Sunday, April 29, 2001		Article

IF you were to visit Rajasthan, chances are that you would come back with a pair of mojaris, the traditional leather slippers which have been worn for centuries by the desert people. Now the mojari is all set to hit the international market. Two years of hard work, repeat orders from Japan and interest shown by European countries have ensured that the mojari is ready to enter the global fashion arena.

Vast stretches of parched land and a severe shortage of water keeps agricultural yield poor in this western state of India. A dismal power situation, widespread poverty and low literacy rates have resulted in a poor human development index. But livestock abounds, ensuring a rich supply of leather. As do colourful tales of valour of a bygone era which keep up the morale of these brave people who fought wave after wave of invaders. As do the dexterous skills of its craftsmen, famed for their exquisite designs in vibrant colours which have kept the human spirit alive for centuries amidst severe living conditions.

As if to defy the parched brown landscape, the women of this state wear probably the most colourful dresses in the world. Shocking pinks swirl with cobalt blues and leafy greens. Deep maroons are offset by sunshine yellows. Crimson flirts with royal purple. And all this is embellished with the fabled embroidery of the land. You see it everywhere — on the choli, the ghaghra, the odhni, and even on the mojari which is embroidered with colourful threads in intricate patterns. The mojari is vegetable tanned and has excellent thermal insulation qualities. The footwear has been so perfected over the centuries, that even after being heated on a sand bath at 60°C for 36 hours, the temperature inside it is only 31°C.

Even today, about 2000 families spread across nearly 75 villages are still involved in making mojaris. While women artisans make the uppers, their dexterous fingers embroidering colourful designs, men stitch the soles on.

Recently the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) along with the National Leather Development Programme (NLDP) and Rural Non-Farm Development Agency (RUDA) got together to bring the mojari to national and international customers in an effort to improve the life of the villages, many of whom live in poverty.

Professional designers use textiles, nets, tetron and different coloured leathers to give the mojari a truly contemporary look. There is a beautiful blend of traditional and modern designs.

The results achieved by Operation Mojari as this UNDP-NLDP-RUDA project is called, could be seen at the recently-concluded National Shoe Fair held in New Delhi. Over 450 mojaris were on display.

In fact, the mojari has already been noticed in the international market. Japanese footwear companies were the first to place some orders. Says Rajeev Mathur of RUDA, "I think we passed the acid test this year when we got repeat orders from Japan. At the recent four-day-long shoe fair in New Delhi, we got on-the-spot orders for 4000 pairs and 22 export enquiries from Germany, South Africa, Sweden, Denmark and Italy."

Amarendra Sinha, National Programme Manager of NLDP, who also looks after Operation Mojari, says, "For two and a half years, we have been working to launch this range. With the loose ends tied up now, my team and I are all set to launch this range in a big way."

Mathur says foreign buyers appreciate the fact that artisans use vegetable tanned leather which has excellent thermal qualities.

What could be more fashionable than a colourfully-embroidered mojari with mirrors, bells and ceramic beads? It has always been popular with Delhi’s fashion conscious college boys and girls who team it with Indian dresses and even jeans. Tourists to Rajasthan invariably fall for its charm and a mojari is a must on their shopping lists. It is a brilliant fashion statement. And now it holds the promise of a better life for the craftsmen who fashion it.