Here's a family business that can never turn sour. The Bidkar family from Dombivli has been making jewellery out of halwa (a sweet dish made out of flour) during the festive season of Makar Sankranti and Lohri since 1960, and such is their renown that they have clients who come down specially from Canada, United States of America, England and Australia to buy upto 50 sets of jewellery every year.


The Bidkars from Dombivli use halwa to make everything from bangles
to mangalsutras, which they sell during Makar Sankranti. PIC/ Shrikant
Khuperkar

Rajaram Bidkar (81), an ex-BMC employee hit upon the idea as a way to make good use of his time after retirement. His wife Mangala, who passed away in 1975, used to assist him.

"We used to get sell home-made halwa at our shop near Dombivli station. We decided to sell halwa jewellery as something different and new," said Bidkar. The idea was clearly a good one because the couple sold 15 sets in the first year. A year later, the demand for their jewellery grew. "At that time, Pune was well known for its halwa jewellery, so we began importing pieces from there," added Bidkar.

The Bidkar's halwa jewellery is now a brand in itself. During Makar Sankranti, the Bidkars are booked with orders and end their days often as late at 2.30 am. Preparations begin from Diwali itself and Bidkar's son Gajanan (50) and daughter-in-law Suvarna, (45) have also been roped into looking after the business.

"Hand-made halwa jewellery sells more than machine-made jewellery," said Gajanan, who also created a gift that is now selling like hotcakes -- a sack of different halwas kept on an elephant's back for sons-in-law of the family.

The halwa jewellery includes mangalsutra, bangles, bindis, rings, nose rings, necklaces, waist belts, garlands, earrings and crowns for the woman. The men can enjoy wrist-watches, garlands, mobile phones, rings and decorated coconuts.

The family sells up to 70 sets for men, 160 sets for women, and makes 250 sets of jewellery for their younger clients. "We get massive orders and it's all through word of mouth publicity," said Gajanan.u00a0

Aparna Kulkarni and Tanuja Jadhav from Dombivli have been making halwa jewellery for the past three years during Sankranti. They sell close to eight sets and rent out seven.

"Most of the women complain about how they don't have jewellery to wear for functions. That is when we decided to rent out the jewellery," said Kulkarni.