A farmer tending to the ‘Nari-Suvarna’ breed of sheep at Veerapura in Tumakuru district of Karnataka.
Sheep farmers in Tumakuru have agri-scientists in Maharashtra to thank for a breed that has, quite literally, doubled their profits.
The new breed, developed by scientists at Nimbkar Agricultural Research Institute, Phaltan, called ‘Nari-Suvarna’ has turned out to be a boon for farmers. While the local breed of sheep gives birth to one lamb at a time, the new breed gives birth to two or three.
Cost of the sheep
The State government is trying to promote the Nari-Suvarna breed. It plans to offer subsidy to purchase the sheep, which costs Rs. 8,000 each, in the future. The local breed in Tumakuru —both Hassan and Bellary breeds — cost Rs. 6,000 per sheep.
With the guidance of the Karnataka Sheep and Wool Development Corporation (KSWDC), a farmer in Sira taluk in Tumakuru district has bought 10 sheep and they have given birth to 23 lambs. Farmers at Sidlaghatta in Chickballapur district and Chitradurga district are now eager to follow suit.
The new breed, according to the Agriculture Department, is a combination of three Indian breeds – Deccani and Madgyal breeds of Karnataka and Garole of West Bengal.
Doddaraju of Veerapura in Sira taluk, who bought the 10 sheep, told The Hindu that people in his village were making advance payments for Nari-Suvarna sheep. He said the sheep had adjusted to the climate and environment of his village and could be reared along with the local breed.
Mirza Basheer, Assistant Director, KSWDC, Tumakuru, said the new breed would help meet the demand for meat and would be beneficial to farmers. Nagaraja G.M., Assistant Director, Special Livestock Breeding Programme, Tumakuru, said the government would identify farmers in Belagavi, Vijayapura and Kolar districts and would introduce them to the new breed.
Scientists have developed a new breed of sheep, Nari-Suvarna, that gives birth to two or three lambs at a time
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> National> Andhra Pradesh / by S. Bhuvaneshwari / Tumakuru – December 14th, 2014
Nidoda Vaijanath says that he plans his farm activities three years in advance.
Nidoda Vaijanath, who follows an integrated farming model, keeps himself updated by reading, consulting scientists
How many crops can you grow on six acres? For this enterprising farmer from Bidar, the answer is 11.
Nidoda Vaijanath of Kamathana village also keeps cows, buffaloes and sheep and also has a mini-poultry farm.
His farm has small patches covered with fig, cashew, ginger, watermelon, lime, mosambi, drumstick, brinjal, coriander, mango and curry leaf, and he makes a good profit from each.
But integrated farming is not the only thing that makes him different. The arts graduate, who also works in the zilla panchayat office, constantly updates his knowledge by reading magazines and books, meeting fellow progressive farmers, and consulting farm scientists.
He plans his farm activities three years in advance. “It is not enough if you plan. We need to micromanage things,” Mr. Vaijanath says.
“I have a clear idea of how much to spend every year and how to increase profits,” he adds. He increases or decreases the acreage for short-term crops, depending on the rates in the market.
He stores the produce in a small godown on the farm, and waits to sell it at a high price after gathering information from multiple markets.
This year, for example, he got a yield of 180 quintals of ginger per acre and sold it for Rs. 10,000 per quintal. The two-acre crop earned him around Rs. 35 lakh.
He spends just under Rs. 1 lakh per acre on cultivation.
“Two words explain his success: personal attention,” says Praveen Jholgikar, assistant professor, College of Horticulture in Bidar. Resource persons from the college routinely visit Mr. Vaijanath’s farm to provide guidance and give solutions.
Mr. Vaijanath visits the field every morning from 6 to 9. Unlike most other farmers, he does not depend on labourers.
“He stands apart from farmers who grow crops such as sugarcane that are water-intensive and do not guarantee remunerative prices,” says Ravi Deshmukh, training coordinator, Krishi Vigyan Kendra.
source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Rishikesh Bahadur Desai / Bidar – December 05th, 2014
S.R. Madhusudhan bags 1st prize in Wildlife category; B. Pruthvi in Zoo category
City-based photo-journalist S.R. Madhusudhan’s (inset) photo capturing a white-naped woodpecker’s fight with a myna, which was adjudged the best in the wildlife photography section.
