Manja Making – Craft Of Ahmedabad
By Zalak Patel | Published on : January 27, 2020Have you played ‘Langas’ ??
Have you ever played langasiya? ( Langasiya is a traditional game). Herein, one end of the thread is tied with a stone and the other loose end is held in hand. The user rotates the stone at good enough speed and throws it such that it gets stuck into the object at which it is thrown into. Have you ever had to choose from ‘dheel ni dori’ and ‘khench ni dori’? Even if we follow the adage that hands of the law are very long, in order to get back a tangled kite, only ‘langas’ will come handy.
With the onset of Uttarayan, kite junkies start their shopping spree. Essentials include kites, goggles, and caps. In addition, there are gundar patti’ (gum tapes) and ‘pipuda'( mini trumpets made of paper, plastic and sundry metals).
Readymade Firki or ‘Rangayeli’ Firki ??
All these materials except the ‘Manja’ ( processed thread using for flying kites) are handily available. Yes, if you are content using the ready to use options available, then even ‘Manja’ can be availed at the last moment. But if you are a true-blue kite enthusiast and want to experience the real euphoria of kite flying, then readymade ‘Manja’ will surely won’t interest you. This is because there is a great deal of difference between readymade ‘firkis’ and customized firkis prepared as per your specifications. Period.
No one will ever know how kite flying, which was initially limited to being a pass time for the Nawabs of India seeped into our Amdavadi DNA. And, along with kites, came the frivolous ‘Manja’. ‘Manja’ is a simple cotton thread after its makeover. The beautiful cotton thread in all her glory… We are going to spill the beans on this very ‘Manja’.
The People Involved
The ‘Manja’ making craftsmen in our city comprise of the people from Agra, Lucknow, Bareilly and other parts of north and central India. They have been in the trade for more than 40 years, some even being in the profession for as many as 70 years. Post-Diwali, these craftsmen come to our city and stay put here till Uttarayan. ‘Manja’ makers start their work early in the morning. The density and tensile strength differ for different wires and these parameters help to differentiate between threads. 6 cord, 9 cord,12 cord are some varieties. Ordinary kites need a 6 cord thread while heavy ones need 12 cord thread.
The Process
There are two main procedures involved in converting thread into ‘Manja’. The methods use liquid and solid raw materials which comprise among other things, glass powder and color.
#1 Liquid:
The resin forms the base herein. The raw materials include a thick resin mixture using glass, refined flour, and color. This mixture is accommodated in a big vessel. After that, the workers pass the entire bulk of cotton thread through it and then roll it onto the spinning wheel. The wheel not only acts as a rotator for the thread but also functions as a dryer to dry the Manja and finally helps to roll the ready Manja onto the ‘firki’ ( A firki can be termed as a spool with two protruding handles that is used for finger propelled spinning in Uttarayan).
#2 Solid:
The major ingredient is cooked rice. The older ( aged rice) the better or vintage should we say. Rice aged for 3-4 years would serve the best use and aged rice with insects – would serve even better as raw material. The reason, being that aged rice is more sticky and provides the necessary glue to hold the manja mixture together.
The Materials Used
The workers first cook the rice and mix it with glass powder,’suhaga powder’ (calcinated borax powder), coloring agent ( without colorfastness) and soap soaked overnight. After that, they prepare a soft dough. This dough is ‘lugdi’.Fine glass provides the necessary sharpness to the manjha. Soap facilitates the rubbing process as well as grip on the glass-coated thread. ‘Suhaga’ powder helps in keeping the thread rot free or helps to keep the fungi at bay ( Hence the proverbial usage of ‘Dor Pe Suhaga’ instead of ‘Sone Pe Suhaga’). It can thus be termed as a medicine that keeps the Manja free of illnesses. Isn’t it?
Manjha set up
The Manja workers set up two small wooden pillars. Besides, there are two small horizontal pipes also. The workers attach these to the pillars. The thread then passes between both the pillars through these small pipes. The craftsman clasps the ‘lugdi’ in his hands and rubs it across this thread arrangement. In addition, the workers wrap the thread in patterns to keep it tangle-free. After that, at a distance of about 5-7 lines, they make a knot. This ensures that while coloring the thread as well as while wrapping it onto the firki, the Manja remains tangle-free.
The Tradition
The manja makers swear by their livelihood tools. For them, these wooden poles are the means of their economic survival. As a result, they protect these from the evil eye in every way possible. The wooden pillars have chasms tied to them. The workers tie charms like ‘lemon and chili, small knife, black cloth with a bit of ‘lugdi’ among others to the wooden pillars to ward off evil eyes and negative energies.
The Pain Endured
These colorful pictures are a treat to one’s eyes. Aren’t they? But the condition of the hands of the Manja makers is totally contradictory to these eye-catching images. They tie strips of cloth and cotton threads over these in order to protect their fingers from abrasion. The Manja workers’ hands are full of cuts and wounds inflicted by the glass powder but notwithstanding the pain, they put up a smile as if telling us that it is a way of life for them.
