Ashok Manwani and his wife, Kulanjan Dubey Manwani, met in 2003 because of their common passion for pearls and their culture. That year, the couple met for the first time at an event organized to learn about pearl culture. For this couple, the rest is, as they say, history.
Ashok was born into a farming family, and his interest in freshwater pearl farming piqued after reading a few articles on the subject. He started experimenting with pearl farming as a student collecting mussels from the Morna River in Akola District. This, however, turned out to be a series of failed attempts.
“It was not until 2000 that I finally got training at the pearling institute in Bhubaneswar,” said. After the course, I felt competent enough to teach this art to others. Meeting Kulanjan in 2003 gave my work a boost, and we started experimenting and trying new ways together. It was wonderful to finally have a partner in this.”
While the end product of pearl culture is a beautiful piece of jewelry, the whole process is very demanding.
Moreover, Kuljana added, “In the beginning, explaining to people who were trying to cultivate pearls in itself was a huge task. No one seemed to understand what we were doing. We had to live in the jungle and cook for ourselves. There were so many failed experiences and heartaches that we both shared.
The couple focused on creating many pearl farming techniques and instruments.
They proved that pearls can be discovered not only in salt water, but also in fresh water sources such as rivers and ponds in towns and cities.. “Equipment like the mold opener and the wooden mold rack for feeding designer beads, which seem to be pretty ubiquitous now, are tools we’ve created over the years,” Ashok added. They say the novelty of these tools is that they do not lead to the death of oysters. They are extremely delicate pieces of equipment and the price of the tools is another factor that has led many people to get involved in pearl farming.
Apart from Maharashtra, the couple have practiced pearl farming in 12 states over the past two decades. They have conducted awareness programs and campaigns in Karnataka, Kerala, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Manipur, Meghalaya and Assam etc. “Where possible, we strive to work with state departments.“We have noticed that most farmers are asking for help from their state agriculture departments“Kuljana said.
The couple started an organization called Indian Pearl Cultivation in 2001 with the sole purpose of training as many people as possible in pearl farming.. “The excitement of seeing this pearl at the end of all the hard work motivates us,” says Kuljana. We are not here for the money, but to make India a center of high quality pearls. It is conceivable for us to achieve this goal, even if it means that it happens after our life.
While on average only two pearls can be extracted from a shell, Ashok says the technique they have developed can lead to up to six pearls being grown from a shell.
“This is a technology that is now being disseminated to other farmers by state governments,” he noted. He also urges those wishing to learn to go only to government-approved centers rather than paying high fees to learn at private institutions.
Harvesting pearls “ethically”
“First and foremost, producers need to stop buying oysters from other states in order to farm them. Weather and water conditions will be very different, so choose oysters from home,” Ashok added. Learn how to hunt it in a body of water near you. If you get the oyster from your local location, your chances of living and functioning well will increase.
A farmer with limited space can get into pearl farming by growing up to 2,000 shells in 1,000 square feet of space.
“Two shells can be easily put in 1 m². The water should be light green in color and it is advisable to add spirulina to the water, which is considered the great food for animals. The micronutrients in spirulina are very beneficial for good growth,” says Kuljana.
The couple also think adding organic products to improve the nutritional content of the water is a great idea.
The cost varies from state to state, according to Kuljana. “In Maharashtra, each shell would cost you between Rs.30- Rs.40, while in Karnataka, it will cost you a minimum of Rs.50 per shell. The average cost of producing two beads is Rs.60, and if the quality is high and checked, you can earn up to Rs.500 per bead and sometimes even more. “There were instances where a single pearl was sold for Rs.12 lakhs,” Ashok said.
Govt. Subsidize pearl farming
If someone wants to start pearl farming by creating a pond in their garden or an available space in their house, the total installation would cost around Rs 25 lakhs. However, in a bid to boost pearl production, the government grants farmers a grant of Rs.12.5 lakhs.
This couple has received various national awards
The couple have held over 400 training sessions and workshops across the country for various state governments and have received numerous awards, including eight national and over 70 other awards. They are also the first beneficiaries of the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture Innovative Farmer (CIFA) Award.
“My mission is to ensure that even the poorest farmers can benefit from pearl farming,” says Ashok, who has no interest in running it like a business venture. It’s a great approach to supplementing one’s income and it can be done in addition to one’s main source of income.”
Ashok and Kuljana can be reached at +91-9860661174 or email indianpearlculture@yahoo.com