rontholi jewellery cluster nagaon interactive design

RONTHOLI JEWELLERY CLUSTERNAGAON

Interactive Design StudyCluster Level ReportDCS MSME Scheme Band Five | 2011Submitted by: Arpit AgarwalDesign Consultant | [email protected]

Interactive Design Study | Rontholi Jewellery Cluster Nagaon | 2011 | Arpit Agarwal

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Arpit AgarwalBijju MusahaharySurajit DuttaSriparna B BaruahSukanya Bor SaikaMolthoinuBasabi HazarikaBhakta BaniaPobitra BaniaRitu Moni BaniaArtisans at Rontholi

Contributors

Interactive Design Study | Rontholi Jewellery Cluster Nagaon | 2011 | Arpit AgarwalInaguration of DCS MSME office in Guwahati, Assam


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Inaguration of DCS MSME office in Guwahati, Assam

Design Clinic Scheme for Design Expertise to MSMEs, a unique and ambitious design intervention scheme for the country’s large micro, small and medium scale enterprises, is an initiative of Ministry of MSME, Government of India has been launched under National Manufacturing Competitiveness programme. The scheme is being designed keeping in mind the objective of design awareness, design interventions and competitiveness improvement for largest group of industrial sectors, Micro, small and medium enterprises of the country which contributes to approximately 45% of total industrial production and 40% exports. They are major contributors to the GDP growth, accounting to about 8%. They are also the largest employers after agriculture, employing an estimated 41 million people. The main objective of the Design Clinic Scheme is to bring MS&ME sector and design expertise into a common platform and to provide expert advice and solutions on real time design problems, resulting in continuous improvement and value addition for existing products. This model brings design exposure to the door step of industry clusters for design awareness, improvement, evaluation, analysis and design related intervention. Design clinic scheme will assist industrial clusters to open a channel for design information inflow for creative, innovative and futuristic approach towards the product, process, operations, manufacturing and business

design. The scheme will help generate insight for opportunity identification and design intervention for competitive and breakthrough solutions for MSMEs.

The total scheme budget will be Rs. 73.58 crores, out of which Rs. 49.08 crores will be GoI assistance and the balance amount will be contributed by the beneficiary MSMEs. The scheme provides great opportunity to the large sector of MSME (Associations and Units) as well as Indian design fraternity – the design consulting firms, independent designers, various design institutes of the country and also the design students to engage them to assist the country’s large MSME sector move up the value chain through increasing the value and competitiveness of their products and services.

The scheme targets to reach out to about 200 MSME clusters over the next two and half years. This will be achieved through organization of about 200 design sensitization seminars, 200 Design Clinic Workshops and 400 design projects including 100 student design projects (final year thesis projects). National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad will assist the Ministry of MSME, Government of India, as a nodal agency for implementing the scheme. As part of the scheme a Design Clinic Centre and its regional centres are being set up to

About

The Design Clinic Scheme


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reach out to all parts of the country. For easy percolation of design thinking and philosophy and maximum benefit for MSME units the Design Clinic Scheme is divided at 3 broader levels.

These activities are helpful in smooth transition in to several levels of design intervention in industrial and business activities of MSMEs.

1. Design Sensitisation Seminar2. Design Awareness programme a. Need Assessment Survey b. Design Clinic Workshop3. Design Projects

Design Sensitisation Seminar held in Rontholi, Nagaon


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The design awareness programme, DAP, is focused to develop a holistic map of MSME clusters and units by exploring through industrial functions and activities. The design expert/s will generate design information about products, market scenario, technology, communication, research & development, and various industrial functions along with human factor study for ergonomics, safety, convenience, learning and skill up gradation through design research. Also the programme will provide design remedies for identified opportunities through design clinic workshop. The workshop will help participants to understand the holistic scenario of cluster and benefit them with the support of design expert/s, for design intervention in opportunity areas explored during the programme.

The activities of design awareness programme are targeted around following areas of design information collection and remedial solutions.Design Expert will visit the identified/selected MSME units located in cluster region and interact with them to develop a design understanding of cluster. During the interaction design will provide inputs to MSMEs about product improvements, best practices and creative problem solving approach based on contextual scenario. In the process s/he will identify underlying opportunities with the help

of explorative design research of clusters and participating units.

This activity is an intensive design research for understanding the present scenario and opportunities for the design intervention. Also it will help improve MSME through Interactive learning, guidance and training during the visit.This activity will be a detailed research thorough visits and interaction with people within the MSME work environment. It will also help designer to generate information about the cluster units, their products, manufacturing processes, market scenario followed by identifying opportunity areas for design interventions. The research would be taken up by design expert/s for generation of design insights through various processes of exploration, interaction and data collection. Design expert/s will take part in developing macro perspective by studying cluster scenario and micro point of view by exploring through MSME units operations. As an outcome of interactive design research, expert/s will identify opportunity areas at cluster as well as units level for design interventions and design project/s in the future course of design clinic scheme The research methodology for design study survey will include activities through observation, interaction, photography, interviews and qualitative/quantitative design

Introduction

Design Awareness Program

Artisans at Design Sensitisation Seminar held in Rontholi, Nagaon Nagaon


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data collection. The survey will help in developing detailed map of cluster and units for identification of patterns and exploring opportunity areas for design intervention at various levels of product and human interactions.

Design Sensitisation Seminar held in Rontholi, Nagaon

Chief Guest at Design Sensitisation Seminar


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The National Institute of Design (NID) is internationally acclaimed as one of the foremost multi-disciplinary institutions in the field of design education and research. The Business Week, USA has listed NID as one of the top 25 European & Asian programmes in the world. The institute functions as an autonomous body under the department of Industrial Policy & Promotion, Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India. NID is recognised by the Dept. of Scientific & Industrial Research (DSIR) under Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India, as a scientific and industrial design research organisation.

NID has been a pioneer in industrial design education after Bauhaus and Ulm in Germany and is known for its pursuit of design excellence to make Designed in India, Made for the World a reality. NID’s graduates have made a mark in key sectors of commerce, industry and social development by taking role of catalysts and through thought leadership.

About

National Institute of Design

Chief Guest at Design Sensitisation Seminar


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With an aim to undertake training, research and consultancy activities in small and micro enterprises focusing on entrepreneurship development, the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) was established in the year 1993 in Guwahati by the erstwhile Ministry of Industry (now the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), Government of India as an autonomous national institute. The institute began operating from April 1994 with the North East Council (NEC), Governments of Assam, Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland and SIDBI as its other stakeholders.

The policy direction and guidance to the institute is provided by its Board of Management whose Chairman is the Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME). The Governing Council of the institute is headed by Chairman, NEC and the Executive Committee is headed by the Secretary, Ministry of MSME, Government of India.

The institute is located at Lalmati, Basistha Chariali, 37 NH bypass at a distance of 5 kms from the Dispur Capital complex, 10 kms from the nearest Railway Station and 30 kms from the LGB Airport.

About

Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship


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Popularly called as the land of the red river and blue hills, Assam is the gateway to the northeastern part of India.

Assam is a northeastern state of India. Its capital is Dispur, a city located on the outskirts of its largest city, Guwahati. Located south of the eastern Himalayas, Assam comprises the Brahmaputra and the Barak river valleys along with the Karbi Anglong and the North Cachar Hills with an area of 30,285 square miles (78,438 km²). Assam is surrounded by six of the other Seven Sister States: Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya. These states are connected to the rest of India via a narrow strip in West Bengal called the Siliguri Corridor or “Chicken’s Neck”.Assam also shares international borders with Bhutan and Bangladesh; and cultures, peoples and climate with South-East Asia.

Assam is known for Assam tea, large and old petroleum resources, Assam silk and for its rich biodiversity. Assam has successfully conserved the one-horned Indian rhinoceros from near extinction, along with the tiger and numerous species of birds, and it provides one of the last wild habitats for the Asian elephant. Assam was also known for its Sal tree forests and forest products, much depleted now. A land of high rainfall, Assam is endowed with lush greenery and the mighty river Brahmaputra, whose

tributaries and oxbow lakes provide the region with a unique hydro-geomorphic and aesthetic environment.

