“Now, I’ll myself decorate Sarees for my daughter’s Kalyanam

On a bright afternoon, I traveled to Lalgudi from Trichy city by a bus. Thanks to softly blowing moist winds and greenery of rice and banana crops, my journey was quite pleasant. I reached Mangammalpuram village intended to meet Azhagurani. She had obtained a microloan to commence her small enterprise of Saree stone work from Milaap’s field partner GMF working in Tamil Nadu. She has successfully repaid 11 out of 18 installments without any delay. She lives in a semi-cemented house. When I knocked her door she had come to greet me inside her only tiled room. We sat on the floor for more discussion about her enterprise. 

Azhagurani, 38, lives with her husband, a daughter and a younger son. Her daughter studies in 12th standard and the son, in 11th standard at Government Inter College of the nearby village. Both of them are the students of science stream. She told that her husband runs a tea stall at the Lalgudi bus-stand road. Her total household monthly income is around Rs. 20,000 only. They don’t have a toilet at home and trek a few meters in open to answer their nature’s call. For water they completely depend on the public pipeline that has an outlet in front their house. Sharing how her typical day looks like, she said, “I assist my husband at his tea-stall from early morning 4’o clock to 2’o clock in the afternoon. Then I return back to home and work on these Sarees from afternoon 3’o clock to 6’o clock in the evening.” She told that she goes to Trichy city once a month to purchase the raw materials (Saree stones of different designs, threads, sparkles, etc.) worth Rs. 1,500. 

Fetching some Sarees from the bottom drawer of her cupboard, she said, “At an average I receive 10-15 orders of Sarees from three different villages. However, the orders increase up to 20-30 during festive seasons.” She charges Rs. 150-200 for a Saree depending upon the fabric of Saree, area of putting stones and type of stone used. Apart from this, she also glues stones and sparkles on the blouse pieces worth Rs. 50-70. She told that she makes a monthly profit of around Rs. 2,000 from this work. Showing me a beautiful maroon colored silk Saree, she said, “Since now a days, such Sarees are very costly, therefore we’re saving for our daughter’s marriage.” She informed that they save around Rs. 5,000 every month. Soon a spark of happiness brightened her face and she said, “I’ll myself put stones and sparkles on all the Sarees of my daughter's marriage.” The happiness in her eyes was evident and so was the determination to save more. I know she’ll definitely be able to save good amount till her daughter marries.