A Ayyanar and Baby Shalini run ABK Mayil MAS brand of agarbattis which are now available in the racks of shops across Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Tiruvannamalai and other parts of the State.
Published: 10th July 2022 11:35 AM | Last Updated: 10th July 2022 11:53 AM | A+ A A-
ABK Mayil MAS agarbattis by Ayyanar and Bay Shalini fill racks of shops across Kallakurichi, Cuddalore and Tiruvannamalai. (Photo | EPS)
VILLUPURAM: Off the hurly-burly of a dusty brick kiln, A Ayyanar and Baby Shalini determinedly clutched onto their dream of a future together. But the duo — who worked at the kiln — the transition from the bond of labour to the bond of love wasn’t easy. They had no option but to elope as their families rejected their match, citing class differences.
High drama unfolded, reminisces 26-year-old Baby. From the click and snap of a meagre wage of 30-50 paise for cutting, drying and burning a single brick filling his wallet, Ayyanar has walked a long, arduous way. Today, their own agarbatti (incense sticks) manufacturing unit in Avudayarpattu, nearly 15-km off Villupuram, puffs out the aroma of success and determination.
“Ten to 15 people of the Irula community work with us and we are able to pay them a good salary,” says the duo. Luck and fortune, indeed, favour the firm and resolute.Ayyanar, who belongs to the Irular community, was “born and brought up” in the brick kiln at Kayathur, his village. Baby, who hailed from caste Hindu (Vanniyar) background, joined him at the kiln.
“I started working since I was a child. Due to my family’s financial condition, I dropped out of school in Class 8 and continued working at the kiln as a bonded labourer,” says 33-year-old Ayyanar. As a native of Kedar village near Villupuram, he currently resides near Vikrawandi.
The brick kiln paid workers only a lump sum and that, too, in the rainy season, when the work is temporarily paused. Each worker is entitled to a lump sum of Rs 50,000 for rigorous work throughout the year. Further, they’re expected to bake at least 10,000 bricks a week, failing which a certain amount will be deducted from the sum. Around 50 - 60 workers, depending on the need and availability, are employed in a single kiln.
They say the times change, and for Ayyanar, it pirouetted incessantly. “My parents opposed our relationship, so we eloped and got married with the support of the members of the Pazhangudi Irular Pathukappu Sangam,” says Baby.
In 2014, the police arrested Ayyanar’s mother and locked her up behind the bars for nearly seven weeks after Baby’s family lodged complaint alleging that Ayyanar and his family ‘kidnapped’ her. In around 45 days, his mother was released and Baby’s family began to make peace with her marriage. Post-marriage, the couple continued to work at the brick kiln for a short span. “I decided to move on and shift professions,” Ayyanar says. Unfortunately, the pandemic posed another obstacle as they both lost jobs
Ayyanar spent his days scrolling past YouTube videos and that was when another idea grew in his mind — the business of making agarbattis. “I immediately contacted Kumar, my friend from Keezhpenathur, who is now my guru in this business. He gave me raw materials and advised me strategies.”
Investing nearly Rs 10,000 from his savings, his business went ahead in full swing. Later, sambarani cups, too, was added to the list. “Initially, I approached the Tamil Nadu Adi Dravidar Housing and Development Corporation (TAHDCO) for a loan and got the approval. However, banks refused to hand over the amount, citing that few from my community had failed to repay the loan in the past.”
The going got tougher for Ayyanar. “At first, I tried to sell my products in local shops. But shop owners refused to sell them as they were afraid customers might hesitate to buy products manufactured by Irulars,” he says. That was when he decided to use social media platforms to market his products. He started taking videos of his products and uploaded them on YouTube. After seeing the videos, a customer from Kanniyakumari placed an order for 10,000 pieces. That was when the clouds parted for the sun to shine on Ayyanar. The customer is a regular buyer.
ABK Mayil MAS brand of agarbattis is now available in the racks of shops across Kallakurichi, Cuddalore, Tiruvannamalai and other parts of the State. Villupuram Collector D Mohan permitted sales of his products in a stall at the Collector’s office premise on Mondays.
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