FESTIVALS:There are several important traditional festivals in Assam. Bihu is the most important and common and celebrated all over Assam. Durga Puja is another festival celebrated with great enthusiasm. Muslims celebrate two Eids with much eagerness all over Assam.

DEMOGRAPHICS:Total population of Assam was 26.66 million with 4.91 million households in 2001. Higher population concentration was recorded in the districts of Kamrup, Nagaon, Sonitpur, Barpeta, Dhubri, Darang and Cachar. In 2001, the census recorded literacy in Assam at 63.3% with male literacy at 71.3% and female at 54.6%. The major religions are Hinduism, Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism, and Jains.

CLIMATE:With the “Tropical Monsoon Rainforest Climate”, Assam is temperate (summer max. at 35–38 °C and winter min. at 6–8 °C) and experiences heavy rainfall and high humidity. The climate is characterized by heavy monsoon downpours reducing summer temperatures and affecting foggy nights and mornings in winters. Thunderstorms known as Bordoicila

About

Assam and Nagaon


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are frequent during the afternoons. Spring (Mar-Apr) and Autumn (Sept-Oct) are usually pleasant with moderate rainfall and temperature.

LANGUAGE:Assamese and Bodo are the major indigenous and official languages while Bengali holds official status in the three districts in the Barak Valley and is the second most widely spoken language of the state at around 27%.

BIO DIVERSITY:Assam is one of the richest biodiversity zones in the world and consists of tropical rainforests, deciduous forests, riverine grasslands, bamboo orchards and numerous wetland ecosystems; Many are now protected as national parks and reserved forests. The Kaziranga, home of the rare Indian Rhinoceros, and Manas are two UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Assam. The state is the last refuge for numerous other endangered species such as the Golden Langur (Presbetis geei), White-winged Wood Duck, Bengal Florican, Black-breasted Parrotbill, Pygmy Hog, Greater Adjutant and so on. Some other endangered species with significant population in Assam are the tiger, elephant, Hoolock gibbon, Jerdon’s Babbler and so on to name a few. Assam is also known for orchids.

NAGAON:The Central Assam District of Nagaon (spelled by the British as Nowgong) is one of thelargest districts of Assam. Nagaon, the rice bowl of Assam is located in the very heartland of Assam, it falls precisely at the center of the entire North East of India. An old district which dates back to 1833, it is Assam’s second most populous district, which probably prompted its old British administrators to jocularly describe Nagaon as a district of 3 c’s: chickens, children and cases.

GEOGRAPHY:Lying at a distance of 123 kilometres by road from Guwahati, Nagaon town constitutes a vital corridor linking the Upper Assam districts of Golaghat, Jorhat, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh,Tinsukiaand the North Assam districts of Sonitpur and N.Lakhimpur. The river Kolong, a tributary of the Brahmaputra River, flows through Nagaon and in the process divides the town into two distinct regions - Nagaon and Haibargaon. There are two railway stations in the city - Nagaon & Haibargaon.

Boundary of the district: North is bounded by Sonitpur district and the Brahmaputra river, south is bounded by West Karbi Anglong and North Cachar Hills, East is bounded by East Karbi Anglong & Golaghat district while west is bounded by Morigaon district.

The Brahmaputra River


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Area of the district is 4435.3 sq. km Extension 250-45’ to 260 -45’ North Latitude 920 -33’ -6” EastMajor rivers that flow in Nagaon are The Brahmaputra, Kalong, Sonai, Nanoi, Jamuna, Kopili and Barpani.

Beels and lakes and marshy lands: There are several beels, marshy lands and swamps, these are in reality old abandone channels of Kalong and Kopili rivers of Nagaon district. These are Marikalong, Potakalong,/ Haribhanga, Jongalbalahu, Samoguri beel, Urigadang and Nawbhanga. These beels are major unused resources of the district. There are nearly more than two hundred numerous marshy land exist here which should be used for development of the area. The district looks like a broken dish north is up land South is also up land west is slop other half dish is in Marigaon district, Geomorphologically Marigaon and Nagaon makes a perfect Geomorphological area. The general slope of the district is towards the west from any place. East, North East and South East is hilly terrain.

DEMOGRAPHICS:As of 2001 India census, Nagaon city had a population of 107,471. In 2009 the urban agglomeration had a population of 563,200. it is the fourth largest city in assam after Guwahati, Silchar and Dibrugarh. Males constitute 53% of

the population and females 47%. Nagaon has an average literacy rate of 77%, higher than the national average of 59.5%: male literacy is 81%, and female literacy is 73%. In Nagaon,10% of the population is under 6 years of age. Nagaon presents a fascinating and bewildering mix of cultures, Hindu and Islamic.

TRANSPORT:Nagaon is well connected by road links. The National Highway 36 and 37 provide easy access to important places of Nagaon District. There are two railway stations in Nagaon, one at Haiborgaon and another at Nagaon town. The nearest Railway Junction is at Chaparmukh which is around 28 km from Nagaon Town.The nearest airport is Tezpur Airport. The nearest international airport is Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport at Borjhar (Guwahati).

ECONOMY:SHOPPING PLACES : The main shopping areas in Nagaon are Daccapatty, Marwaripatty, Stadium market and Mission Market. But new market places are developing in the Haibargaon area. The main market places in Nagaon are Bara Bazar, Natun Bazar and Haibargaon Bazar.

AGRICULTURE:In terms of natural resources endowment, the economy is purely agrarian. Agriculture is the

Haibargaon Market in NagaonCityscape | Nagaon


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DiaryThe people in rural areas of the district have long tradition of maintaining cows buffaloes for draught power and milk. The production of milk per local animal is 1.5 litre/day.

HANDLOOM:Nagaon district presents a unique picture in the Handloom and Textile sector. Weaving of fabrics is a way of livelihood of large number of rural families and artisans. Looms are part and parcel of rural households and weaving is an integral part of rural livelihood. Jajori, which is located about 17 Km from Nagaon town is a very important centre of handloom production. Famous for its “Kacha Pat” products, there are approximately 6,705 nos of weavers here covering most of the families of the place.

INDUSTRIES:Tea Manufacturing is the predominant industry in the district. In the medium scale industry sector, in addition to Tea Industry, Assam Co-operative Jute Mill Ltd., Kampur co-operative Sugar Mill, Katimari Weaving Project and Sack Craft paper project at Dhing are the main Industrial projects taken up in Co-operative and State sector.

HANDICRAFTS:Handicraft is an important cottage and

backbone of its economy providing livelihood to about 78% of the total population. Rice is the staple food of the inhabitants and paddy is the principal crop of the district. Floods, however, are a major impediment in the development of this sector.

FISHERIES:Considering the fact that Assam gets a lot of rainfall and that fish is an integral part of the diet of the people of Assam, the state produces just about 5.7% of the total freshwater fish production in India. Nagaon district produces roughly 14,000 MT of fish in a year which is about 9% of the total production in the state. It is estimated that 95% of the population are fish-eaters. This would estimate the total requirement of fish in the district in a year at about 23,000 MT. There is a visible dominance of imported fish in the organized markets.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY:PoultryPeople in the district of Nagaon are predominantly non - vegetarian and prefer both eggs and meat of birds of local variety. Production is less than the demand in the district. The climatic condition of the district is suitable for poultry farming. Most of the poultry birds are reared in small units.

Tea Garden in Nagaon DistrictWomen fishing


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dramatist and the founder of Vaisnavism in Assam. The place is situated 18 km North – West from Nagaon town. There are two Sattras : Narowa Sattra and Salaguri Sattra. A mini Museum is located in Narowa Sattra and the birth and death anniversaries of the Vaishnava saints are observed there with great grandeur.

POKHI TIRTHA (Samaguri Bill)Where migratory birds from around the world come to nest in the winter. The bill is located at a distance of 16 km towards East from Nagaon town.

