Sweets and sweat-shops

A FARMER from West Bengal, Pankaj has come all the way down to Chennai for Deepavali and is now busy at a sweet factory in Purusawalkam. So, what's cooking? Sandesh, milkpeda and the rest of the milky range of Bengali sweets.

Come Deepavali, Pankaj and 40 more Bengalis give up farming and head for Chennai every year to serve us the oh-so-milky Bengali specialities.

And when he and his friends return home, they are not just richer by a few thousands. Their culinary expertise also expand as they pick up tips on how to prepare local specialities.

Not just Bengalis. Labourers migrate from all over the North to the city during the festival season to sweat out at the sweet factories.When the demand for North Indian sweets shoots up during the festival season, the sweet shop owners ``import'' these ``sweetwallahs'' at a premium.

These workers are engaged through contractors and are provided with accommodation and food.``It is a very interesting experience'' says Shyam who has come for the first time as part of a team from West Bengal. ``When my master is taking rest, I work with another team. So I am able to learn the art of making sweets from other states also. Thus when I return next year, I would be paid more'' he claims.As for the sweet shop owners it is a rush against deadlines. Most of them are working overtime to meet the festival demand.

Chennai has literally turned into a `sweet' factory. Tonnes and tonnes of sweets are being manufactured round the clock to replenish stocks. With the gifting of sweet packets becoming a part of Deepavali custom,not only among friends and relatives but also by companies for their employees, it is peak business for those in business.

As against the average production of a tonne a day during off- season sweet shops produce atleast 10 tonnes now. `` Meeting this demand is the thrill and the risk of this business'', says Mr.Venkatesh of Adyar Ananda Bhavan.

Despite the tight schedule, workers are found in a happy mood. While the heads of various groups, take their rest hours seriously, the younger lot, find time to interact with others on stories of their home town.

``We do miss home and family during the festival season'', admits Mukesh from Bihar. But with hectic work time passes fast. The real thrill is watching people buying our products, he says.

As part of the contract, the sweet shop owners ensure that the workers while returning, take gifts and sweets for their families.

``Unless we keep them happy, they will not return to work with us next year'', adds Mr.Venkatesh. For the permanent workers, the festival time gives added joy. Apart from special wages, they wait eagerly to meet their friends from other States.

``Even the memories are sweet,'' he says.

By S. Shivakumar

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