In the Mandi Bazaar area of Burhanpur district in Madhya Pradesh, 65 year old craftsman Vijay Bhavsar has turned a needle and thread skill into a business that now reaches customers thousands of miles away. He designs bridal blouses and lehengas that are in demand not just locally but among Indians settled abroad.
A Skill Passed Down From Father To Son, Now In Its Fourth Generation
Vijay Bhavsar learned this craft from his father. Over the years he added his own innovations to the traditional technique and also turned to social media to reach a wider audience. His family has been in this designing business for four generations. What began with his father has now passed on to the next generation as well, since Bhavsar has taught this craft to his children and three or four other people, giving them a livelihood and keeping the tradition alive.
Orders From Abroad, Fabric Sent Six Months In Advance
According to Bhavsar, customers living abroad also place orders with him and get their outfits made in Burhanpur itself. Such customers send their fabric about six months in advance, and Bhavsar designs and prepares the outfit in the meantime. Whenever these customers travel to India and visit Burhanpur, they collect their finished blouses and lehengas from him. People settled overseas who visit Burhanpur specifically get their blouses and lehengas stitched by him before heading back. Blouse stitching at his shop costs anywhere between ₹350 and ₹5000, depending on the complexity of the design work involved.
Earning A Living While Creating Jobs For Others
Bhavsar, who runs a boutique business, says he earns around three to four lakh rupees every year. He employs three people at his boutique who work alongside him preparing blouses. Separately, he also provides employment to two more people. His work therefore supports not just his own family but also the livelihoods of several other people around him.
Customers Travel From Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra And Gujarat
Bhavsar's designing work is popular not only among overseas customers but also across several Indian states. Women and families from Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Gujarat and other states travel to Burhanpur specifically to get blouses stitched by him. It is his fine detailing and effort that has kept this four generation old family craft as popular today as it once was.