LOWKHOWAThe wild life sanctuary is situated at Lowkhowa namely “AVAYARANYA” covering an area of 70 sq km and located at a distance of 25 km from Nagaon Town towards North. Its main attraction is the Great Indian One-horned Rhinoceros. Other attractions include the tiger, leopard, Asiatic buffalo, wild boar, civet cat, leopard cat, hog deer & various species of birds and reptiles.

CHAMPAWATI KUNDAChampawati Kunda is a famous fall situated in Chapanala in Nagaon district.

household industry sector, which is largely emphasised for providing self-employment opportunities in the rural areas to supplement/augment their earnings. The focus may be given to development of Kuhila craft, Pottery & Terracotta, Jute, Cane & Bamboo products, Rantholi Jewellery.

TOURIST ATTRACTIONS:KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARKWorld Heritage Site, Kaziranga is known all over the world for successful conservation of Great One Horned Rhinoceros. It is also home to a number of threatened wild animals and migratory birds. The Kaziranga Landscape comprises of sprawling grasslands, numerous water bodies and woodlands that provide an ideal habitat for a variety of flora and fauna. The flood plain ecosystem, which acts as important refuge of rich biodiversity, is the result of River Brahmaputra and its tributaries. Kaziranga is a large complex of rivers, lakes and marshes in the flood plain of the Brahmaputra river. It is an extremely important area for larger mammals and birds- 17 species of mammals , 23 species of birds and 10 species of reptiles are in endangered list.

BORDOWAThe birth place of Mahapurush Srimanta Sankardeva, the great artist, literateur,

Kaziranga National Park Bordowa


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Assamese women performing Bihu Dance adorned in Assamese traditional jewellery


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The art of jewellery making in Assam was part and parcel of the rich culture and tradition ofthe region since time immemorial. The exclusive and the intricate designs found in the traditional Assamese jewellery are hand crafted which are skillfully designed by jewelers ofthe state and which cannot be made by others. The jewelers known as ‘Sonari’ make exquisite Doog-Doogi, Bana, Junbiri, Dhol-Biri type lockets, Thuriya, Loka-Paro and Keru earrings; Gaam-Kharu bracelets and Gal-Pata necklaces.

Based on the use of raw materials used for manufacturing, the Assam jewellery can becategorized as; i) Pure Gold jewellery where only gold is used as raw materialii) Gold Platted jewellery where gold is platted over silveriii) Gold imitation jewellery.

Among all forms of jewellery, Gold jewellery is very famous in Assam. Gold has always constituted the most-used metal for jewellery in Assam, while the use of silver and other metals too have been there for centuries. Gold washing and manufacture of Jewellery were two important ancient industries in Assam & gold dust was abundantly found in the sands of different rivers of the state. References to gold in Assam in the early period are found in the writings of the classical writers and the earliest

About

Assam Jewellery

reference is found in the ‘Arthashasthra’. During the rule of the Ahom Kings, gold washing was done on an elaborate scale and the state derivedconsiderable income from the yearly tax levied on Gold washing. Gold was locally available,flowing down several Himalayan rivers, of which Subansiri river is the most important. Infact, a particular tribe of people; the Sonowal Kacharis, were engaged only for gold-washingin these rivers.

Assam Jewellery comprises of a dazzling variety of gold ornaments. The specialty ofjewellery in Assam lies in its exquisite designing, polish and shimmer. The designs in the ornaments are influenced by nature and also its rich culture and traditions. Although gold is the commonest of ingredient which is used to make various ornaments, Assam Jewellery also includes use of other metals like silver.


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The rich collection of traditional Assamese jewellery found in Assam, is unique andexclusive to her. These jewelleries hold a special place in the heart of the Assamese womenand are a must wear item during marriages, cultural and religious functions. The traditionalAssamese ornaments also hold hierarchical significance wherein family elders pass it on totheir younger generation.

Rontholi in Nagaon, Barpeta and Jorhat are the hubs of Assamese jewellery as in this placeone can find fabulous variations of gold and silver ornaments. The tradition of jewellery making was present in the Rontholi cluster many centuries back.

The delicate and conventional designing traits of the ornaments found in the cluster aresufficient enough to prove the age-old existence of jewellery making profession in the cluster.Craftsmanship of Gold Jewellery in Rontholi is an ancient tradition passed on through generations. The ‘karigar’ inherits techniques and skills from his forefathers, which heperfects to give traditional Jewellery a uniqueness of its own. Initially there were about 20 units in the cluster who took to jewellery making profession. Over the years the trade ofjewellery proved to be profitable business and more number of households in the Rontholivillage undertook the jewellery making

profession, thus creating the cluster. Presently, every 6th household in the village has a jewellery manufacturing unit, thus forming most important source of livelihood. The art and culture that percolated down to generations was responsible for imbibing a heritage in the art of ornaments making and strengthening the cluster that shines even now, so much so that the jewellery making in the cluster is referred to as one of the most potential industries in the district.

These places boast of skilled and veteran jewellery-makers who are engaged with the profession from a very long time andhaving a number of jewellery outlets within its premises. The indigenous Assam jewelleryitems that mark the specialty of this industry are: Jethi Poti, which involves a pendant andparts of clothes placed in the shape of medallion; Loka Phara, which is available in the shape of two birds embellished with minakari, ruby or gold; Kopo Phool, which comes in the shape of two tiny shoes joined together with the help of a floral attachment; Junbiri, whose front is embedded with ruby whereas the back side is embellished with enameled decorationsproviding a striking array of both traditional and contemporary ornaments.

About

Rontholi Jewellery Cluster


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LOCATION AND GEOGRAPHY:The Rontholi jewellery making cluster is located about 129 kms from the state capital Guwahati and about 6 kms from the district headquarter Nagaon. The cluster comprises of only one village divided into wards. There is no documented source to verify the number of units in the cluster. However, it is estimated that the cluster has a total of 200 household based jewellery making units which are located within a radius of 2 to 3 kms.

The cluster is well connected with metalled road and can be reached easily from the Nagaon town by auto-rickshaws and private cars. The village has also access to electricity. The Primary Health Centre (PHC), Pakhimori Development Block, and primary schools are situated just within 3 kms radius of the cluster.

PRESENT STATUS:Most of the handicraft ornaments find its way to local showrooms within the district and alsoto showrooms and wholesale traders in Jorhat, Guwahati, Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Golaghat andDibrugarh, etc. The household units depend on the wholesale traders/retail showrooms forraw materials and sale of their products.

Altogether there are about 200 artisans-cum owners in the Rontholi cluster who work in thejewellery making industry on a full time basis.

In addition to these there are about 412permanently employed skilled artisans being employed by the units where the averagenumber of skilled workers employed by an unit stands at two workers. The salary of theskilled artisans employed by an unit ranges between Rs. 3000 to Rs. 5000 depending on theseniority basis. Besides, there are also artisans available in the cluster, who is employedtemporarily on a daily wage basis. All the workers are men and though women sometimes aide in the business by supervisory activity, they are not accounted for.

A street in Rontholi Health Centre in Rontholi


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Products

Pepa Jethi

The product range generally consists ofTraditional Assamese Jewellery Finger RingEar RingNecklaceBraceletBangle

The traditional ornaments produced in the cluster bear designs which are intricately handcrafted and are exclusive to the state.