Mysuru :
The following are the winners of Wildlife Photography competition conducted by Mysuru Zoo in city recently:
There was a very good response for the photography competition conducted during September. Altogether 76 photographers participated in the competition with a total of 390 photographs for both Zoo (201) and Wildlife (189) categories.
The award winning and selected photos were displayed in the exhibition at Zoo Library Hall yesterday. 220 photos were shortlisted for display out of total 390 photo images. These images were selected by the three-member expert panel comprising Sudhir Shivaram, Girish Cavale and Subharghya Das.
The Syndicate Bank, Zoo Branch, has sponsored cash prizes to the winners in the photography competition under Zoo category and the Zoo is giving awards for the wildlife category which is as follows:
Zoo Category: I prize-Rs. 5,000; II prize- Rs.3,000; III prize -Rs.2,000.
Wildlife Category: I prize-Rs. 5,000; II prize- Rs.3,000; III prize -Rs.2,000.
The prizes will be distributed during the valedictory function of Youth Club of Mysuru Zoo in the first week of January 2015, according to a press release from the Zoo Director B.P. Ravi.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday , December 05th, 2014
Sale of live fish, a first in the State, by Fish Federation begins in city
From tank to basket: Customers are seen buying live fish of their choice at the fish centre at Kukkarahalli Lake in city this morning.
Mysuru :
For the first time in the State, the Karnataka State Co-operative Fisheries Federation Ltd., in its bid to address the demand for ‘Fresh Fish’, began the sale of live fish on experimental basis at two centres in city from today.
The live fresh water fish is being sold at Rs. 99 per kg at two centres in Kukkarahalli Lake and at the fish centre on Hunsur road and Valmiki road junction.
The fish (Pangasius fish) has been cultured in cages for the first time by the Federation at KRS from August this year and is being sold in the city for the first time. The fish brought from KRS will be kept in a water tank from where the customers can choose the fish they want which will then be removed, weighed and sold.
Pangasius fish is a foreign species, from which commercial fish rearers in Andhra Pradesh have benefitted immensely. Following its success in Andhra Pradesh, the Federation had decided to culture the fish at KRS and sell it live to customers on experimental basis.
Federation President S. Madegowda, speaking to SOM said that Pangasius fish was high in protein and also nutritious besides it reduces the fat content in the body.
He said that as of now, only two centres in the city will be selling live fish and would be extended to over 40 fish centres in the city after seeing the success at the two centres.
Madegowda said that a ‘Matsya’ Bhavan, which is a first in the State and the second in the country would come up at Vishweshwara Nagar in city soon. He did not give much information about what this Bhavan is but said more information will be given soon.
Meanwhile, huge rush was witnessed at the fish centre in Kukkarahalli Lake where the public had thronged to buy live fish.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Friday , December 05th, 2014
In place of paddy and vegetables, this farmer in the interiors of Varthur is cultivating four acres of different varieties of grass to meet the city’s growing demand for lawn turf
Muniraj, who has leased four acres of land for Rs 30,000 per year, is growing different types of grass
If you enjoy a hot cuppa every morning in the balcony overlooking a green patch of grass below, you should be counting yourself as lucky. Plus, you would have probably paid extra for that view given the escalating real estate prices. Not surprisingly, a big chunk of demand for lawns comes from apartment buildings and office complexes. And while some of us might assume that nurseries on Outer Ring Road, Marathahalli and Whitefield will be stocking acres of lawn turfs, the reality is different. Most of these nurseries source lawn turf from elsewhere. After a bit of digging, we found the place of origin a few kilometres into Varthur.
As one negotiates the narrow, bustling Varthur Road, crowded with local market goers, the landmark to look out for is the Police Station. Past the station is a blink-and-you-will-miss-it road on the right. The Balagere Road widens up and runs past government schools, small shops and temples. At one such roadside temple is a dirt road. If you haven’t got lost yet, this is the place to turn right and brace for a short, bumpy ride. On the left and right are fields growing vegetables and grains. The vast acres are dotted with coconut trees.
