Bengaluru: Among the many elements that stitch the villagers together along the borders of Maharashtra and Karnataka is their ability to craft some unique pairs of traditional leather footwear, known locally as Kolhapuri Chappal.
It might be something as rudimentary as a footwear, but the name Kolhapuri carries a rare cultural and artisanal legacy that few footwear traditions evoke.
Kolhapuri Chappal represents one of India’s last remaining handmade footwear traditions and unlike most ancient craft traditions it is still holding on its own, despite facing stiff competition from modern, mass-produced, synthetic alternatives.
Sought after by the elites and commoners alike, the Kolhapuri was once a symbol of prestige, tradition and culture. Now, as styles and preferences change, the makers of Kolhapuri are struggling to find their feet.
Though, still in demand in many fashion circles across India as well as overseas, a range of socioeconomic conditions are denying the artisans the benefit they deserve.
Let’s take a stroll into the dynamics of this ancient world of skill and sweat, with some history to boot.
Genesis
The origin of this craft goes further back to 12th century Deccan, when the Chalukya Governor of the region Bijjala the Second and his minister Basavanna set up the first Kolhapuri production units to help the local cobblers.
Drawing from the existing diverse shoemaking traditions of the region such Kapashi, Paytaan, Pukri, Kachkadi etc. the Kolhapuri has evolved over the last 800 years as an Indian style icon.
Delicate, yet durable, decorative, yet simple, the Kolhapuri was once synonymous with festive-wear not just in Maharashtra and Karnataka, but also in other parts of the country.
Though, eponymous with Maharashtra’s southern city of Kolhapur, which continues to be a major hub for the Kolhapuri tradition, the city’s shoemaking legacy has worn out.
But, in the villages around Kolhapur, in the adjoining district of Sangli, as well as in several towns and villages in the neighbouring state of Karnataka, the craft continues to find expression.
The veterans
Ashok Parshuram Kamble is among the few veteran artisans in the small village of Malgaon in Maharashtra’s Sangli district.
At 66, he continues to work long hours to pursue his passion and to feed the mouths dependent on him.
“For 50 years I have worked everyday without a break to provide for my family. I grew up watching my father and grandfather making chappals and I learnt from them. They grew up watching their forefathers. Shoemaking is in our blood, we don’t need any training to master the craft,” said Kamble, who is an expert in making the straps and toes of the Kolhapuri.
With five decades of experience under his belt, Kamble has swift hands and stitches around 10-15 pairs of slippers every day.
“Making a good Kolhapuri chappal requires a lot of skill, it’s a work of art. But, people these days hardly value quality that comes with handcrafted items. We don’t get the value we deserve for our work. I get Rs30 per pair of slippers and after a hard day’s work of 8-10 hours I earn only around Rs300,” said Kamble, who gets his orders from a local distributor.
Like most youth of the village, Kamble’s children have also learnt their ancestral craft by watching him, but they are not interested in this work anymore.
“The next generation won’t do this job because there is not enough money and there is hardly any respect,” added the 66-year-old grandfather.
Right across from Kamble’s residence cum workshop, his friend and fellow artisan Shivaji Bamne and his wife are busy giving expression to their art of making ‘bantu’ slippers, a loafer like variety in Kolhapuri.
Reminiscing the old times, Bamne recalls the era when the whole of Malgaon was occupied in tanning and making shoes.
“What we are doing right now is the last flicker of the flame our forefathers kindled several centuries ago. Only a few us old-timers are occupied in this work now, the younger generation feels ashamed of the work, especially the educated types, who don’t see our work as respectable,” said Bamne, who learnt his art in Athni, a neighbouring town across the border in Karnataka.
The situation in Athni is slightly better, with the Kolhapuri craft work still thriving in the town.
Relevance
In their attempt to stay relevant and catering to contemporary sensibilities, the craft community in Athni is adding new braids to its traditional canvas.
Adding to their standard portfolio of open-toed and t-strapped slippers are braided leather mules and braided comfy loafers that are sought after by urban consumers.
In Athni, 700 families are occupied in this tradition and the town is especially known for the modern varieties of Kolhapuri Bantu and Banarjee shoes.
“There is still some demand for traditional hand-stitched Kolhapuri chappals, but we don’t get good rates. So, we created new designs to stay relevant and we cater to new markets. We are doing good business, this season has been particularly great, following the lull of the pandemic,” said Nitesh Kamble, who runs a small manufacturing unit, collaborating with the local artisans.
Like all handicraft work, the pandemic had affected the Kolhapuri craft adversely, but the business is now looking up.
In the neighbouring Karnataka town of Nippani, another major Kolhapuri manufacturing hub, the artisans are working overtime catering to the new demand.
“We have a lot of work this season, but we are not making enough money because the prices of animal hide has gone up. We have to absorb any increase in the price of raw material, the distributors and retailers won’t account for any increase. We have to bear with this because we need work,” said Satish Srikande, a master in the art of making Kolhapuri for women.
The 40-year-old, his wife and his school-going son together work overtime to earn a family monthly income of Rs25,000, which is barely enough to make ends meet.
Tanning
A significant part of the Kolhapuri tradition or any leather craft is the tanning of the animal hide. Without the leather, there are no leather goods. This is where the Kolhapuri tradition has suffered the most.
In India, leather work has been one of the most important traditional crafts going as far back as the Harappan and Indus Valley civilisations.
However, the traditional craft of tanning is now fading away, with only a handful of traditional tanners still operating in the country.
Among the primary reasons of its decline is the ban on cattle slaughter in several Indian states and the traditional tanner’s inability to compete with the factory processed cheaper alternatives.
“Nippani was once the hub of leather works with dozens of families practising this ancient craft. Now only a couple of families practise this art, including us,” said Vikram Kadam.
The 38-year-old says Nippani’s tradition is unique as it follows a natural and sustainable process, but the process is also time consuming and significantly adds to the cost.
“The leather produced in Nippani was once sought after, it is still one of the best in terms of quality. But, these days quality doesn’t drive the sales, it is the price that dictates the purchase. However, we continue to follow our traditions and maintain the same high standards that the tanners of Nippani have followed for hundreds of years,” added Kadam.
Despite the non-sustainability of their competition with industrialised tanning, these handful of traditional tanners have survived.
The work that Kadam and other Kolhapuri artisans do is difficult and is looked down upon by many in the society, but they provide an important service out of the available natural resources and most importantly they are immensely satisfied with their work, which is a rare wealth in the modern world.
— Shafaat Shahbandari is a Bengaluru-based independent journalist. He is the founder of Thousand Shades of India, an alternative media platform that celebrates the diversity of India.
