On Bartered Bait & The Gudgudi: An Interview With The Gourdsmith

In a candid interview set in the midst of the city’s buzzing verve, Dean D’souza makes himself comfortable on the steps surrounding an extended promenade.                                           “I like being outdoors. I hate the idea of sitting in a coffee shop.” 

An entitled young man with a world full of ideologies, he opens up about his recent venture with an authentic tribal smoking pipe, called the “gudgudi.”  What started out as an experiment however, quickly altered itself into a viable source of value.
Dean, alias “The Gourdsmith”, delineates the intricate workings of the device even while channeling his dynamic views about anti-consumerism, love for people and his efforts to resuscitate elements of the barter system as a new source of income.
I. When and where was this idea first conceived?
[Laughs] Literally? In my hostel room in Pune. I had picked it up from a village because I thought it looked really beautiful. It was just lying on the table as an ornament , and one day it just struck me how similar its structure and mechanism was to a bong. And then I realized that a sheesha is also an elaborate looking bong, which shared similar mechanisms to a gudgudi. So I then had to create a different kind of pot(like the one in the village), so I found guys in Pune who specialized in pottery work, and tested a few samples, out of which one worked really well. So, it started as an experiment, I would say. But as soon as I started taking it to parties, I would receive a lot of positive feedback from everyone, they all seemed intrigued by how different it was from a normal sheesha. I had friends asking me if they could buy it. That’s when I realized it had commercial value attached to it, and decided to get myself involved on a business scale.
II. The gudgudi is a novel creation in its own right. Shed some light on the intricate workings of the device.
The root of the device is a vegetable, a gourd ; which is why my name is the “Gourdsmith” (cheeky grin). It’s a dried out pumpkin, which is non edible, It’s used for different “products “ so to speak, like water containers, spoons etc. There are different gourds within this family of gourds that become hard. So that’s the base of the gudgudi. The connector is a bamboo, and then there is a clay pot on top. The fun part about it is that everything is hand made and different for each specific gudgudi (barring the pot). So if someone buys one, they get to choose which gourd they want to use, which gives them the privilege of owning something that is customized just for them. Also it is all natural, which is always a bonus.

III. Where does the name “gudgudi” come from?
The name primarily comes from the sound it makes (gudgud). It isn’t specific to the tribal village I got it from. It’s a common name used throughout india, because the device has spread to different cultures. Even in some villages in West Bengal, and parts of North India, they do use it.  But purely as a smoking device.
IV.  How has the gudgudi changed the smoking experience?
It doesn’t add any smoking flavor at all. But because of the passages of the gudgudi, the way the mechanism is, it just smokes way smoother compared to a normal sheesha. And I can positively say that till date I haven’t got any negative feedback. Maybe some neutral responses, but nothing bad. That’s one of the reasons that keeps me going.
V. How does it maintain durability and avoid getting spoiled?
The base is like a coconut, it hardens with time. Just like cement or concrete, if you add water and dry it, it becomes tougher and more dense. The gudgudi works the same way. I can speak personally, I’ve owned one for two years now, pretty much the first one I bought. And it still functions normally. After using it, all you have to do is dry it properly and you’re good to go.
VI. What edge does the gudgudi have over traditional hookah pipes?
The smoking experience is better. But something even cooler is thats it’s portable. Often you find people smoking in a corner at a party, because you can’t move the sheesha around. But to smoke the gudgudi you have to hold it in your hand, so it gives you the freedom to move around and socialize. I carry it everywhere with me and there’s no problem because it’s extremely light and just the right size.(an arms length)

VII. Part of your proceeds is given back to the village that inspired this creation. How do you carry on transactions with the people living there?
I barter with them. It started with photographs. I realized that it was something they saw tremendous value in. Everybody wants to see themselves in a photograph. So I would just click their photos and print it for them. Sometimes it would be buying sporting equipment for the children of their families. I evade any transaction that, so to say, pollutes the area, or pollutes thought. I know that sounds random but I wanted to steer away from consumerism and initiate a system of barter.
VIII. What inspired you to adopt the barter system as a means of income?
It’s something I’m working towards as a lifestyle. Even today I ask people if they want to barter, instead of asking for cash. No doubt you need cash, and unfortunately there are a lot of things I need that demands me to use cash, but if there was a system of networks that allowed me to work without it, I would be extremely happy.  My ultimate goal is to live in a space where I don’t need cash. But the irony is that the only thing that can get me to that stage is money. But it’s a journey and if I do things right, money could end soon and that could be another life altogether. So money to me is just a means to another end.
IX. What is the basic price of a gudgudi?  And where does one place an order?
They start at around 1500, and move up from there depending on the size of the gudgudi. I have a friend price (laughs), and normal price, and a barter transaction. So it depends on where you fit in. For the villagers, they valued relationships. So it was those pictures that added an intangible value, which a hundred rupees could never bring them. Even for me. There are things that are more valuable than money. A money life just never ends. I have this idea of a happy life, and until I reach it, I have to conform to this system. But it’s interesting that a lot of people are moving towards this lifestyle, in different countries and small communities in India. I’m not the only one. It won’t happen fast, but its a shift towards it. I’m just looking to find a sense of self- sustenance. This is kind of moving towards that. As for the order, the charm in it is in smoking it and trying it. So for now I prefer if people try it and test it, which is why they have to buy it through me, till it becomes a common name and a point of reference.
X. What led you to take up this venture?
After years of working in corporates and hating it, I realized I need to do things that I love. Even though I always did, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. Since school, Ive always been fascinated with people and plants. So I knew at the back of my head that my job had to be an amalgamation of those interests, or if not at least include one of them. I took up anthropology. I didn’t know the outcome of that decision going in, but this was kind of a result of that. Right now, I’ve managed to incorporate my passion for people, plants and smoking, which is a great thing. The gudgudi initiates a kind of social interaction between people, thats why I always tell my customers to be prepared to have new friends.
XI. As a product that initiates smoking, it encourages an activity that activists are trying very hard to condemn. What is your take on it?
It’s a nice product, its a nice experience. I know smoking is something that is looked down upon, but right now I don’t really care because I believe that anything in moderation is okay. Also if something existed for those many millennia, it just proves that it isn’t as bad as its sought out to be. As long as you respect it, it will respect you back. Although there are a lot of people advocating anti-smoking right now, its cool. Im sure there will be an audience who will like it.
Words: Shreya Vaidya
Images Courtesy: Dean John D’Souza