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Why bidi rollers are the most eligible brides in Solapur -Radheshyam Jadhav

-The Times of India

Nineteen-year-old Radha Dhanewale is one of the most eligible brides in Maharashtra’s Solapur. Families of prospective grooms arrive at the family’s tiny house every day.

It’s not her education, horoscope or income that puts her at the top of the list — it’s a ‘bidi card’ she holds. “I have rolled bidis with my mother since my school days.

A few years ago, I got a bidi card from the factory attesting to my skills. I don’t have to worry about marriage or dowry,” says Radha, showing the piece of paper that testifies to her skills and guarantees employment for life.

Bidi factories issue cards that list the worker’s daily output and skill level. A bidi card means she’ll have regular work with benefits such as provident fund, bonus and medical help. The cards are given only to women who are skilled in bidi rolling. “Getting abidi card is like landing a government job,” says Radha.

Once a hub for cotton textile manufacturing, Solapur’s importance as a weaving centre has declined. While men cling to jobs in textile manufacturing, about 65,000 women roll bidis for around 200 factories. Rolling bidis requires a high level of dexterity. Scissors and thread are the only ‘tools’ to be used. The women flatten the leaves — tendu or kendo — gently, fill them with tobacco and roll the bidi without breaking a leaf.

Women in Solapur have been rolling bidis for over a century, the older ones training the younger. Radha rolls 1,000 bidis every day and earns Rs 140. The factory deducts provident fund from her earnings.

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