The Gazetteers Department

The occupations described above, can be carried on all round the year. There are, however, certain occupations, the services of which can have only a seasonal demand and cannot, therefore, be run perennially. They include inter alia such occupations 35 umbrella-repairing, manufacturing of aerated waters and flower-selling. The following pages give a brief resume of them.

Umbrella Repairing

The umbrella-repairer is generally found in urban areas. He does not need any permanent establishment as the demand for his services lasts for a short period only. He sets up his shop anywhere in town, either by the side of the road or at a street corner. The number of such repairers at any town cannot be positively ascertained.

An umbrella-repairer's requirements are scissors, small nails, needles, thread, and parts of an old umbrella like spokes, ribs, rings, etc. His service charges are nominal. An umbrella-repairer can easily earn up to Rs. 200 during the rainy season.

Manufacturing of Aerated Waters

Cold drinks are available in this district at all the important towns such as Bhir, Ambejogai, Parali, Kaij, etc.

The establishments manufacturing cold drinks require heavy investment by way of fixed capital. It chiefly consisted of the manufacturing machinery, furniture and other equipment the total cost of which was well over Rs. 3,000. In addition, they also required accessories like ice, essence, sugar, salt, colours and preservatives used as raw material and glasses, bottles and dishes used to serve the finished products. All the raw materials were locally available except essences and preservatives which were brought from outside. The value of raw materials consumed per month by the establishment ranged from Rs. 400 to Rs. 500.

The products of the establishments consisted of aerated waters and cold drinks of various kinds such as soda, lemonade, orange, pine-apple and raspberry.

The daily turnover of an establishment ranged from Rs. 10 in slack months to Rs. 45 in busy seasons. The production of aerated water bottles ranged from ½ to 2 gross per day.

Vegetable and Fruit-selling

Fruits and vegetable growers and gardeners are found in a large number in the district. Vegetable and fruit-selling shops are seen in almost every city and town, and they have given employment to a large section of the local population. In villages, there is hardly any permanent shop although at weekly bazars and festivals a number of people engage themselves in the sale of vegetables and fruits.

All these shops purchase fruits and vegetables locally. The supply of vegetables, therefore, varies greatly with the season. The leafy vegetable crop is available chiefly in the rainy season. The habitual fruit-eaters in the district are few. The demand for fruits, therefore, is small.

A small accommodation in the Mandai known as gala, is the shop of a vegetable seller. He does not require any considerable amount of fixed capital to set up his shop. His requirement essentially pertains to the working capital, which for a small-sized establishment ranged from Rs. 125 to Rs. 300. The net earnings of these establishments varied according to the size and turnover of the shops.

Flower Vendors

The occupation of flower-selling was formerly pursued by people from the Mali community who still engage themselves in the production of flowers on their small irrigated fields. But as the total acreage under horticulture in Bhir district is very small, there is obviously little production of flowers during the year.

A flower vendor generally moves from place to place selling flowers and floral articles. If possible, he establishes a small shop somewhere near the temple or by the side of a vegetable market, where usually he can find customers. As a rule he does not need any fixed capital to set up his shop. Nor does he require any accessories except a few baskets, needles and a thread. His raw material consists of various kinds of flowers and green leaves, which could be woven in hars (garlands) and gajras. The demand is generally seasonal, increasing at the time of religious ceremonies, festivals and events of social importance. During the months of Shravan and Bhadrapad, both the demand for and supply of flowers are considerable. During the months of Margashirsha and Vaishakh, on the other hand, although the demand for flowers is heavy, the supply fails, leading to a rise in prices.

In the establishments surveyed at Bhir it was found that the flower vendor on an average invested Rs. 30 in fixed capital, i.e., for setting up the shop and Rs. 20 for working capital or for purchasing flowers from the gardeners. All of them were conducted by the proprietors themselves and no labour was employed for assistance. The products sold were loose flowers, garlands, venis and gajras. The average income was up to Rs. 100 for a big shop during the season and up to Rs. 60 for a small shop.