Hardly 200 metres down the road is the home of Krishna Reddy (85). He is the owner of 12 acres of land that has been in the family for more than 100 years. His four sons are not prepared to be farmers. They have jobs in Bengaluru, a city which is fast approaching their fields. The robust and friendly Reddy shows off his land dotted with coconut trees. But more than the land, he speaks of the new home that his sons are building nearby which is bigger and better than his current modest dwelling. There is no one to take care of the land, he says, but he will live off it and not depend on anyone till he dies. Mid-reverie, Reddy shakes off his thoughts and looks around for Muniraj in the distance.
He is the man Reddy has rented out his fields to. Where there were once vegetables are patches of green grass which can easily be mistaken for paddy by the untrained urban eye. We have finally reached the place where the lawns are grown.
The four acres of land is a veritable supermarket for lawns. “Thirty thousand for a year’s lease,” Muniraj says as he shows us around the patches of grass growing randomly in different areas.
Bermuda, Mexican, Shade, Pondicherry, Elephant, Buffalo… Muniraj rattles off, sounding like a Darshini waiter. These are the varieties available at his ‘lawn store’. We walk to a patch of Bermuda grass that is being tended by his wife Manjula. He informs us that there are 25 people who work for him but have now gone to their native place, Bellary, for a festival. “Bellary has no water or jobs,” he adds.
However, water for his grass fields is aplenty. The Varthur Kere (lake) is their saviour. Relying on its acid waters, Muniraj has only kind words for the much-polluted lake. Yes, the water is acidic. Yes, it froths vile white foam. But without its water, “we might as well shut shop”, he goes on to say.
His shop has been running for 20 years now. There are few more like him, but not many, he adds. Lawn grass from here has travelled to Chennai and Coimbatore too.
A sack of Bermuda grass sells at Rs 200, while a sack of Shade grass is marked at Rs 300 (it would approximately cover a 10×10 feet lawn). Mexican grass is dearer at Rs 15 per square feet. In a day, he needs to make at least Rs 20,000 to keep even. With a weekly expenditure of Rs 25,000 in terms of salary, manure and pesticides, Muniraj relies on the year-long demand.
Walking around, we see an empty field with just a square metre of Bermuda grass. That field is almost sold, Muniraj says, and he is waiting to plant the land once again after the remaining patch is gone. Bermuda grass, the most popular of the lot, is a four-times-a-year crop. Mexican grass has twice-a-year harvest. What he has to check is that the grass blades are sharp and uniform. “Bermuda grass is the best,” he says. He should also ensure that the grass does not flower before being sold. “Look at this,” he points to Pondicherry grass with delicate white flowers. “People don’t want flowers in the lawn.”
But people do want lawns. It is hard to make profits every month. In business, there is never saying what happens, Muniraj offers as a way of explanation. He looks at the distant buildings, many of them apartment complexes. That is where his fortunes are. He banks on the pleasure its residents have in looking at a green patch of grass while drinking their morning cuppa.
Green trivia Sun loving grasses like Bermuda and Mexican grass are available as mats making them popular with urban gardeners. While Mexican tends to clump if neglected, Bemuda, although slower to grow, is easy to maintain. Shade grass, Elephant and Buffalo grass need dappled sunshine for at least two-three hours. With wider, almost nati-looking (local) blades, these varieties of grasses are not popular in ‘posh’ areas.
source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Columns> Sunday Read / by Jayanthi Madhukar, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / November 15th, 2014
Wildlife photo expo inaugurated; Great Indian Rhinos released for public viewing at Zoo
Mysuru :
Adding to the existing attractions at Karanji Lake Nature Park, an Orchidarium with 98 Orchid plants of various varieties was inaugurated by Rehana Banu, Chairperson, Zoo Authority of Karnataka (ZAK), at the Park premises on Lalitha Mahal Road in city this morning.
Orchidarium is an indoor enclosure for keeping and cultivating plants and observing them under natural conditions, especially for the cultivation of various types of Orchids.
Orchidarium is an area that provides the desired environmental conditions for different varieties of Orchids grown abundantly for cultivation and conservation of Orchids both endangered and otherwise.
