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The return of traditional manja
With the ban on Chinese dor (a sharp, glass powder-coated nylon manja) traditional manja makers in the city are a happy lot. After a gap of almost six to eight years, business is looking up. Rahim, a manja maker at Dabeerpura says, “When the Chinese manja entered the market a few years
With the ban on Chinese dor (a sharp, glass powder-coated nylon manja) traditional manja makers in the city are a happy lot. After a gap of almost six to eight years, business is looking up.
Rahim, a manja maker at Dabeerpura says, “When the Chinese manja entered the market a few years back, our business was badly affected. Now that Chinese made manja is banned we are happy.”
Mohammed Tahir of Habeeb & Sons at Gulzar Houz says, “Now that Chinese manja is banned we are once again ordering for Indian manja along with Barelli variety.”
The hotspots of manja making in the city are Dabeerpura, Mangalhat-Dhoolpet stretch.
Shopkeepers procure the Barelli manja for Rs 250 to Rs 1,200 per 1,000 metres.
Tahir said that there are many varieties and the costliest is Rs 1,200 for a reel. Some old timers who have been flying kites for years do not compromise on quality. The manja made in Dhoolpet and Dabeerpura is procured at Rs 60-100 per reel (a reel is of 900 metres).
One of the oldest persons in the business of manja making in the city Sheikh bhai, 63 says, “In the past we would start making manja six months prior to Sankranti festival but during the period of Chinese manja it was reduced to just one month.
This year also we started just a month back but from next year onwards we would again start a few months in advance.”
During the interim period, when Chinese manja ruled, many manja makers in the city left the profession. Today there is just a handful left but they would return next year says Mansoor Khan who has been in the business of manja making for over a decade.
It is tough work as one toils all day long but the job satisfaction that one gets is immense says Shaik. “When customers return and say how good the manja was and how they enjoyed themselves we forget our hardship,” he adds.
Even as a group of men work away at Dabeerpura, customers from as far as Medchal come to order. Farooq, an IT professional from said, “I ordered for four reels and the festival this year is on a Saturday and we are going to make the most of the weekend.”
