Makar Sankanti is a special festival for many of the newly-weds as well for the young children in many Maharashtrian families. It is not just about celebrating the day by offering tilgul ladoos or sweets but also a special occasion to wear specially designed hardened sugar jewelry (Halwyache Dagine).
Rekha Gadgil has become a name synonymous with Halwyache Dagine! Her handmade traditional sugar jewelry is in demand not just in Maharashtra but also across the world. She is also a woman who turned a hobby business around to help farmer’s daughters and women become self-reliant. Until today, she has trained 44 women from Gawali Wada and a village near Sinhagad, who help her with her business of making beautiful ornaments that are won by men, women and even children with pride on Sankranti!
“It was my mother-in-law Vidya Gadgil who actually began this business of making Halwyache Dagine as a hobby. I got married into this family in 1980 and since then I have been helping her make these beautiful jewelry,” said Rekha.
Rekha got interested because she always was keen on being a commercial artist and since she came here from Hyderabad, she has an eye for creative designs for necklaces and jewels.
“My mother-in-law had once visited family friends, Kaka Halwai owners and she had seen these lovely halwyache haar. She got curious and mentioned doing some design for them. Soon she was creating interesting designs for necklaces, using real jewelry for reference and started getting steady orders from Kaka Halwai,” said Rekha.
Rekha uses small pearls coated with hardened sugar to make the traditional Maharashtrian style jewelry. “Although the coating is edible, we specifically write on the packaging not for consumption,” she adds.
Rekha gets busy with the necklaces and all kinds of traditional jewelry from Navratri. She is the busiest during the Makar Sankranti until 7 February, which is Ratha Saptami. “I have 93 varieties of halwyache dagine from men, women and newborn to small children. I do a lot of customised jewelry too according to the choices of the family members.”
“This business began as a hobby but now has become a form of earning for many of the young girls and women that she employs to work along with her in her workshop from her home in Sahakar Nagar. I never thought that this seasonal business would have so much demand! I am happy to be able to take my mother in law’s dream ahead,” said Rekha.
Her clients are from all over Maharashtra and also in US, Australia, Singapore, Dubai as well as Germany. Her complete set which has 16 pieces of jewelry known as Mahalaxmi set costs Rs 5000, while if one has to buy single pieces, they begin from Rs 150 per piece.
Contact: Rekha Gadgil 9665051175
Photography Credits : Sahil Soni