It is provided with optimum lighting conditions for the plants while protecting them from direct and harsh sunlight. The structure is covered with mesh with a roof to protect the plants from direct sunlight.
Prior to the inauguration of the Orchidarium, the Wildlife Photography exhibition was inaugurated at the Zoo Library by MLA M.K. Somashekar.
The expo, which is being held in two categories like Zoo Animals and Wildlife Photography has a total of 220 pictures clicked by both amateur and professional photographers.
In the Zoo Animals category, pictures of Hippo and its baby, playful bear cubs, tiger and its cubs playing and other pictures of Zoo animals are on display.
In the Wildlife Photography category, prize winning photos of World Wildlife Day contest clicked by photographers S.R. Madhusudhan, G.S. Ravishankar, M.K. Sapthagirish and others has been put on display.
A pair of Great Indian Rhinos, three-year-old Virat and one-year-old Bablee, brought to Mysuru Zoo from Patna’s Sanjay Gandhi Biological Park about two months ago, were released for public viewing by Mayor R. Lingappa and MLA M.K. Somashekar at an enclosure made for them at the Zoo premises.
Zoo Executive Director B.P. Ravi, Manager Shivanna, Zoo Veterinarian Dr. Suresh, RFO Girish and others were present.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Thursday , December 04th, 2014
Shubhendu Sharma left his high paying job as an engineer to plant trees for the rest of his life. Using the unique Miyawaki methodology to grow saplings, Afforestt converts any land into a self-sustainable forest in a couple of years. He has successfully created 33 forests across India in two years. Here’s how he made it possible.
Did you know that you could convert a piece of land in your backyard into a beautiful forest within a year?
Shubhendu Sharma, an Industrial Engineer, is allowing you to bring nature home.
It all started when Sharma volunteered to assist a naturalist, Akira Miyawaki, to cultivate a forest at the Toyota plant where he worked. Miyawaki’s technique has managed to regenerate forests from Thailand to the Amazon, and Sharma thought to replicate the model in India.
Shubhendu Sharma worked as an engineer for Toyota before he started Afforestt.
Sharma started to experiment with the model and came up with an Indian version after slight modifications using soil amenders. His first tryst with making forests was in his own backyard in Uttarakhand, where he grew a lush green forest within a year’s time. This gave him confidence and he decided to launch it as a full-time initiative. He quit his job and spent almost a year to do research on the methodology.
After much planning, research and enthusiasm, Sharma started Afforestt, an end-to-end service provider for creating natural, wild, maintenance-free, native forests in 2011.
“I realized it can’t be done as a ‘do gooder” activity. If I wanted it to succeed, I had to think it through and come up with a business plan, and a bunch of my friends helped me to set it up,” Sharma says.
Sharma, an Ashoka, TED and INK fellow was clear from the very beginning that Afforestt will be a for-profit organization. He wanted to change the industry and Afforestt was much more than just a business idea for him.
“The idea is to bring back the native forests. They are not only self-sustainable after a couple of years but also are maintenance-free,” Sharma says.
Taking the plunge
Shifting his career wasn’t easy. “Especially, convincing the family was very tough. They could not understand why I was bent on quitting a high-paying engineering job at Toyota to plant trees all my life,” Sharma says.
An empty land converted into a beautiful green spot in 24 months.
Sharma was adamant on making his idea work and started the company without his family’s knowledge; it was only after a couple of months of operation they got to know about it and finally made peace with it.
“My friends were a great support to me which gave me a boost. Till date, they take interest and engage in the activities of Afforestt,” Sharma says.
Having started on his own, Sharma now has a team of 6 that works from Bangalore. Initial troubles with finding the market and sustaining the business were solved to some extent when they received their first order from a German furniture maker to plant about 10,000 trees. Since then, Afforestt has served around 43 clients and planted over 54,000 trees.
How it works?
Afforestt works in two ways. One is end-to-end services, where they provide complete Project Execution and Management services which includes arrangement of labour, materials, equipment, tools and facilities required to execute an afforestation project using the Miyawaki Method. Another way is providing project management, on-site consulting and software support.