Jun Biri


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Loka Paro

Thuria


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Dhansira Kharu

Doog Doogi


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Sen Sorai

Juri Peppa Kolosi


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Sen Sorai

Kolosi

Match Box

Midang Gam Kharu


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Mayur Set

Variation Of Traditional Jewellery


Moni Mala


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Square Set

Mayur Set



Moni Mala


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RONTHOLI Jewellery Making


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Raw materials, tools & equipments

Raw material: 24 Carat gold procured from local market in solid form

Raw material: Jaipur cut stones procured from local market


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Glass beads from local market are shaped into various stones of various sizes and shapes

Brass wires are used to attach beads golden colored beads Golden colored beads

Bond paper for flattening gold into thin sheets/ foil

Glass bangles from local market are used to make stones of various shapes and sizes

Solid gold (24 carat)/ silver


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Golden colored beads Silver wires

Glass beads for making strings for necklaceFishnet wires used for stringing beads for necklace

Silk/ satin tassels for necklace

Hengul La


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Glass for meenakari Plastic enamel

Foil paper is used for stone setting Wax

Flux for soldering Sulphuric acid | Nitric Acid

Adhesive


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Doming Block

Wire drawer

Scissors

Hammer FilePlier

Tweezer

Pin Tong with Handle (Graver Chuck)

File

Plier

Ring Sizer Lamp

Tools & equipments

Forceps

Needle


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For drawing wires/ sheets

For drawing wires/ sheets

Brushes

Tools with bamboo handles

For molten gold/ silver

Blowing pipe


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Stone for sharpening of tools Buffing cloth


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Rontholi Jewellery MAKING PROCESS


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JewelleryMaking Process Flow

Shaping Gold/Silverinto desired

design

Soldering/welding

of variousparts by

heat

Polishing &

Shining

Moulding of

Gold/Silver

Drawing intowires/ sheets,hammering

into standard size

Meenakari/Enamelling

StoneSetting

Gold foil

Setting

Fixingof chords,Stringing

beads


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The silver/ gold or an alloy is first melted into a soild form/sheet and beaten by a hammer into a required shape and size. Then its soldered using flux under heat and then dipped into sulphuric acid for removing stains.

After the soldering is done, the piece is ready for stone setting for which first hengul la is melted by heat and placed inside the groves made in the silver piece.

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After the La is set, the foil paper is cut into small pieces and placed under stone to give the stone better shine and color.

After that, the stone is placed on the laah and then a hot rod is placed over stone to set it. After the stone is set, the remaining surface area is roughened using a file for applying gold foil on it.

Stone making process flowThe artisans use two types of stones. One is Jaipur stones procured from local market and second, they make stones indigenously of various size and shapes by using glass bangles/ beads.

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The glass bangles are cut into small pieces. The cut pieces or glass beads are placed on a metal plate and then heated as seen in the pictures above. After heating, the plate with beads is kept to cool down. Following this, the glass pieces are crafted into desired shapes and size with a tweezer.

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Process Flow of Enamelling/ Meenakari

For meenakari, the glass is crushed with a hammer into a powder form. Then the powder form is cleaned with water to remove impurities.

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The silver piece is dipped in sulphuric acid to clean stain marks. After this, the semi liquid form of meena is placed into the groves with a help of a needle. Now, meena is heated from the back side to set and then its left to cool down.

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Process Flow of Gold Foil Setting

For gold foil setting, first the gold is beaten into thin strips, and then cut into smaller strips. These strips are hammered again to convert them into very thin foil/ sheet. These foils are then heated to make it sticky, so that it holds on to the surface properly. This foil is cut into thinner strips as required. Before placing the foil on the surface, the silver surface is roughened using a needle to make sure that the gold sticks on to it nicely.

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Tassels Fixing/ Beads Stringing

Different colored beads are stringed into fishnet wires manually. The color combination of beads is done as desired by customer/ agents. This activity is generally done by the women members of the family. Afterwards, these beaded wires are attached to the tassels which are bought from traders in Nagaon Town.


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NagaonRontholi Jewellery ClusterThe Jewellery Cluster of Rontholi is located about 6 kms from the district head quarters of Nagaon (128 kms from Guwahati). The ‘karigars’ here inherits techniques and skills from forefathers and no one is really trained in jewellery making professionally. Rontholi has total number of 500 households and 200 units involved in manufacturing of traditional Assamese jewellery. All the workers are generally men though women sometimes aide them in the business by supervisory activities or minor jewellery making activities such as stringing beads and attaching tassels. Women are not involved actively as they need to manage household tasks and take care of children. Most of these manufacturing units are well off, but with increasing gold/ precious metals prices they have been hit in a big way leading to insufficient funds/ working capital to procure precious metals and stones.

The major product range includes necklaces, earrings, bangles and chains. Some of the famous traditional Assamese jewellery crafted here are Junbiri, Lokha-Para, Doog Doogi, Gham-Kharu, Jethi etc. The products manufactured in this cluster are categorized into three types of quality,based on the gold content in the product. They are categorized as quality 1 (Q1), quality 2 (Q2), quality (Q3) respectively. These gold products are embellished with precious and semi precious stones.

Q1- It is the best quality gold ornament manufactured in the cluster where the gold content is as high as 98%Q2- It is the second best quality manufactured by the artisans, where the gold content is about 40%Q3- It is lowest quality gold based ornaments manufactured in the cluster and proportion of gold:other metals is 25:75

The quality of product totally depends of the type of consumer. Consumers range across various economic and social backgrounds. The demand for Q1 quality products is on a decrease due to inflating prices of gold. The products manufactured by the artisans are generally sold to final consumers through retailers/ agents. Very few customers directly visit the artisans in the cluster. There are around 50 marketing agents in the cluster selling jewellery across various parts of Assam like Jorhat, Sibsagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia, Golaghat, Guwahati, Lakhimpur, Tezpur, Silapathar etc. These agents who act as middlemen are generally the friends or relatives of the cluster artisans. Guwahati the largest city in Assam is the largest market for Rontholi jewellery. The oil rich town of Duliajan in Dibrugarh District is one of the largest markets for Rontholi jewellery. Some of the agents take orders from retailers/ wholesalers and some are involved in door to door selling. The door to door selling idea is not popular due to commuting and safety issues. Famous stores such as Chilkalaya, Waheeda, Angana, Zangfai are known across the state for its collection of traditonal Assamese jewellery; and Rontholi jewellery form a major part of their merchandise.

With increase exposure, the consumers in Assam are updated with latest trends and fashion and therefore look for new, innovative and contemporary variations in the traditional products. Similar Assamese jewellery are also manufactured in Barpeta and Jorhat which are also very popular amongst the natives of Assam. The gold jewellery manufactured in Barpeta is especially distinctive from Rontholi. The products made in Barpeta are generally casted and gold plated unlike the complete handcrafted process of Rontholi.

The Assamese traditional jewellery has an unprecedented demand during the marriage months of November to March. There is also a sufficient demand for jewellery during local festival of Bihu, Durga Puja and Eid.


42

Some of the traditional jewellery stores in Assam


43

Unit One:Artisan: Shri Robin BaniaAge: 24 yearsHave been working for last 8 years Products: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Two:Artisan: Shri Dharmeshwar BaniaAge: 41 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

JewelleryUnits Visited:


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Unit Three:Artisan: Shri Mukul BaniaAge: 24 yearsHave been working for last 12 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Deepak BaniaAge: 16 yearsHave been working for last 5 years

Unit Four:Artisan: Shri Bhadra Kant BaniaAge: 35 yearsHave been working for last 25 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Five:Artisan: Shri Krishna BaniaAge: 24 yearsHave been working for last 25 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day


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Unit Six:Artisan: Shri Tapan BaniaAge: 35 yearsHave been working for last 25 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Durgeswar BaniaAge: 45 yearsHave been working for last 35 years

Unit Seven:Artisan: Shri Pobitra BaniaAge: 30 yearsHave been working for last 13 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Eight:Artisan: Shri Pallab BaniaAge: 26 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day


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Unit Ten:Artisan: Shri Durba Jyoti Bania (Far)Age: 20 yearsHave been working for last 5 yearsArtisan; Shri Upananda Hazarika (Near)Age: 20 yearsHave been working for last 5 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Nine:Artisan: Shri Thaneshwar BaniaAge: 32 yearsHave been working for last 15 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Juti BaniaAge: 25 yearsHave been working for last 5 yearsWorking Hours: Average 4-6 hrs a day

Unit Eleven:Artisan: Shri Mridu BaniaAge: 21 yearsHave been working for last 8 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day


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Unit Twelve:Artisan: Shri Jeetu Moni BaniaAge: 23 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Ragul BaniaAge: 20 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Gyan Jyoti BaniaAge: 16 yearsHave been working for last 6 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Thirteen:Artisan: Shri Rajan HazarikaAge: 28 yearsHave been working for last 15 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Binita HazarikaAge: 25 yearsHave been working for last 5 yearsWorking Hours: Average 4-6 hrs a day


