With the onset of the holy month of Ramadan, the workers engaged in vermicelli manufacturing are busy and working extra hours to fulfill the orders placed for the item.
Muslims in India prepare special delicacies made of vermicelli or 'sewain' as it is commonly called to serve guests on Eid, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.
Moreover, sewain forms an intrinsic part and sells like hot cakes during the holy month of Ramadan, as people prefer to eat them as they break their fast.
Traditional vermicelli was prepared mostly at home but now it is bought from the market to cope with the fast life.
Dayananda Food Products Industries is a sewain manufacturer that was established five years back at Nagicherra, 14 km east on the outskirts of Agartala. Beside sewain, the unit also produces papad.
According to Tanoy Saha, owner of the unit, who after completion of his degree in Microbiology from Bangalore and with some experience from his ancestral business, started his own unit five years back.
"Mainly the Muslim people consume sewain and there is extra order as the Ramadan season has already started. We mainly sell our product of sewain in the state ; and some of the product also goes to Bangladesh. This season we shall earn around rupees five to six lakh," said Tanoy.
At present workers in the unit are busy and working extra hours as orders are flooding in.
The unit has been playing a very important role in empowerment of women by providing them employment opportunities.
"Here ten to twelve women are engaged beside ten men. We are producing sewain for the occasion of Eid. Throughout the year there is demand of sewain but it is more during the time of Eid," said Chaya Rani Dey, a worker.
Meantime, Mira Saha, another worker said: "We are now engaged in sewain making and the money we are earning here helps in running our families. Sewain is mainly in demand during Eid as Muslims prefer it during this time."
The work started a month back and shall continue the entire Ramadan month at the end of which Eid will be celebrated by the Muslim people.
"At present we are engaged in producing vermicelli on the occasion of Ramadan. We started the work a month back and shall continue for another month. Mainly the Muslims buy this product and we shall continue our work for a month," said Partha Paul, manager of the unit.
Though rising prices of commodities have put a dent in the people's pockets, still it is not holding them back from splurging on their favourite food items during the festive season.