The process starts with doing a soil survey and finding out what the soil is missing. The minimum land size should be 1,000 square feet. Then a survey is done to study the native plant species and biomass. After the survey, saplings are prepared in a nursery and soil is mixed with biomass to make it more fertile.
Finally the process of planting 50 to 100 varieties of native species at a density of 3-5/sq meter starts. The last stage involves watering and weeding the area for next two years, after which the forest needs no maintenance and becomes self-sustainable.
Sharma designs and formulates in what pattern, sequence and ratio should the saplings be planted for rapid growth. On an average, a sapling grows approximately 1 meter every year. The biggest plus point of Afforestt is its low-cost model. They charge around Rs. 150 per square foot, which is far less than what a regular Miyawaki method costs.
The unique technique of plantation helps to grow saplings at a speed of around 2 meters per year.
The Challenges
“The biggest challenge was to launch something which had no existing market and we didn’t even know if it ever would,” says Sharma. Forests are something which require space, and not everyone is open to the idea of having a forest in their backyard.
Apart from that, as this is a one-of-its-kind initiative in India, Sharma had to do a lot of research. There was no help available as this had never been done before.
Again, as this was a unique model, finding clients and convincing people that it is actually possible was again a huge task.
What the future holds?
Afforest has created 33 forests so far across 11 cities of India and wants to increase the number. Sharma has a lot of plans to scale up and put this technology out there for more and more people to implement.
He is planning to launch a monitored crowd-sourced software where people will be able to feed their native plantation species in the tool. So, in case someone wants to plant their own forest, they would know what all species to go for. This will make their task a lot easier.
“We want to create a scenario where plucking a fruit from a tree in the backyard will be easier than buying it from the market,” Sharma says.
Lessons learnt
“The biggest lesson that I have learnt is that you need to keep earning money. This is the only way you can sustain your initiative and actually bring a change,” Sharma says.
Another thing he learnt is that people are ready to pay money only if you sell the idea well. “This should become a livelihood cycle, where a lot more people are engaged in afforestation,” Sharma says.
Want a forest of your own? Visit their website or contact Shubhendu Sharma at- info@afforestt.com
Watch Sharma as he talks more about Afforestt-
source: http://www.thebetterindia.com / The Better India / Home> Bangalore / by Shreya Pareek / July 11th, 2014
The DVD of the documentary on snakes by city’s snake rescuer and wildlife conservationist S. Balasubramanya, popularly known as Snake Shyam was released at a function organised at Rajendra Kalamandira on Ramanuja Road in city yesterday.
The DVD was released by Additional Principal Chief Conservator of Forests C. Srinivasan in the presence of DCF V. Karikalan, Wildlife Warden Dr. Santrupth and others. The 40-minute long documentary provides information of about 35 species of snakes rescued in and around Mysuru in the last 10 years.
Snake Shyam said that the DVDs would be distributed free to schools in the district from January to create awareness on snakes. The documentary was screened for the benefit of the public. Snake Shyam can be contacted on Mob: 99805-57797.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> General News / Sunday , November 30th, 2014
With the rising number of buildings and the decreasing open space, terrace gardening is emerging as a great option to have the best of both worlds. Want to grow a terrace garden at your home? Our reader and contributor Vikram Kapoor shares with us his guide on how to grow wonderful veggies, flowers and fruits yourself.
Plants also need love. They can’t express their feelings but if you take proper care they will bloom,” says Kishore Kumar, a Bangalore resident who owns a terrace garden at his home in Shantinagar.
A few decades ago, almost all houses in Bangalore had a garden since plenty of space was available. However, since the IT boom, this space has been shrinking and today, it is almost non-existent. In spite of scarcity of accommodation, many people have come up with novel ways to grow plants even in the little available space. Terrace gardening is one of them.
Kumar struck upon the idea of starting his garden around three years ago. He was very enthusiastic about gardening but did not have any space outside his house. This was when he decided to start growing plants on his terrace. “I haven’t kept any care taker or ‘maali.’ My wife and I take care of our garden ourselves and it gives us peace and satisfaction,” adds Kumar.
Why terrace gardening?