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Unit Fourteen:Artisan: Shri Prashana HazarikaAge: 22 yearsHave been working for last 7 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Rojan HazarikaAge: 25 yearsHave been working for last 9 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Fifteen:Artisan: Shri Ravi SarkarAge: 21 yearsHave been working for last 1 yearProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Pankaj HazarikaAge: 24 yearsHave been working for last 5 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day


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Unit Sixteen:Artisan: Shri Deep Moni BaniaAge: 25 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Hun Moni BaniaAge: 25 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Jayanta HazarikaAge: 18 yearsHave been working for last 3 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Seventeen:Artisan: Shri Bishnu Jyoti BaniaAge: 21 yearsHave been working for last 4 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Debojit BaniaAge: 31 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day


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Unit Eighteen:Artisan: Shri Pushpa BaniaAge: 18 yearsHave been working for last 7 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Deepjyoti BaniaAge: 26 yearsHave been working for last 8 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Aokim HazarikaAge: 17 yearsHave been working for last 2 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Nineteen:Artisan: Shri Anup BaniaAge: 28 yearsHave been working for last 5 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Twenty:Artisan: Shri Dilip BaniaAge: 31 yearsHave been working for last 15 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day


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Unit Twenty-One:Artisan: Shri Aboni BaniaAge: 31 yearsHave been working for last 15 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Shanu BaniaAge: 17 yearsHave been working for last 5 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Unit Twenty-Two:Artisan: Shri Palash BaniaAge: 30 yearsHave been working for last 12 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Manas Jyoti BaniaAge: 25 yearsHave been working for last 7 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day


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Unit Twenty-Three:Artisan: Shri Mahendra HazarikaAge: 38 yearsHave been working for last 17 yearsProducts: Traditional Assamese Jewellery Working Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Artisan: Shri Tapan HazarikaAge: 26 yearsHave been working for last 10 yearsWorking Hours: Average 8-10 hrs a day

Agents Visited:

Agent name:Shri Ritu Moni BaniaAge: 18 yearsTrader of Traditional Assamese Jewellery

Agent name:Shri Mulai BaniaAge: 43 yearsTrader of Traditional Assamese Jewellery


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Supply Chain

Consumer Market/

End Consumers

ArtisansHouseholdJewellery

ManufacuringUnits

Flow of order

Flow of finished goods

WholesaleTraders/

Showroom

Agents

Local Market

in NagaonTown

Artisans buy raw material

Cash/Raw Material Advance

fromAgents/

End consumers/Showroom


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DESIGN AUDIT REPORT


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ISSUES and CONCERNS:

* The existing products consist of traditional Assamese jewellery and with very few contemporary designs/ new designs.* The products are made of 100% real gold only on orders as the artisans can’t afford and only procure raw materials after receiving an cash advance.* The products are made of various qualities depending on the requirement of the traders/customers.* Some pieces of non-traditional jewellery made by the artisans are inspired randomly or from existing traditional jewellery, stone sizes and shapes at times determine the design of a new piece of jewellery. * Some of the existing traditional jewellery pieces are bulky and only used on occasions such as marriages and festivals.* The finishing in the products is not up to the mark, and quality vary as per the requirements of the traders/ agents.* There is no product diversification.* The body anatomy is hardly considered while designing products.* Some of the raw materials are not of good quality especially stones which are made by the artisans themselves. The jaipur stones that they buy from local shopkeepers are very expensive. They are used only if a certain order demands it.* The quality and purity of gold is doubtful and there is no method available in the cluster to measure it. Also the artisans have to believe the shopkeepers who sell the precious metals. * The traditional quality of Meenakari and its raw materials are not of highest quality. They also use plastic meena at times, which is not of good quality.* The jewellery findings that are used are outdated or of very limited variety.* The lack of Hallmark/ Quality Certification makes it very difficult for the artisans/agents to win trust of customers.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* There is a good scope for redesigning of the existing traditional products.* The existing traditional products can be made lighter, more contemporary and relevant, less labor intensive.* The elements from the existing traditional jewellery can be used for new product development and diversification. * New motifs inspired by local textiles and heritage can be developed. * Local craft such as bead work, textiles can be combined with the jewellery for newer products.* Instead of gold foil setting, the products can be left in their natural form which will lead to new product.* The elements from existing traditional products can be used to introduce lifestyle products such as napkin holders, cutlery, and other nick nacks for contemporary homes leading to scope of wider customers.* Using the traditional motifs will give the product a local identity.

a. Study of existing Product design, redesign, new product development and product diversification


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Improper detailing The edges are sharp

Improper findings Bulky

Improper detailing and finishing

Low quality raw materials


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Randomly inspired Meena not of highest quality


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* They do not have enough funds, time and expertise to carry out research and development on a regular basis. * The technology used are outdated and don’t have resources to introduce new technology * The quality of products is compromised due to insufficient delivery time and lack of technology which facilitates and increase speed of work without compromising on quality.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* Improvisation in machinery, tooling, process through R&D activities. * A Common Facility Centre (CFC) can be set up with modern technology.* Marketing Research in terms of consumer trends, market trends and competition in the local and international market.* Exchange of technology ideas can be initiated through CFC

b. Scope for research and development direction for future initiatives

This method of soldering can be very tiringThis way of drawing wire is very exhaustive


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* There is absolutely no visual identity for the clusters as they rarely sell the products directly to the final consumers. * There is no proper documentation/ catalogue of traditional and non-traditional products made in Rontholi.* Artisans have few pictures in an album of the products made by them.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* The idea of having a common visual identity and branding for the cluster was well accepted. However it was felt that it should go in sync with initiatives like online selling portal, packaging design etc. * So there is a big scope in developing visual identity for the cluster units, branding and communication design to connect them to the market directly and get them more exposure. * A product catalogue is a must and also presence of products online will be of great help and reach larger audience.* A comprehensive documentation of Assamese Traditional Jewellery will be a great source of information for the people and to understand the craft.* The concept of common brand building like ‘Rontholi Jewellery’ will help them to create an identity for themselves. * Promote the concept of HANDCRAFTED in Rontholi then handicrafts.

c. Existing status and opportunity for visual identity, branding and communication design

Pictures of products inside an album made by the artisans


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* The tools used by the artisans are either outdated with no real modern technology available to them or not used properly. * Due to lack of technology available products can not be electro plated.* There is no facility of polishing and shining in the cluster, and artisans have to go to Nagaon town for getting it done.* Even in case of bulk orders for the same products, its made by hand, which leaves them with no time to experiment and create new designs.* There is a reluctance and resistance to modernization and adoption of new products.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* Electroplating/ polishing unit can be set up in the common facilitation centre. * This will give them an opportunity to explore beyond the traditional technique of gold foil setting.* They can be introduced to ‘Lost Wax Casting Process’ which can increase speed of work by many folds especially for bulk order.

d. Scope of technology, modernization and design collaborations

All these are handmade may be casted


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* Due to heavy fluctuations in Gold and Silver prices, artisans can’t afford to invest in jewellery made of precious metals.* The artisans have to buy raw materials from Nagaon Town from wealthy businessmen who exploit them and have a monopoly.* During the process of meenakari heat is applied manually, which is not uniform.* Process of converting solid gold into fine/ thin sheets can be very time consuming and exhausting. The process can take upto five hours to make one small sheet of gold.* Artisans use plastic meena at times, which is inferior in quality.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* The process of meenakari can be explored and developed. * Industrially manufactured findings can be introduced. Findings such as earring hooks, lobster claws, locking mechanisms etc. are readily available in the metro cities.* These can be bought in bulk, and thus saving time in making these findings.* Process stone manufacturing can be improved and made efficient.* A better method of gold sheet making process.

