The mind wanders because it must. But often our search for stillness ends in places where we least expect it. Even a forester’s office that doubles up as a studio of clay souvenirs, for instance, could be an oasis of calm sometimes. Immersed in the colours and the contours of the clay objects, the laughter and bonhomie of the local women who make each of those objects by hand, and the beauty of the local birds and animals captured in clay, a traveller can discover an entirely new world of healing.
On the way to Raisen in central Madhya Pradesh lies just such a space. The nondescript office of forester Sasi Ahirwar. If you don’t know the place, you’re most likely to pass it by, assuming it’s just another rural home. Upon entering the gate, however, you’ll be transported to a different world. The small courtyard has a humble sitting area, adjacent to which lies a hut with two rooms.
For nearly a decade, Sasi has been making souvenirs out of clay here, and inviting other local women to give her a hand. Though she hadn’t set out with a clear plan at first, eventually her efforts gained traction when she saw that this craft is an indirect but effective way of bringing local women together and helping them earn a living. The shop was started in 2007, but few knew about it in its first eight years. By 2016, however, more and more people had started noticing and buying the products. At present, there are 10 women in the village who work with Sasi to make the clay souvenirs.
While there are many kinds of souvenirs on display in the shop, a majority of them are modelled on local birds and animals. There are masks too, each more unique than the other, and entirely handmade.
According to Sasi, starting this shop has helped her build a better relationship with the people of the village, and encouraged inter-community bonding as well. As a guard, it’s not always safe to stay alone in the office at night. “But the women here make sure that they stay with me, if I’m working late,” she says, “they tell me I’m like a sister to them.” The men in the village also get involved sometimes. Some of the women’s husbands actively participate in the process of learning to make these souvenirs to help their wives.
Sasi’s shop is like a fresh breath of air, and a genuinely enriching experience. A place that believes craft can be a beautiful way of bringing people together and helping them unwind, collectively.