MEHNAT MANZIL

By: Shrey Kakadiya

It is a museum which conceptualize and launched by Saath Charitable Trust in partnership with
conflictorium: museum of conflict. It gives a glimpse of the lives of people who are employed in
informal or unorganized sector. In reality there are approx. 91% of Indian population work in
informal sector. It shows the actual picture of a country which we never imagine before. Also,
the life they live are totally different from ours that we live by fortune. This museum also
highlights the difficulties and injustice faced by those people. It also depicts the importance of
informal sector towards country.

While entering in the museum, various instruments that people in informal sector are using were
hanged on the wall. There were also some of the memorable exhibits which depicts the
livelihood of people in informal sector. Firstly, we saw the various pictures which have the
stories in itself. The people there are
economically weak and deprived of all basic
amenities like housing, water, electricity,
health, and many others. After we also saw a
Dal in the bottle. It has two identical bottles
each having dal and mixed with water. In
one jar, there were high quantity of water
and less in dal. It also has lower nutrition as
of another jar which was consumed by
financially strong person. So, this represents
the comparison of food consumption of that
people with normal one. Next, there was a
sample of green carpet which is used by them to making and covering enclosed spaces, making
partitions, and other uses. We have also told that this green net was used to beautify the city by
hiding poor informal houses along the main road when Trump (ex US President) visited India.
Another thing we saw was the sewer pipe in which these people go inside to clean it. They do
any thing or job to fulfill their basic needs. At the end of this pipe there we two photos which
depict the harsh reality. We also saw the maze game. We try to solve it but it was not solved by
anyone because it was made in such a way that no one can solve it. This highlights that people
once trapped in this kind of things, can never come out of it. We have also told one story to
explain this. In the story there was a man who has taken loan for wedding his son from informal
sector at high interest rate. After some time, he has taken another loan to fulfill the previous one.
This he done again and again and trapped in vicious cycle and never come out from it. Even if he
died, his son has to try to pay it. So, in this whole his family would trap in this cycle.

In conclusion, this museum offers an interesting and eye-opening experience, allowing visitors to
see the reality faced by the majority of India's population in the informal sector. It highlights the
importance of the informal sector in the nation's economy by highlighting the struggles,
injustices, and dedication of these people. This museum severe as a platform for raising
awareness and motivating other people to help to overcome the difficulties faced by the people
working in informal sector and promote equality in the country.