While big manufacturers may take a while warming up to the idea of 'Make In India', a few small Delhi and Gurgaon-based firms are taking the concept to a whole new level. They are selling cowdung cakes – gobar ka uplain Hindi – on amazon.com and what's more, they are getting a good response.
Preeti Kalra-Sharma, proprietor of AsiaCrafts which operates out of Delhi, said the idea came to her three months ago while watching a faith-based TV channel. “Since we sell so many relgious products, I watch these channels to keep abreast of what is trending. I noticed that on that day the Baba told several people to burn cowdung cakes and make offerings of milk, sweet or ghee.”
Preeti says she immediately connected it to the excess manure found in her village. “Though people use it as fuel and fertiliser, so much of it is still wasted. Besides, people in cities, where cowsheds are hard to come by, won't know from where to source it.”
When they began in end-September, they were sourcing the cakes from villages on the outskirts of Delhi. “But within a fortnight, the orders started coming fast and thick. After failing to get villagers to standardise the size, shape, weight and consistency, we started own centre in the village of Pataudi. The centre makes and dries the eight-inch cakes, and then packs them in sets of eight. It's now a leading centre of employment, particularly for the women in Pataudi and neighbouring villages.”
Despite the Rs 419-per-pack price tag, it has emerged as one of their fastest moving items, says Preeti. “We're currently selling more than 3,000 packs a month, with orders coming in from places far off like Bengaluru and Hyderabad.”
When asked she ever felt embarrassed about selling cowdung cakes, the commerce graduate said, “I'm not concerned about what people say. The last laugh is ours given the response we are getting.”
Others like Diptosh Bhatnagar of Hawan, which sells smaller, thicker cakes, says the government should patronise them since they are underlining the reason why cows should not be slaughtered. “The government should give us a rebate or holiday in taxes,” says Bhatngar, who recently dispatched a consignment to a Bangkok temple, where a yagna is being organised.
Brand experts like Harish Bijoor say they are not surprised. “There's a whole movement called back-to-the-vedas in the market,” said Bijoor, who runs a brand and marketing consultancy. “Whether they are offered as ayurvedic, herbal or religious products, the trend underlines the democratic nature of today's markets,” he said.
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