Inspiring Women

Women in India: The Hustler of Goa

Why I bought an overpriced bracelet from a woman who probably should’ve been on Wall Street.

By 

On the tropical shores of the Indian state of Goa, it’s not uncommon to see locals pitching their wares as you sunbathe in the scorching heat. Men saunter by, flashing elephant-printed shawls and wraps, women trudge by pitching cool mango slices. Of all the salesmen and women on the beach, one woman in particular stands out.

Women in India: The Hustler of Goa

The women, Jana, approaches my friend and I demurely. We’re wary, wondering what she’ll pull out of her bag, but she strikes up a conversation instead. Her charisma pulls us in instantly. She sits on the edge of my reclining sun chair, confidentially, like we’re old friends, and the three of us enthusiastically participate in a cultural exchange.

In another world, in another life, this woman would be a high-salaried saleswoman or a CEO. She has something that her fellow salesman do not: sociability, confidence, the ability to draw us in and make us want to buy what she’s selling. I don’t want any of the anklets, necklaces, or bracelets she lays out on the chair beside me. But that’s okay. I’m not buying those items; I’m buying her.

Women in India: The Hustler of Goa

India is not a stranger to women entrepreneurship. Women-formed Self-Help Groups (SHGs) abound throughout the country. The SHGs are formed so that traditionally unbankable individuals can open a savings account with the combined funds of the group, and pull out loans. In some cases, the members (normally women) are able to use the loans to start their own enterprises. Some start tailoring shops or schools, others open snack stalls, and still others form their own beauty parlors. With the burdens of poverty in rural areas, and the restrictions on women abundant, fewer women than you might think use their loans to generate more income.

Even so, none of the SHG members I ever encountered had the knack for sales like Jana. Many of the women SHG members found themselves in positions where they could acquire loans and learn skills such as tailoring to earn their own income. However, they didn’t have the sales instinct or the marketing opportunities to make any real money. Jana on the other hand had instinct in abundance and she used the beaches of Goa as her marketing channel.

Women in India: The Hustler of Goa

She tells us, seated at the edge of the lounge chair, that she’s from a remote village in the state of Karnataka. She comes to Goa for a few months out of the year, during the high tourist season, to pitch her wares and make some money for her family. Her husband is a stay-at-home father, taking care of their four children, including their one handicapped son.

Looking at Jana’s flat stomach through the open flap in her sari, I doubt whether she’s ever given birth to a child in her life. This could all be part of the pitch, and yet I’m still drawn in, wanting to fuel this bright spark.

I select the items I intend to buy and the haggling process begins. I offer a price and she gives me a disdainful look. Jana of Karnataka launches into a short-winded lecture on the virtues and rhythms of bartering: “No.” She says. “First I offer a price and then you bargain. That’s how this works.” She’s right. Of course she’s right. She’s an old pro, bartering with tourists on the sparkling shores of Goa for years. I’m the amateur and I had jumped the gun.

We begin again, her offering a ludicrous price, and me shaking my head and offering about half. We ping pong back and forth, settling on a price that is by all means still too high for the quality of her products. But again, it’s not the bracelets I want. I may not even wear them. I want to see her successful, I want to imagine her taking care of her potentially non-existent family. I want her to have what a woman of her background cannot possibly have but what she deserves; an office job on Madison Avenue, tailored power suits, a classroom where she can teach the impressive skills she knows, seemingly innately.

India is in every sense of the word a developing country. Their tourism, their business, their women’s rights are all growing with awkward, sometimes dizzying spurts. It is now more common for women to go to school and get jobs, and with the perpetuation of educated women, India will start seeing major shifts in women’s roles. We may one day soon see a time where women with Jana’s graceful skills at the bargaining table are nurtured and encouraged.

Until then, you can find Jana on the beaches of Goa from November to March, with a hustle that will make you swoon.

Ariana is a writer and world traveler. Her writing covers her three main passions: women’s empowerment, travel, and culture. The beauty of the world is not just in scenic mountain views or turquoise waters; it’s in doing the thing that gets you out of bed in the morning. For Ariana, that thing is stringing words together.

Reader Discussion: 206 Comments

  1. Proud to be an Indian.

  2. Phyllis Nichols

    This story inspires me. I realized how lucky I am with this kind of life. You are an inspiration, Jana. ❤

    • Lois Cisneros

      Yes. It inspires me too. It breaks my heart too.

  3. Sharon Schultz

    A place where women are working and men are babysitting. India. Lol ?

    • Thelma Brooks

      What’s funny? It’s normal if the woman is more capable of working than his husband.

  4. Marion Keener

    It saddens me knowing that there is an area in this world like this. I can’t imagine myself living in that kind of life. She’s a tough girl.

  5. Tammy Harrell

    Who cares about the price? As long as you helped this Indian woman. They live in one of the poorest places on earth, and spending a little bit of your money won’t hurt your bank.

    • Sarah Kime

      No. She’s abusing the tourists. She is selling her items for more than the value of it. It’s a scam. ?

  6. Virginia Pearson

    I will share this article with my friends. It touches my heart, and I’m pretty sure this will make an impact on them too.

  7. Albina Davis

    Maybe she’s not lying, maybe she’s thin because of her job. She’s walking, and walking around Goa, what do you expect?

    • Ruth Loera

      You have a point. Maybe she is telling the truth. We’ll never know, right?

  8. Marilyn Kinsella

    She buys her bracelets because she was amazed by the woman’s skill. ?

  9. Edna Stumpf

    I’m happy that India is supporting women like Jana. Looking forward to seeing a lot of people like Jana when I visit India.

    • Barbara Jimenez

      There are a lot of people like her, the thing is she stands out.

  10. Helen Wade

    Praying for her success! Women like her should be given a chance to prove themselves. Calling the attention of everyone to help them in India.

    • Clara King

      I like your idea. Let’s start raising fund for Jana, and her community.

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