e. Scope for operations and process innovation from design perspective

Stones manufactured by the artisans using beads/ bangles are not of good quality

An artisan hammering gold into thin sheets


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* The work process is really slow due to hand made nature of the process.* The tools used are outdated and old, leads to slow and time consuming production process.* The work place is not appropriate, cluttered and not organized.* They use old kerosene lamps/wax lamps for soldering/ welding which is very time consuming and can be unhealthy.* There is no proper lighting system for working in night hours, rely generally on natural light.* In case of no electricity artisans work in candle light for long hours, which can be painful for eyes and leading to eyesight problems. Its a major area of concern in the cluster.* While working in the open, there is loss of precious metals like gold and silver, which artisans don’t realize. This is caused due to blowing of winds and no proper way of preventing waste.* Artisans who can afford work inside with decent facility, but maximum artisans work in sheds outside.* They sit on the floor and work with improper working benches.* The tools are kept with no proper arrangement or storage, leads to damage of tools.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* The new tools for buffing, soldering etc. can be introduced at common facilitation centre.* Organized work stations at CFC.* Solar lights can be introduced so that they could work in the evening hours.

f. Design Opportunity in workstation and tooling design

Unorganized and cluttered work place


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Work Stations


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Tools are kept in disorganized way and are outdated

Worn out tools Broken tool


65

Broken tool

Wax Lamp Working in the open shed


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Worn out tools A broken tool

This can be risky

Improper lighting Dependent on natural source of lighting

Handheld process of filing


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A broken tool


* Decrease in profit margins due to exploitation by the traders and increase in the cost of raw materials.* Customers/ Traders are not ready to pay higher prices for the products.* Fear of introduction of casting system will lead to lose of handmade nature of the products. * There is a serious competition from other clusters in Assam and also within the Rontholi Cluster.* Already some of independent jewellers in Assam are making better quality products with few variations as per consumer needs.* Cheap imitation of traditional Assamese jewellery availabe in the market.* No exposure to the market and interaction, as middlemen/ traders buy products from the artisans and sell it in the market.* As there is no interaction with the market, the artisans rarely have any direct consumer feedback.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* Product diversification using traditional techniques and motifs will give them distinctive advantage as these designs will not be manufactured elsewhere.* They can introduce new accessories which could give them a bigger market share.* They could reach out to larger markets like Metro cities with new product developments. * They could directly sell products to the consumers through boutiques etc.

g. Details of market and competition study for design advantage and distinction

Workshop cum display shop in Rontholi clusterA traditonal Assamese jewellery cum contemporary jewellery shop in Guwahati


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Variation of traditional jewellery Traditonal jewellery

Imitation of Assamese traditonal jewellery


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Display of traditional Assamese jewellery from Rontholi along with jewellery from other regions.No clear distinction of jewellery from different regions.

Traditional Assamese jewellery from Barpeta Cluster

Display of Barpeta jewellery at Fab India


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* Some skilled craftsman leave but very few workers are trained regularly and enrolled to keep the pace of work smoothly.* Others, semi skilled craftsmen keep changing for better pays, so dearth of craftsmen is sometimes an issue.* No new/ advance training for the artisans except a very few.* Due to lack of exposure artisans have been practicing same processes for many years.* Residents who are educated move to city for better work prospects.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* Master artisans could be sent to participate at National level workshops.* A common training center which could provide training on skill enhancement, quality control and product development to the artisans of Rontholi.* A skill up gradation course/ curriculum can be introduced with expert guidance.

h. Study for the need of training and skill up-gradation


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i. Description of ergonomic and environment factors in MSME Premise

Sitting on floor and working for long hours can lead to back pain

Improper work shed


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* There is no real concept of packaging at the cluster level.* No unique identity for the Rontholi products, packaging for products from all clusters is the same.* Products are kept either in a container or kept in a plastic pouch, leads to breakage and wear and tear of the jewellery pieces.* Retailers after buying the products from the artisans/agents package them in boxes/plastic bags.* At places the boxes are of inappropriate size and shape.* Agents carry products in plastic pouches only from one city to the other for sale. During transportit gets damaged at times.* There is also chances of theft during commuting from city to other.* No insurance cover.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* New packaging design can be introduced such as drawstring bags using traditional Assamese textiles.* These bags will give a visual and unique identity to the products made in Assam.* New and cost effective form of packaging needs to be introduced. * If packaging is improved, it would create a good presence and will boost the business and help in competing.* Create a possibility to safely pack to avoid breakage.

j. Packaging and logistics related design opportunities

Storage


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Packaging by artisans

Packaging at retail shops with no branding/ write up talking about Rontholi jewellery

Packaging at a retail outlet


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OPPORTUNITIES:

* The artisans can participate in trade fairs at state, national and international level.* At cluster/ village level a small display area/showroom can be created.* Jewellery from Rontholi are sold in showrooms in various cities, but there is no display center in the Rontholi village for consumers coming directly to the village.* Products can be displayed at art centers, museums etc. in various cities.

k. Exhibition/ Display design opportunities

ISSUES:

* There is no proper work shed for the artisans.* No inhouse display area for the products.

OPPORTUNITIES:

* A common work place for the artisans in the village or a CFC.* A proper display area can make it attractive for consumers.

l. Study of infrastructure set up from design perspective

Improper work shed

Products being shown to a customer

Earrings displayed on a plastic pouch


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OPPORTUNITIES:

* There can be development of proper linkages between cluster and raw material market in Nagaon or Metro cities.* A common place for procurement of raw material where artisans can buy material on credit basis, as its not feasible for them to buy raw material at once.* A greater and better cooperation and understanding between the artisans and the traders/middlemen.* A Common Facilitation Centre will tremendously increase the scope of communication between various artisans and thus lead to sharing of knowledge and skills. * Also there could be a need of communication between Rontholi and other traditional Assamese jewellery production units in Assam.

m. Scope of design intervention for inter cluster communication


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RONTHOLI JEWELLERY CLUSTER

OPPORTUNITIES

Jewellery ClusterSkilled Artisan

Participation in trade-fairs,

exhibitions at national and

international level

Direct marketlinkages

Processimprovement

Common Facility Centre(CFC)

Quality control

Product development

& diversification

Packaginginnovations

Branding &

communication

Work stationdesign

Introduction of new

technology

Export

Skill upgradation by participating

in various workshops


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CONCLUSIONThe visit to Rontholi Jewellery Cluster in Nagaon, Assam was a great learning and enriching experience; giving various insights into their design activities, functioning and working conditions. The trip led to discovery of many facts and figures.

One of the major findings where that the artisans are not efficient/ educated enough to calculate the right costing and selling price for their products. While calculating cost they don’t include number of working hours and loss of material especially gold during manufacturing. So generally they sell the product at a approximate price on the basis of the cost of material used. They would charge the trader/ agent/ consumer around Rs.300-400 over the costing, which is not enough as it doesn’t include actual wages. The competition is so stiff amongst the artisans of Rontholi, that at times the artisans sell their products with least profit margins. The agents buy the products from the artisans and sell it for 2-3 times the price charged by the artisans. Agents have a hard time selling their products in retail stores across the state. The agents who are able to give products on maximum credit basis are favored by the retailers. Because of this trend, the agents need to put in their own money for new orders which is not feasible.

The Rontholi jewellery faces stiff competition from other jewellery clusters in Assam like Barpeta and Jorhat. The products made in Barpeta are of better quality as they use modern technology and processes. The designs in Barpeta are quite different and they use process of gold plating instead of gold foil setting technique of Rontholi.

Another important finding after interacting with the traders/ retailers in Guwahati, it was found that some of these retailers have established their own workshops in the city to meet the demands of the consumers. They artisans are mostly from West Bengal and they are highly skilled. They need very little time to learn the technique of making Assamese tradtional jewellery. This has resulted in retailers less frequently going to Rontholi to procure their merchandise.

Lack of skilled workers have been an issue in Rontholi for sometime now. Though every 6th household is involved in jewellery manufacturing, there is still a dearth of highly skilled artisans/ craftsmen. Some of the master artisans hire semi-skilled artisans to meet the demand of the work. But after few years of training, the semi-skilled artisans graduate to higher level of skills and move out to set up their own workshop. The idea of entrepreneurship is excellent but it has led to stiff competition. We need to create more demand for the Rontholi jewellery by exploring newer markets and designs. The women members of the family can be trained this craft.