A terrace garden does not need much maintenance and it is hardly time consuming. Just devoting 10-15 minutes daily to the garden is sufficient for its upkeep. One can indulge in gardening generally in the morning hours before going to work. Most terrace gardeners prefer having their morning tea and newspaper on the terrace too.
Not just small flowering plants, one can also grow vegetables on the garden. Organic and home grown vegetables are a healthy alternative to the pesticide-ridden vegetables available in the market. However, big plants and tress cannot be grown on residential terraces because of their weight. One should water these plants with care so that the soil does not spread out. If the water falls with too much force, it can result in dirt and soil erosion. Any small area on your terrace or balcony which has access to the sun light for at least 4 to 5 hours a day can be converted into a vegetable garden.
One can harvest at least 400 grams of vegetables per week depending on the crops one chooses to plant. There are many valid reasons behind growing plants and vegetables on your terrace, some of them include getting fresh, faster cooking, nutritious & wholesome produce; it is cost effective and one also gets food safety & guarantee; you get a choice of vegetables, in fact, you can get Any Time Veggies (ATV); it is therapeutic, relaxing, educational and eco-friendly; it reduces our dependency and wastage and on the whole, is time well spent.
How do you do it?
Waterproofing your terrace is a must to make a proper terrace garden to ensure that it does not result in seepage or other damage to the building structure. If the terrace is big, it can be divided into two parts – one for garden and the other for seating arrangements or for some household chores. Artificial waterfalls and colourful lights can also be installed, which can enhance the beauty of these gardens at night.
The concept of this mini farming becomes more interesting and also provides you with a sense of satisfaction when you can use your old furniture as planter boxes. The old drawer, old chair, old cupboards and shelves, plastic bottles, tin containers, broken dressing tables and old shoes can be painted with bright and eye-catching colours and made ready to grow many small plants which will enhance the beauty of your terrace space.
The daily leftover food in the home kitchen like fruit and vegetable peels, rotten food items and other wet waste are a rich source of minerals for the plants and can be composted and used as manure, helping us create a 100% waste-free environment.
Kumar said that regular cleaning is required as dry leaves and flowers also fall with the changing seasons. Regular cleaning and maintenance is a must for a beautiful garden.
“Believe it or not, a large number of birds come to our garden. In fact, many a times I have seen sparrows and butterflies in the garden. Also, many new types of colourful and beautiful birds come which cannot be seen normally,” adds Kishore
How to spread the culture of terrace gardening?
Mr. Kaushik from The Vittal Mallya Scientific Research Foundation (VMSRF), a non-profit research organisation, feels that conducting workshops for kitchen gardening is an excellent idea for the people to bring awareness about organic food consumption in our country.
He says, “Our motto is to teach people to ‘grow your own organic food’. For this, we conduct workshops on kitchen gardening so that people can apply the same if they have open space like a roof top, a balcony, an open ground space, etc.”
While I was having a final talk with Mr. Kishore, he threw some light on the feeling of satisfaction that one gets when one does a great job to save the environment. “Summer evenings are great moments of surprise for my friends when I take them to the terrace and they feel as if they are in the arms of nature,” said Kishore
The terrace in most of our houses is an unused space and it would be ideal for gardening. Help yourself by not only making your environment healthy but at the same time helping yourself live a healthier life and also a peaceful one.
If the house owners will start applying this idea, the day will not be very far when the garbage issue of our country will end and all the waste will be consumed by our own top and Green garden.
Bamboo, the tallest member of the grass family, has been an integral part of families in rural India since many years. Be it the baskets used to drain cooked rice, the ‘moras’ used to clean grains, the huge bins to store food grains or the inconspicuous ladders. Bamboos, some of the fastest growing plants, are still of notable economic and cultural significance in South Asia, Southeast Asia and East Asia. In South India, it is also an important part of Hindu festivals and weddings.
Chikkasiddaiah’s store in the NABARD Stall at Dasara Exhibition has a whole variety of bamboo crafts from key-chains, vases, lamp-shades, plant-holders and photo-frames. But what catches your attention are the intricately designed ornaments — ear rings, studs, necklaces and rings. While we do see other bamboo crafts elsewhere, bamboo ornaments are rare and it’s a delight to see the blades of grass so deftly crafted into ethnic jewellery pieces…
by Nandini Srinivasan
With the advent of modern gadgets, the bamboo utensils and implements did take a backseat for sometime. However, with people becoming more conscious of using eco-friendly material around their homes, the humble bamboo has again surfaced in new avatars, keeping in tune with the contemporary style and needs. From all kinds of furniture to delicate ornaments, bamboo has found a place in many a home today.
