Malkangiri: Bamboo artisans in Maderi Street of Malkangiri town are struggling to keep the age-old bamboo craft alive, thanks to lack of proper marketing facilities here.
The traditional art of crafting decorative items using bamboo is slowly disappearing due to lack of marketing initiatives and soaring prices of bamboo. Moreover, the stiff competition from plastic and fibre products that are easily available in the market has hit the bamboo crafts persons and hurt their economic interests.
Maderi was once well known for its bamboo products. Sitting cross-legged on the veranda of their houses, residents would be often seen making beautiful pachiya (wicker basket), dala (basket), binchana (hand fan) and kula (winnowing fan).
Men would sit in their houses and carefully separate long blades of bamboo. After dyeing 20 blades in green and red, their wives would weave the beautiful baskets.
These products not only fetched them a good price but also gave the couple quality time to spend together. As they were also helped by their children, their work was family-oriented.
However, the products are now slowly becoming a thing of the past. They are slowing losing their charm to plastic and fibre products. But, what’s hurting the bamboo craft business is the absence of market linkage.
The business is no longer profitable now as the bamboo artisan can make only 10 utility items a day. It takes a lot of time to make the beautiful items. But, they do not fetch any profit for the craftsmen and women. The situation is so bad that
artisans are now looking for alternative ways of income.
Adding to the woes of the artisans is the soaring price of bamboo. They purchase bamboo at Rs 120 per one pole while the artisans sell a ‘kula’ for Rs 30, ‘Pachiya’ Rs 30, ‘Dala’ Rs 25 and ‘Binchana’ Rs 20.
This hardly fetches them a profit of Rs 20 from each item. While the prices of necessary commodities are increasing day by day, the handicrafts are sold at same price. With no assistance from the administration, the artisans are struggling to preserve the age-old craft. The artisans urged the district collector to look into their plight.
PNN