Leather Work in Jawaja

Jawaja is a small town located in the district of Ajmer 70 kms towards northwest direction, and its main occupation is agriculture with a low literacy rate. No craft other than leatherwork is practiced so broadly in Jawaja, though handloom weaving, embroidery work (kashida) is also found there. In fact even leather work is on its verge of extinction as only one family is involved in this practice.

About the craft and its development

Initially people of Jawaja used to make leather products (mainly jootis) for the local market but which didn't brought them much earnings. In 1975, Jawaja Leather Association (JLA) was formed which included 5 main villages dealing with leather craft- Jawaja, Beawar, Malpura, Kabra, Sakawar.

Rural University and a new concept of education rural development were initiated by Professor Ravi Matthai, first director of the Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Ahmedabad. Rural University team then worked with people of the Jawaja block, which included about 200 villages with a population of approximately 80,000 people. Jawaja is a region of high poverty and no resources; some people knew spinning and weaving and owned few looms. Weaving and leatherwork became the source of economic development, and later people understood relevancy of design education into this rural context.

How Leather work evolved

This craft began to evolve after the formation of Jawaja Leather Association (JLA) and the demand for pure leather products increased in the export market. Though lots of leather products were sent to Gujarat but now Gujarat state government has banned the trade of leather and leather products and since then, their sale has dropped.

About the artisans

• Male/Female Ratio involved in leatherwork is : 7:3
• Artisans' Communities: Hindu and Muslim community
• Child Labor: widely prevalent.
• Average age of the artisians is : 30 years
• Literacy: Most of the artisans are 12th pass.
• Average family size: 5-8 members
• Most of these artisians have low standards of living. They earn just enough to fulfill the basic needs of the family.
• Work shed: Most of the leather work is done at home. So the ladies help men in their work by doing embroidery, patch work and bead work along with their household work.
• Financial condition is medium; they are not into debts. Though agriculture was also practiced initially but now leatherwork is the only source of their income as this craft gives a full time income.
• Wages paid to the labourer are on piece rate bases.

There is no significance of leather craft as such, it is not an aesthetic/a religious/a social act but it is merely a means of earning livelihood.