It wasn't always like this. When Hamid arrived in Panipat 17 years ago from his tiny village in West Bengal, he was unlettered, unskilled and penniless. A fellow villager had told him there were plenty of work opportunities in Panipat. "I could have gone to Surat or Mumbai or Delhi instead, but Panipat somehow seemed like a good option to me," he said. He began, as all migrant workers in Panipat do, as an apprentice to a master weaver. "In a couple of years, I learnt to weave, and started to work under a master," he recounted. He kept very busy, for weavers in Panipat were paid according to the amount of work they did. Soon, he became skilled enough to be appointed a "master" "" a supervisor of other weavers. |
In more ways than one, Hamid's move to Panipat was a fortunate one. "I won't have learnt all this if I'd stayed on in my little village in West Bengal," he said, "working in Panipat has made me understand how important it is to be competitive. Today, all the buyer has to do is to show me what he wants "" in a book, on a CD or just in a diagram, and I can weave it!" Seeing how well he has done, many others from his faraway village have also migrated here. "I bring my family here for a couple of months every year, and the rest of the time they stay in the village," he said. |
There's a lot that Panipat has to offer its large migrant population, Hamid said. Potholed roads and overloaded drains certainly don't do much to enhance its looks, but for the thousands of people who come here in search for employment, the town is nothing short of Mecca. |
"There are many different types of jobs available in the rug business alone, like spinning yarn, dyeing it, weaving different weaves and so on," he said, "so when people come from their villages they can earn good money doing unskilled work, and then gradually pick up some skill." Locals, he said, have little aptitude for weaving. "Most of the workers you see in Panipat are from UP, West Bengal and Bihar," said Hamid, "the locals are much better at trading and wheeling-dealing than they are at weaving!" |
But Hamid had nothing but admiration for the small and medium-scale businesses he has worked in. What the locals lack in talent, he said, they make up in sheer enterprise: "In Panipat, I have seen an interesting work culture that I have not seen anywhere else. If a loom owner finds, for instance, that the type of rug he is making is not selling as well as another woven product, he won't think twice before selling his original looms, and setting up new looms to make that product," he said. As a result, Hamid has learnt to weave anything he is given "" on all sorts of looms. "I have to," he grins, "after all these years in Panipat, the local spirit of enterprise has also rubbed off on me!" |
You’ve reached your limit of 5 free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Access to Exclusive Premium Stories
Over 30 subscriber-only stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app