some extra money by walking my way
back.
Do you want to meet
him? You should go to Thermutti in
Madurai. You could locate a cycle on the
platform near the first Ther (Temple Car).
You might see a cheerful, bearded old man with colorful bags near that cycle. He says,
I'm open 9.00am to 7.00pm every day.
Such wonderful people, makes us believe further in our www.theyellowbag.org initiative. Happy to be the messenger.
