leatherworkers have been traditionally held in contempt since they work with dead animals which are seen as dirty and polluting. during the first world war, however there was a huge demand for shoes for armies. caste prejudice against leather work meant that only the traditional leather workers and shoemakers were ready to supply army shoes. madigas were an important untouchable caste of andhra pradesh who were experts in tanning the hides, stitiching the sandals and greatly skilled in artistic work of making shoes and footwear.
though the ancient shoe producers were treated low on caste basis, today they are respected for the unique skill they possess. they make awesome shoes and and traditional shoes called joothis which are famous all over the world for their designs, holding indian traditional values. these people should be given some good status and their skills should be preserved.
we should be proud that we have such great artisans in india who can make legendary articles, unique in every aspect, showing us a glimpse of ancient indian culture. though we were ignorant in the past of their importance, we should atleast now work on preserving such arts and passing it on to the next generation.
