Diwali lights a special lamp of hope for the tribal women of Vihigaon, near Kasara. Aided by Vivekanand Seva Mandal of Dombivali, they make the 'utna' (natural bodyscrub) indispensable to the ritual pre-dawn baths of the festival.
A month before Diwali, 31-year-old Vijayatai Punjare gets busy making the ubtan and painting the diyas that will make its way to various corporate offices in Thane and Mumbai. "Like me, 120 women from my village make these products and some of us come to the city to sell them," she says. "My husband works on construction sites and the money we earn in Diwali helps me take care of my home for three months," she adds.
Punjare has been associated with the Dombivali self-help organisation for five years. "My mother-in-law Sitabai worked with them for 25 years, and now I have taken over," she says.
Around 30 women from the Mandal train others to become self-reliant. The scrubs are made under the guidance of Ayurvedic doctors. Some of the women are also selected for marketing their products.
The products and stalls have become popular among corporates over the years. "When we started, we used to sell 3,500 to 4,500 packets of utna every season. This year, we have 20,000 packets," says Ketan Bondre who works with the Mandal.
VSM was founded in 1991 and to supplement the Diwali business, it has introduced incense sticks which can be bought all through the year. "The sale of these agarbattis will help me support my family through out the year," says Punjare.
