This jewellery will grow when you’re tired of wearing it

More than a decade ago, when her family was battling hard for survival, Sangeeta Devi decided to craft ornaments using a range of seeds sourced from locally abundant plants such as Shivling, Sindur, Pitaunjhi, Vaijyanti, and Ashoka.The family was earlier settled in Patna, where Sangeeta’s husband took up odd jobs to earn a livelihood. A pivotal time for the family was when she lost her father-in-law in 2011 and pressure mounted on them to return to their native village Pradhanchak.On their return, the family pitched in heavy seas and Sangeeta took the lead. Trained in making jute jewellery, she adopted a creative approach and used her talent to craft eco-friendly ornaments using plant seeds. A resident of Khaira block in the Maoist-hit Jamui district of Bihar, Sangeeta has brought remarkable changes in the jewellery market ever since. Today, she is a job creator with 15 women working in her enterprise. The cost of these ornaments varies from Rs 20 to Rs 1,000 – making them affordable for all.Unlike conventional jewellery, these nature-friendly pieces are not targeted by criminals, and they double as artistic displays. When their purpose is served, buyers can simply discard them in fields where they grow into plants. “Such jewels have plenty of customers in the town. Not only do they like the artwork, but they also appreciate the initiative taken to protect the environment... This has also boosted our income,” Sangeeta told TOI during a telephonic conversation.But all this didn’t happen overnight. Sangeeta’s efforts initially faced scepticism and mockery from villagers, but her persistence paid off. “There was a time when villagers would make fun of our efforts and openly say that we were cheating the customers. But we continued to focus on our work. Today, I can say with pride that my initiative has garnered recognition from several prominent companies like Google, Coca Cola and Rolls Royce,” she said.Medium108411909 “We don’t destroy plants, we just collect seeds from the local forests and develop them into attractive jewellery with art...”Moreover, there is no fear of snatching. Urmila Devi, an admirer of Sangeeta’s work, attests to this. “Women have fears about their precious jewellery getting snatched , but the seed jewellery keeps us safe and stylish.”Sangeeta’s success has extended beyond her village, with exhibitions of her eco-friendly jewellery held in 15 states.With a diverse range of 25 plant jewellery varieties available, she receives consistent orders from the market.Her husband Adhik Kumar Singh takes pride in her success. “Previously, I was merely able to reach the portico at most, but my wife’s works have now taken me to the stage,” said Singh, who is a driver with the agriculture department.