Jharkhand's 'rani mistris' carving a niche in a male bastion

According to the World Bank report, for the first time, these women joined the work of masons when the construction of toilets started in large numbers in villages under the Swachh Bharat Mission as most of the (male) masons had migrated to big cities

Men have generally dominated when it comes to masonry work in the construction sector. However, Sunita Devi of Udaipura village in Jharkhand's Latehar district has stunned everyone with the speed of her work.

Popularly known as 'rani mistry', Sunita Devi was honoured with the coveted government award Nari Shakti Puraskar by the President in 2019.

Besides her, there are about 50,000 'rani mistris' in Jharkhand, who have not only established themselves with their dexterity but have also amazed everyone with their efficiency that is on par with the men. On hearing of their success stories, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has encouraged them by talking to some of them through video conferencing.

Sunita Devi recalls that four years ago, her self-help group working in Udaipura was assigned the task of constructing 100 toilets under the Swachh Bharat Mission. However, because of the non-availability of masons or their refusal to take up such a ‘small’ work, the women, rather than sulk, rose to the occasion by picking up the tools and started masonry work. She was given primary training by the district administration and later, she along with 20-25 other women completed the toilet construction work.

Their achievements have not missed the attention of the World Bank, which recently published a report on rani mistris. The report mentions one Urmila Devi from Hazaribagh, who has built more than 1,000 toilets so far. Urmila Devi has been to Champaran in Bihar to work as a mason for construction of toilets.

Poonam Devi, who works with her as a mason, was involved in the construction of 900 toilets in the last one year.

Nishat Jahan, a rani mistry from Hazaribagh, says that women are in no way inferior to men. What men can do, women can do with equal gusto, if not even better, she says. Women have been working as labourers in the construction sector for a long time. Now that they have got an opportunity to work as a rani mistry, they are showing their skills and abilities and winning laurels.

Usha, who works with Nishat Jahan, says that the job of a mason is not much different from that of a labourer. With a little bit of training any woman can do this job. Compared to labourers, masons spend less time in the work but earn more.

Traditionally, women have been working as helpers in construction activities. They are seen carrying bricks, preparing mortar, and doing other works under the guidance of 'raj mistris' or male masons. But, women in Jharkhand have broken this male supremacy.

According to the World Bank report, for the first time, these women joined the work of masons when the construction of toilets started in large numbers in villages under the Swachh Bharat Mission as most of the (male) masons had migrated to big cities.

In Jharkhand, more than 50,000 skilled women masons are involved in the campaign to make the state free from open defecation. Notably, Jharkhand is one of the states that received technical assistance from the World Bank for planning and implementing the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. As part of this exercise, the World Bank conducted programmes to train masons to build toilets and women workers participated in large numbers.

However, initially the people of the village, especially women themselves, were reluctant to take up this work. The families of many women masons stood against them. But after braving the initial setbacks, they achieved their mission and today are the toast of their respective families.

These women have broken another taboo. Even while working as laborers earlier, they could not even think of going out of their village or going out to work. They either did their household chores or worked in the fields.

But now the scenario has changed. Nishat Jahan being a Muslim had a tough time coming out of purdah. She received training in Ranchi along with other women at a week-long programme of the World Bank. She learnt the nuances of constructing toilets and has now established an envious identity.

Apart from this, she also learned the techniques of making soak pit and twin pit. The practical training was under a ‘senior’ mason.

On the completion of training, these women earn double of what they could have as labourers.

Hat-off to Jharkhand's 50K 'rani mistris', whose inspirational example is sure to catch up with women from other regions.