Bihar's Muslim family makes 10,000 National flags for R-Day celebrations

It's more a duty to the nation than a livelihood for these Muslim families in Bihar's Gaya district. For generations together, they are engaged in sewing, stitching and printing the National flags. ETV Bharat speaks to Muhammad Ghulam Mustafa, a 55-year-old resident, who along with his relatives made 10,000 Tricolours for R-Day celebrations this year.

Gaya (Bihar): Many Muslim families in Bihar's Gaya have been taking pride in sewing and printing the National flags since independence. From generation to generation, these families have been engaged in this noble task with an unbroken continuity. In the process, they are also training their youth in sewing the National Tricolour and print Ashoka Chakra on it.

For the forthcoming Republic Day celebrations, the making of national flags is in full swing in different villages in Gaya district. For the Muslim families, who are involved in the making of Tricolours for decades, it is more a matter of duty to the country than a means of earning livelihoods. Along with all members of their families, including women and girls, they are seen busy cutting cloth, sewing it into flags which are printed with the Ashoka Chakra.

ETV Bharat had a special conversation some Muslim artisans, who shared their experiences in the making of the Tricolour flags. Muhammad Ghulam Mustafa, a 55-year-old resident of Gaya's Manpur, said that it was a matter of pride for him to carry out work related to the glory of his country. For 40 years, he has been sewing the Tricolours and cutting cloth for making them.

Mustafa fondly recalled how he learnt the art of sewing and printing the national flags from his father. Mustafa works in Khadi Gram Udhyog, Manpur and he is the best sewing and cutting master here. The Tricolours made at Khadi Gram Udhyog reach all the five districts of under Magadh region where flag hoisting takes place.

Here Ghulam Mustafa gets wages based on the number of flags made on the occasion of 15th August and 26th January. His daily income ranges from 500 to 600 rupees. However, in his forty years of work, he has never compared the work to the money he gets and continues to do it with a matter of duty, joy and satisfaction.

Mustafa says that he has heard from his father about the freedom movement and how freedom has been achieved after many sacrifices. Ghulam Mustafa and his relatives together have prepared more than 10,000 Tricolours on the occasion of Republic Day here this year. Other days also, they are busy and make Gandhi caps, Nehru sadri (jacket), along with the national flags etc in Khadi Gram Udhyog. Ghulam Mustafa has handed over his inheritance of stitching national flags to his son Muhammad Raja.

Another sewing craftsman, Mohammad Mustafa, also expressed his love of work in making the national flags and considered it an honour for engaging in an income source linked to the national duty. The 40-year-old Muhammad Mustafa has been sewing the national flags for nearly eight years. Three Muslim youths were seen sewing the Tricolours along with Ghulam Mustafa at the Khadi Gram Udhyog Center in Manpur.

Meanwhile, Seema Parveen's family from the famous Ganj Mohalla in Gaya city have been engaged in printing Ashok Chakra on the national flags for decades for the last three generations. Earlier her father-in-law used to work, now her husband Muhammad Shamim and her children Muhammad Saddam, Muhammad Nawab and Muhammad Sharakh Ashok are also involved in this noble work.