During marriage season with rising demand the agents at times follow the assembly line system. The agents get various components of a jewellery made from different artisans based on their skill-sets, and then assemble it at one final place to get the final product. The agents/ artisans have no particular sales target, they are happy to sell as many sets as they can.


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The artisans in Rontholi mostly make traditional Assamese jewellery which is their bread and butter. But at times they do make other types products as asked by the agents/ middlemen. When agents visit retailers/ wholesalers in various cities, the retailers would ask the agents to get new designs made which are either from catalogues or local magazines like ‘Nandini’. At times artisans do make small changes to the present designs totally based on their imagination. Artisans are able to develop a creative bend of mind after working for many years in this field. The craftsmen are not aware of latest trends and fashion in the market which defeats their purpose of creating new designs as per the latest demand. During door to door selling consumers do ask for new/ modified designs, but mostly they are unable to meet the needs and thus, the agent can lose the customer who may eventually shift to Barpeta jewellery. The artisans can develop new designs in the lean periods, which can be marketed by the agents as a new product in the market.

As Rontholi jewellery is not hallmarked or has a quality certification, the customers find it difficult to trust the quality of gold/ materials used in the product. The customers would take the agent/ artisan to a local jeweller in their city to get the quality check and be completely assured. The trust is built with frequent visits and trading over a period of time. But lack of Hallmark makes it very difficult to cater to the newer audience outside Assam.

With great skill sets of the local artisans and their extensive heritage of traditional jewellery, there are innumerable opportunities and scope of new developments. With right planning and implementation of proper developmental activities there is a new ray of hope lined up for these artisans.

A proper strategy development and implementation in a planned manner; can make Rontholi jewellery cluster a self sustained cluster. Regular skill and design based workshops should be conducted to enhance their overall skill sets and make them competitive. Formation of groups and associations can give them recognition and to be taken seriously by the traders and the middlemen. Regular participation in trade fairs, national and international exhibitions will give them exposure, so that they are updated with the present and the latest happenings. Affiliation to various organizations, craft councils and tie-ups with design experts will act as facilitator in their development.

With planned intervention, we together can build Rontholi jewellery into a Brand Name and help them create new and contemporary products. There are many other scope of improvement and growth as mentioned in the Design Audit Report.


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A Five-Day Design Workshop


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IntroductionWORKSHOP

After the conclusion and the submission of Need Assessment Survey Report under the Five-Band Design Clinic Scheme, a Five-Day Workshop was conducted at the Rontholi Jewellery Cluster in Nagaon from 20th to 24th June 2011.

The workshop was planned based on the problems and opportunities identified during the Need Assessment Survey. The workshop was aimed to give the artisans a few immediate on spot design solutions for identified opportunities for design intervention from the existing problems.

As per the Need Assessment Survey one of the main focus area was on improvement in the process of Meenakari. Therefore, for the workshop a master artisan (Shri Murari Lal Soni) was invited from Jaipur who has been practicing the craft of Meenakari and jewellery making for several years.


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List of Participants

Sri Dipak Bania 9678212692 Mahendra Hazarika 9435360218

Sri Ratan Bania 9678689304 Babu Bania 9678218573

Sri Sanu Bania 7399516617 Prakash Bania 8876926890

Biren Hazarika 9435937901 Pabitra Bania 9859152371

Dabu Moni Hazarika 8876387382 Pranjit Hazarika 804299737

Bhadra Kanta Bania 9954408161 Gunan Bania 9859151746

Sri Abani Bania 7399516617 Ajit Kumar Bania 9859637320

Sri Pallab Bania 9678246088 Pabitra Kumar Bania 9854906927

Mukul Bania 9706790562 Dayal Bania 8011117384

Sri Gubin Bania 9854106631 Shri Raju Hazarika 9577205974

Keshab Bania 7896219953 Papul Kr. Bania 9957850994

Suraj Bania 9678583393 Thaneswar Bania 9859152304

Rutul Bania 9707927405 Sri Prasanta Bania 9577181874

Raju Bania 9435671762 Debajit Bania 8876961465

Rinku Bania 9435286023 Mukut Bania 9678583003

Pradip Hazarika 9854377158 Hironya Bania 8876095652

Bidyut Bania 7399264244 Nakul Bania 7896629235

Dhruba Jyoti Hazarika 9678245722 Sri Prabudh Hazarika 8876992859

Manash Jyoti Bania 9678705481 Badan Bania NA

Anupal Bania 9954075178 Jotismoi Bania 7896886291

Montu Kumar Bania 9435835173 Pradip Bania 9707062681

Mr. Son Moni Bania 8876483884 Mridushankar Bania 9707062681

Pranay Kr. Bania 9957685415 Sri Dipmoni Bania 9678306112

Tapan Bania 9706589190 Jayanta Hazarika 7896885173

Amrit Bania NA Shri Khogen Bania 8011117393

Diju Bania 9435672252 Puspa Bania 8011299571

Dibya Jyoti Bania 9577206015 Dhaneswar Bania 9854749220


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Design Clinic Workshop Schedule

There was an overwhelming response for the workshop and more than 50 participants registered for the workshop. As the number of participants was large, the participants were divided into five different groups and the workshop was conducted for different group on different days with extended sessions.

Day One to Day Five:

Morning Session: * Registration* Inauguration Session* Presentation on kinds of jewellery and various terminologies* Presentation on issues based on Need Assessment Survey

Afternoon Session:* Introduction to process of Meenakari and demonstration by Master Artisan Shri Muraliji Soni from Jaipur, Rajasthan followed by hands-on workshop

Evening Session:* Jewellery packaging design * New designs and interactive session* Feedback, Closing Session and Way Ahead

Many participants were present on more than one day and were keen on learning. There were a few common interactive sessions for all the participants with the coordinators of the organizing institute, Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship (IIE) from Guwahati.


83

Participants filling the registration forms


84

Participants during the interactive sessions


85

Presentation on kinds of jewellery and various terminologies

Few slides from the presentation


86


87


88

Presentation on issues based on Need Assessment Survey

Few slides from the presentation

Problem Suggested solution


89




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Introduction to process of Meenakari and demonstration by Master Artisan Shri Mural Lal Soni from Jaipur, Rajasthan followed by hands-on workshop

This was one of the most important sessions of the workshop as Meenakari is one of the major process of jewellery making in Rontholi. During the demonstration a lot of issues were addressed and artisans were introduced to few processes in Meenakari which will in future help them improve the quality of Meenakari in their products. The master artisan also gave a lot of tips of craft of jewellery making.

Murari Lal Soniji demonstrating one of the process of meenakari

Some of the raw materials (from Jaipur) used during the process of meenkari


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The above method of removing impurities and making meena finer was introduced to the artisans. By straining meena through a strainer helps to get a much refined and finer form of meena powder.

After this process meena is crushed further in a small vessel (as seen below) made of stone to make it even more finer. Finer the quality of meena better will be the color and quality after it sets on heating.

Artisans are used to create powder form of glass meena on a ceramic plate which leads to breakage of plate or wastage of meena. At times white powder of the ceramic plate would get mixed with meena which is impossible to separate thus spoiling the purity of meena. Introduction of Aamdasta will help them to crush the meena into powder form easily and leads to almost no waste of meena and is ergonomically a better process. This can be taught to the female member in the family.


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After the meena is crushed and its as fine as possible, it is cleaned with filtered/ mineral water many times to make sure all the impurities are removed. Again the meena powder is cleaned with the solution of floric acid to make sure that there is no kind of stickiness left in the powder.

Meena is stored in a steel container (as seen above) with very little water in it. Keeping in such container keeps meena unspoiled for some days and keeps it away from dust/ dirt particles unlike the previous vessels (as seen in above right picture)

Before applying meena to the silver, few drops of the water soaked with pomegranate seeds is mixed with the meena. This acts as an adhesive, so that meena remains at its place after application especially on curved surfaces. To make the solution the pomegranate seeds need to be soaked in water for 5-6 hours before mixing it with meena and process of meenakari.


