by Niha Masih

Sanganer is a small, dusty settlement just off the airport road on the outskirts of Jaipur. However the many lanes and by lanes of this neighbourhood throb with life and machinery continuously. One narrow road leads to the renowned blue pottery workshop and another houses textile mills. All open spaces are lined with cardboard drying in the sultry sun. Vigorous screen printing on bedsheets is going on in dingy workspaces.

Originally it was an artisan village populated by the ‘kagazis’ or papermakers. They were the first settlers of Sanganer which interestingly is older than Jaipur. The handmade paper industry had its genesis due to an initiative by Maharaja Sawai Jaisingh II taken as long back as 1728. Over the years it has evolved into an industrial hub with many kinds of factories coming up, from textile to speaker parts. In this mechanized age most of the production in Sanganer’s handmade industry is manual, except for the electric motors used for pulping, calendaring and other peripheral activities.

Till a few years back the whole process of papermaking was manual. At house number 30, Masjid ke pass, Kagazi Colony, it still is.

It is Friday afternoon and Hussain Kagazi Saheb is readying for a bath before the Friday namaz. He does not want to be photographed as he is not wearing his usual pristine white Kurta. His eyes shine with pride and a vigour as he speaks of how he is the only one to have kept alive the art of papermaking in the entire Sanganer. Most of the others have either set up huge factories making close to 1000 sheets daily or have begun other more lucrative businesses. ‘Aisa mazboot kagaz ab kahan milega aapko’, says the 58 year old Kagazi Saheb while scrunching a sheet of paper in his hand. Not a wrinkle or tear.

The entire family works in tandem during the whole process. Kagazi Saheb creates the paper from pulp while his sons (standing extreme left and second from left) oversee the making of pulp and its cleanliness. The women of the house cook the starch and apply it over paper before finally putting it up for drying. His grandson (standing on extreme right) is still in school and is learning the ropes as yet.

Zakir Hussain, Kagazi Saheb’s elder son manages the post production aspects like selling and exporting the paper. He is happy being a small producer even though it does not pay as much because it is more satisfying.

By Niha Masih

you can guess their pattern, their flight
their destination
far away to the south in winter,
north in spring. - Jan Haag

48 years old Kuldeep has been coming to Delhi to work for the last 18 years. Originally a resident of the Chattarpur district of Madhya Pradesh, his family owns a small patch of farm land which has become increasingly irrelevant due to frequent floods. He realized early on that he would have to come to the city for work to support his family. With absolutely no education, there was limited possibility of finding work and he took up odd jobs as a laborer.

18 years down the line, he comes to Delhi every year with his family for around 6-8 months, depending on the availability of work. He has five children, two of whom live in the village for studies while the older ones come with him to work.

Their work involves breaking boulders into stones which is used for laying railway tracks and other construction sites. They get paid according to the number of trucks the stones fill at the end of each day. They generally manage two trucks between the four of them and earn rupees 1000 daily. They save money during their work stint in Delhi and use it when they return to their village for a few months.

For the same work in Madhya Pradesh they would not get paid even half as much nor would the women folks get work there and hence the need to shift base. He says, “Dilli acha hai kyunki yahan par kaam milta hai, par gaaon jaisa nahi lagta.” (Delhi is nice as there is work here but it is not the same as my village.)

This is not just Kuldeep’s story but the story of an entire community. A small close knit community mainly from Madhya Pradesh and Chhatisgarh - their current work place is near the Yamuna in Kalindi Kunj. Most of them lament the loss of education for their children since they are not based in one place.

18 years old Vivek proudly tells he is learning English from a nearby coaching. His father is interested about Government schools in the vicinity but adds how it is not easy for the children to go to school for reasons varying from paperwork required in schools to their usefulness at home.

Though statistics differ, roughly there are around 100 million circular migrants in India. The migration pattern for the rural poor (to urban centres) is generally circular as they do not have the social security to keep them there. Also due to families and land they tend to keep returning to their native land, especially during the agricultural season.

While for many migrating to the city means a better life, it is not exactly that for most labour migrants. The city does pay them but also takes much away. They are the bottom of the industrial class structure with very little or no scope for upward mobility. They are compelled to live in sub human conditions, with even basic amenities like drinking water not easily available. These are not migrant specific problems per se but for them is a more potent roadblock. This sector has largely remained unorganized and hence most of these issues remain unaddressed.

On a chance weekend break from work, my friend and I decided to pack our bags and head out of Delhi. With just two days at our disposal we could not venture far, plus we wanted to avoid the conventional tourist places. This left us with very few options and finally we decided to head to the mountains of Lansdowne in Uttaranchal. Situated around 250km from Delhi, Lansdowne lies in the Pauri Garhwal district. The easiest way to get to there is to take a bus to Kotdwar, from where jeeps run up to Lansdowne. The drive uphill is quite breathtaking especially if you’re travelling in the wee hours of dawn and hence it is advisable to get the front seats in the jeep. The jeep drops you off at the main town square which is tiny and quaint. The architecture has an ethereal and old world charm to it.

After a quick breakfast at one of the small eateries we headed off to the nearby jheel (lake) called Bhulla Taal. There is perhaps nothing as reinvigorating as a walk in the mountains early morning when there is a slight nip in the air. The placid waters of the lake are lined with a well maintained garden.


View of the Bhulla Taal
We next headed off to the famous Tip in Top point from where according to locals one can see the Indo China border. It is apparently named Tip in Top after a British General who fell off from his horse there. Finding the way up to it can be quite an adventure in itself. Without a guide, we were at the mercy of the passer bys. Trekking through the mountains was a lot of fun though we did get lost and took a long time to get back on the main road and that perhaps is the best way of discovering any place. On our way we chanced upon a cliff which offered a stunning view of the valley below. The luscious greens and the most vivid shade of blue in the sky was pure visual ecstasy. Another discovery we made was a small Santoshi Mata Mandir perched up on a small hill. There are more than fifty steps leading up to it and apart from the karma you will also be blessed with another spectacular view.

Lansdowne weather is known to be highly unpredictable and prone to quick and sudden changes. The rains especially are notorious.

After many more diversions we did find our way to the right place and only then did we realize how totally worth it, our trek had been. The Tip in Top is just a small viewing point hardly big enough to hold 15 people. Mist hung all around and it swirled out slowly unraveling the town and that is definitely one of the most breathtaking scenes ever. Distant mountain peaks enveloped in mist surrounded the town like sentinels. Nature in its full glory is extremely captivating and it is easy to fall into a heady stupor when you can just stand and stare. When finally the reverie breaks it is time to move on.

Walking down the road is as delightful as the vista keeps expanding. The road leads to the Saint Mary’s Church of the British era. It runs a film on the Garhwal regiment on request. A little further down the winding road stands the Saint John’s Church which is open only during Mass timings.

Other places of interest are the Garhwal Rifles Museum and the Cantonment area. There is nothing really to do there, making it the perfect place for a relaxing weekend away from the dust and grime of the city. It is quite a blessing that unlike many hill towns it is not swarming with tourists. Idyllic, pristine and tranquil is Lansdowne for you!

Getting there: Kotdwar is the connecting town so take a bus or train till there. Jeeps run to and fro till Lansdowne from 5 in the morning till around 6 in the evening.

Accomodation: For budget accommodation take a pick from one of the two Guest Houses in the main town square. For a higher budget you can choose cottages near the Tip in Top point or stay at the new resort which is a little away from the town.

Best time to visit: According to locals between September to October Lansdowne is at its best.

-Niha Masih