Abid Gowhar
Srinagar /June 13/ In the on-going “reaching-out-to-all” mission launched by Jammu & Kashmir Bank ltd. some interesting and fascinating things become unfold so for as covering the un-banked areas and unexposed people under the modern day banking shadows. While analyzing the livelihood, cultural set-up, demographic profile, financial offerings and needs of the villagers living in two rural blocks i.e. Ranbhir Singh Pora of district Jammu and Ganderbal block of district Srinagar, there comes out a project for the bank with treasure of information and innovative things that is going to play a pivotal role in the overall economic development of the State and which can built a strong platform for the bank to strengthen its customer base also.
For last more than a month, J&K Bank’s six-member special marketing team is visiting village to village and going door-to-door in Ganderbal block to make people aware of the banking facilities and conversing with the villagers about their trades, jobs and financial needs.
In order to involve maximum of the underprivileged, remote, unattended and un-banked areas in its business manifesto and social concern agenda, there seems the right selection of the two blocks because both have some uniqueness in their demography and potential for financial inclusion.
It is Ganderbal block of district Srinagar that has got presence of willow trees in abundance and obviously the dominance in the art and trade related to it. Kashmir handicraft has so much modesty and craze in the world that the bestowed natural beauty of the valley gets enriched by the craftsmanship of the people over here. Apart from other art and crafts, hand-made willow-wicker products mark a special mention in our sacred history. The Ganderbal Block has more than fourteen villages in its custody, which fall under two topographic zones. One in the north-east of the Block headquarter, the mountainous or slanting zone situated alongside of Harmukh hills, and the other a plain zone with different geographical set up. The former being rich in fruits and the later rich in wet lands and willow trees. The area is fertile with enough rice cultivation but also flood prone.
Villages like Saloora, Kachan, Hakim Gund, Hatbara, Harran, Gund-e-Rehman and Shallabugh are famous for quality willow trees called Yeer in Kashmiri and Poplar trees called Frest. While Horse-plying and Cherry fruit trees of Gutlibagh and its adjacent villages are exemplary on one side, the willow wood and willow wicker trade is unique and unmatched on the other side in the plains of Ganderbal. Elsemore there is a difference in social set up of the people living in these two areas like mixture of Gujjar, Pushtoo and contemporary Kashmiris residing in altitudes of Harmukh hills and people with pure Kashmiri rural set-up living on the other side in plains .
In the first phase seven villages of Harmukh hills like Gutli Bagh, Chanhar, Wayil Wudder, BabaWayil, Wurpash and Banjar were reached out by the Bank during which more than three hundred fifty new accounts were opened during and a big portion was being made aware of the banking facilities and products.
In the second and ensuing phase of the programme, an exclusive reach, study and survey is being done in the land of willow-wicker experts. Despite a JK bank branch exists in Chundina village, only a small portion of the population has got sufficient knowledge about banking services and facilities. A vast section of this artisan society still waits for the government aid and subsidy to come in their way. With more than six hundred households, Shallabugh village is eight kilometers from its Tehsil headquarter Ganderbal and is under a government plan to be constituted as a model village. Bankers found a good response to their call during the awareness campaign in shallabugh and its adjacent villages, seeing huge gathering thronging around, while giving brief about banking and banking products to the local shopkeepers. People were seen excited in reading the Urdu version of bank brochures containing brief details about JK bank’s different deposit schemes. Several complaints also poured in about poor customer service of the bank branch in the area but simultaneously around one hundred fresh accounts were opened in just two days in the area. People were seen enthusiastic in getting the information about the banking products and schemes, but many of them hardly get impressed by the credit or loan product offers. All the link roads joining the villages lead through the rice farms and are macadamized. Apart from willow artisans, professional wood-cutters, other businessmen including transporters are prevail in the area. Worthy to mention of Harran village, a rich business village comprising eighty households with literacy ratio of more than sixty per cent.
About Willow Wicker Trade:
Willow and white-wood trees are found in abundance in the area. Willow wicker is used by crafts man known as shaksaz or kainyal to make charmingly quaint objects, ranging from shopping baskets and lampshades to tables and chairs, all generally inexpensive. Most of the people are expert in making use of willow twigs to make Kangris, baskets and other durable items and this activity trade is considered to be a cultural handicraft art of the area.
Willow twigs are chiseled and frequently sprayed with water, particularly in dry climates, to prevent them from brittle. Because the plenty growth of willow, the willow/wicker craft is deeply rooted in local folk tradition. The product includes tokras, tokris, oval shaped containers with lids etc. ‘Kangri’ the handmade warming equipment is also designed here with an earthen bowl being wrapped in a frame of decoratively woven willow.
Green willow- twigs are kept in a big boiler pot for a night and then its upper surface is scratched. The colour of the twigs turns white and bright after it is completely dried down in sun shine. Commenting on the trade, an expert artisan, 45 year old Abdul Razak Khanday says that green willow- twigs cost around Rs250/40kg(Mann). It is kept in a big boiler pot for a night and then its upper surface is scratched. The colour of the twigs turns white and bright after it is completely dried down in sun shine. “There are five boiler pots in the village which cost a willow farmer Rs300/- per 35 Mann to boil the raw willow material. After bearing all the costs and labour work, net average earning of a willow wicker artisan is not more than rupees one hundred per day” said Khanday. There are different varieties of wicker being used to weave baskets, plates and other decorative items which include, kekas, red skin, pansuer, dhaisuer and stick.
##################
No comments:
Post a Comment