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Introduction of dye technique for meenkari was really appreciated by all the artisans. This will make their work much faster and easier compared to there existing way of doing wirework for meena. Also here the finishing and accuracy is far better than the wirework techinque. In the above series of pictures it shows how a metal dye with imprint of desired design is used for creating an impression on the silver sheet. The dye is kept on a platform and over it a tyre tube piece or a thick cardboard is placed between the silver sheet and the hammer. This prevents the silver sheet from getting damaged on continuous hammering. This process also requires a high level of skill. The dyes can be available in various sizes and various designs which can be used repetitively over a period of time. New dyes can be made/ designed for Rontholi keeping in focus the traditional Assamese design sensibility of meenkari.

A metal dye with engraved design Silver sheet is placed over the dye

Tyre tube over the silver sheet Silver sheet being hammered with a hammer

The negative part of the dye gets embossed on the silver sheet


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As wire work is very time consuming and exhaustive, it discourages the artisans from creating intricate designs. So they create designs which have very large surface area for meena and in turn is not good for applying meena. The smaller the surface area, better is it for applying meena as it prevents from breaking and looks much better after its set.

After the embossing is done on the silver sheet, the silver piece is submerged for few minutes in solution of water and sulphuric acid to remove stain marks and other impurities from the surface. Finally the silver piece is cleaned in Retha’s water with a brush (as seen in the pictures above) and the required piece is ready for application of meena.

Present wire work Using the dye


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Using the dye

The meena is applied on the surface with help of a brush. Brush is useful when the designs are very intricate (like in the above picture). It helps in reaching corners which are otherwise not accessible.


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The silver piece with meena is then heated with a help of a burner/ or flame as show in the picture on the previous page. It is advised to keep the silver piece on a piece of metal wire net as it prevents injury and helps in applying the heat in an uniform manner. Also the piece can be kept on a metal wire and then over two bricks (as seen in the picture in the previous page) for convenience and safety. This technique is not used by the craftsmen at Rontholi, and it was once again highly appreciated. The new technique is useful for pieces with flat surface area and is not appropriate for pieces with meena on either sides or on completely curved surfaces.

Present method of holding the silver piece directly with a tweezer New technique introduced to the artisans

Some of the meenakari samples developed during the workshop by the artisans


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New technique introduced to the artisans

Pictures of artisans during the meenakari session

Artisans looking at the process of meenakari being demonstrated.

Artisans practicing the process of meenakri hands-on


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The artisans were also introduced to the electronic oven for meenakari. In the electric oven the silver piece is kept and heated to a certain temperature for meena to set it.

During the workshop, the craftsman were given tips on making many colors from basic colors. Artisans at Rontholi were unaware of concept of making different colors using basic few colors, for eg. mixing red with yellow to make orange or mixing black with white to form gray. Artisans were given handouts explaining the complete process of meenakari for future reference.

During the workshop it was realized that the quality of meena used at Rontholi is of much lower quality compared to the quality of meena used at the home of meenakari jaipur. During the workshop the artisans were able to see a notable difference in the quality of meena they are presently practicing compared to the one demonstrated during the workshop. A lot artisans came to the workshop for than once to try the process of meenakari hands-on and learn the new techniques.


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A snap shot one of the pages of meenakari notes given to each participant


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Introduction to packaging design

Present status of packaging design at Rontholi or the traditional stores can be seen as under:

The present form of packaging at the Rontholi and also packaging at various stores is nothing special. Artisans disperse their products in a small plastic pouch with any protection or labelling. This is not safe for the transport of a product like jewellery. It may lead to breakage and damage to the product. As seen in the pictures above there is no branding or identification of the product, its maker or quality. Also the packaging currently used is almost same for all the types of products be it a bangle, pendant or a necklace.

During the workshop artisans were shown various packaging available in the market, and how its very important to package precious jewellery properly. They were also told about the importance of presenting there products in a certain way, which helps in increasing the value of the product.

Below is one of the examples of packaging available in the market.

Packaging by artisans

Packaging at a retail outlet

Packaging at retail shops with no branding/ write up talking about Rontholi jewellery


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During the workshop artisans were suggested packaging options which could be manufactured indigenously. The main idea was to create simple packaging design with very little investment and easy to manufacture. The basic idea was to introduce this packaging concept, so that the female members of the family can get involved in making it and thus, generating a new source of income for the family.

Immediate solutions to packaging (as seen above) was given to the artisans. The packaging would carry name of the cluster ‘Rontholi Jewellery’ which will create an identity and awareness for their jewellery in the market. The will help to distinguish it from other jewellery available in the State. During the workshop the artisans were giving ideas of similar packaging designs using the traditional Assamese textiles. The idea is to develop small bags, pouches using waste Assamese textiles such as saree borders, Assamese traditional Gamocha. This will help them to create an unique packaging which will reflect Assamese tradition, and customers can identify Rontholi jewellery with the style of packaging. Below are the images of suggested packaging ideas using waste fabrics made of silk, cotton etc.

Waste fabrics


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Waste fabric

New packaging design

Traditional Assamese Gamocha



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Waste fabric

Traditional Assamese Gamocha


Waste fabric

Interaction with an artisan


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Introduction to Jewellery Design

The jewellery designs at the Rontholi are rich in heritage and tradition. Over the years the there has been very slight variations in the traditional designs. There the library of Rontholi jewellery has been limited. As some of the jewellery styles in Rontholi are bulky and is not feasible to wear it on daily or more often basis, the demand for these pieces have remained confined to events like weddings etc.

So it was realized during the Need Assessment Survey that it is important to introduce the artisans withnew possibilities in Rontholi Jewellery and overall jewellery design.

After the presentation the artisans were give sketches of few new designs and variations of the existing designs for them to explore and reference. Some of the new designs were extension/ variation of the traditional and quite a few were inspired by the motifs of the rich textile heritage of Assam. This idea was much appreciated by the craftsmen as these desgins would relate to Assamese traditions and yet giving them new unique designs.

The craftsmen liked the ideas for new product developments which will in future add to there set of existing designs. The introduction of new products is expected to increase their customer base. With increased price of precious metals and therefore increasing cost of the finished products the demand for smaller and newer products is expected.

Below are the few slides from the presentation on Jewellery Design:


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Variations


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New Product Ideas


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New Product Ideas


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Few snap shots of the new designs given to the artisans


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Snap shot of a Feedback Form


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At the end of the Need Assessment Survey and 5-Day Design Workshop many short, medium and long term interventions have been proposed for the uplifting the Rontholi Jewellery Cluster.

Short Term Interventions

* Improvement in the present quality of products with better finishing, quality of raw materials and meenakari techniques such as dye embossing etc. * Variations in the existing designs and new design development.* Product Diversification such as hairpins, brooches, cuff links etc. to reach a larger audience.* Smaller and simpler products for occasions other than weddings.

Short/ Medium Term Interventions

* Improvement in Packaging Design and Branding for the Rontholi Jewellery Cluster.* Identification and continuous training of master craftsmen at various National level institutions.* Developing assembly line system to facilitate faster production process.* Tie-ups with governmental organizations, NGOs, Tourism boards etc.* A proper channel of distribution to avoid unnecessary middlemen.* Tie-ups with designers, experts and technical people from around the globe.* Development of trademark and certification of the products developed at Rontholi.

Medium/long Term Interventions

* Common Facilitation Center/ Institution to cater to batch/mass production, training/ development of human resource.* Material Bank at the cluster for proper distribution/ supply of raw materials and take advantage of economies of scale. * Establishing proper infrastructure support for research and development, technological facilities, funding, self help groups etc.* Design workshops can provide training to artisans along with generating continuous innovative market friendly designs.* Design projects to specifically cater towards participating and getting orders through exhibitions in Gift fairs, Delhi/urban haat etc.* Participation in National/ International level trade fairs/ exhibitions for better exposure and creating awareness. * Exchange programmes for craftsmen for technology transfer.

rontholi jewellery cluster nagaon interactive design

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