Six women, who are part of the fishing community at Deepor Beel, a permanent freshwater lake in Guwahati, Assam, have collaborated to produce biodegradable and compostable yoga mats that represent their community’s values of biodiversity, conservation, and cultural heritage.
After a year of hard work, the mats made primarily from natural materials such as water hyacinths are now ready for launch. In homage to their homeland, the mat is named after the Purple Moorhen, known as “Kaam Sorai” in Assamese, a migratory bird unique to the lake.
The design and the dyeing and weaving process of the mats are all environmentally friendly. This results in a sturdy, smooth, soft, and most importantly, slip-proof product.
Deepor Beel has been designated as a Ramsar Site, a wetland of international significance, and has been a source of livelihood for nine fishing villages in its vicinity for centuries. Over time, the lake has faced rapid growth and accumulation of water hyacinth, leading to a reduction in the water body’s size and disturbance of the natural ecosystem.
From the ground, up
The women, including Mitali Das, Romi Das, Bhanita Das, Sita Das, and Mamoni Das, named their project “Simang,” meaning “dream.” They sought the expertise of Rituraj Dewan and Nirmali Barua, renowned for their work on natural products and biodiversity.
After weeks of brainstorming, planning, and learning during the 2020 lockdown, the women were able to develop a solid structure for their product.
Mitali Das, who is also a trained beautician, sees this as their first step towards becoming entrepreneurs and creating livelihood opportunities for others. She stated, “Utilizing natural resources from the beel to create products is not a new concept. But we wanted to depart from the ordinary and make an impact. We knew how to weave and had the raw material. We just needed guidance. That’s where Rituraj and Nirmalya came in. From day one, they made it our dream and goal, making us look forward to the final product and people’s response. What we have now is a very unique, earthy, rustic, yet attractive product.”
Scaling out
The women used traditional Assamese loom and various combinations of techniques, materials, and tools to weave water hyacinths and create the mats. This involved the participation of 38 women from three peripheral villages (Keotpara, Notun Basti, and Borbori).
Recognizing that technological intervention could increase the production rate, Rituraj and Nirmalya suggested that the women seek assistance from the North East Centre for Technology Application and Reach (NECTAR).
“Once NECTAR, an autonomous body under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), came on board, it became easier for us. NECTAR’s technical interventions, such as using a solar dryer which reduced the drying time from 10 days to about three days, motivated us to work harder. It also made up for the time lost due to frequent heavy rains in this region; we have a six-month-long rainy season (May to October),” Mitali explained.
Simang plans to launch the product on World Yoga Day (June 21, 2021). “The households that initially declined to work with us are now lining up to ask for work. More than the money, the idea of becoming self-reliant and being part of a project that brings attention to our villages is a major driving force. They now tell us that regardless of the level of involvement, they would love to participate to make our Deepor Beel famous,” Mitali added.