While the North-Eastern States have been in the forefront in the manufacture of bamboo goods, down South, except for Kerala, bamboo crafts was until recently restricted to only the traditional implements. In Karnataka, the Meda tribe whose prime occupation is bamboo work has now ventured into more creative crafts, thanks to the untiring efforts of people like R. Chikkasiddaiah, who specialises in intricate bamboo craft and is working towards bringing back his community to the bamboo business, training them to adapt to the changing trends and styles.
Chikkasiddaiah’s store in the NABARD stall at Dasara Exhibition has a whole variety of bamboo crafts from key-chains, vases, lamp-shades, plant-holders and photo-frames. But what catches your attention are the intricately designed ornaments — ear rings, studs, necklaces and rings. While we do see other bamboo crafts elsewhere, bamboo ornaments are rare and it’s a delight to see the blades of grass so deftly crafted into ethnic jewellery pieces. Except for the long thin strands of bamboo that are cut finely through machines, the entire range of jewellery is hand-crafted.
‘The strands are cut in different sizes, chemically treated, dried in the sun and then hand-crafted. It takes a lot of effort,’ says Chikkasiddaiah, who along with his wife, creates these pieces. Chikkasiddaiah made bamboo crafts only as a pastime, as he worked at the Mahadeshwara Sugar Factory, till it shut down in 2006. It was then that he decided to take up the family profession in a serious way, but also realised that his community artisans could remain in the business only if they adapted to the new evolving styles. Thanks to the then DCF of Hunsur region K.H. Vinay Kumar, Chikkasiddaiah attended ‘Biduru Siri,’ a programme organised by the Forest Department to introduce the artisans to new crafts and revive the art.
Chikkasiddaiah then relentlessly pursued the authorities concerned to provide proper training to the members of the Meda tribe so they could continue with their occupation. He, along with a few others, was sent to visit an organisation called Uruva in Perekaypetta in Kerala, which manufactures a wide range of bamboo products for the international market. The Regional Development Training Centre in Bangalore trained about 30 artisans from Kollegal in various bamboo crafts.
Since then Chikkasiddaiah has been trying out several new artefacts in bamboo and is one of the very few artisans who makes bamboo jewellery. He was also sent by NABARD to participate in the International Surajkhund Mela in Haryana in 2012. His crafts got a huge response and people were asking for more!
Bamboo, a very versatile raw product, is said to have a higher compressive strength than wood, brick or concrete and also a very good tensile strength. It does a lot of good to the environment too, says Chikkasiddaiah and adds that the National Bamboo Mission, which has recognised the eco-friendliness of this humble grass has reserved Rs. 7 crore for its growth and cultivation. Earlier, bamboo was grown only in the forest but now, its cultivation in private lands has been permitted. The Forest Department also gives Rs. 10 – Rs. 15 for every sapling planted in private lands towards its maintenance and encourages bamboo cultivation.
Marketing of goods too is supported by NABARD, DIC, ZP, SARAS and TRIFED. Though help from these organisations has opened up many avenues for bamboo craftsmen, the economic viability is still not very encouraging, says Chikkasiddaiah who rues that many from his tribe are slowly moving away from the art.
‘My age is catching up and I’m not able to keep pace with the demand. A lot of hard work goes into making intricate pieces but we can’t price them high! If only people recognise the effort behind handcrafted items and pay a little more, we will have our tribesmen continuing in the profession,’ he says and adds that he is ready to teach the art to anybody who is genuinely interested to carry it forward.
And did you know that the word ‘Bamboo’ comes from the Kannada word ‘Bamboo’ (§A§Ä) which was introduced to English through Malay!
If you do go to the Dasara Exhibition, do drop in at Chikkasiddaiah’s stall to appreciate the deftness of his art.
source: http://www.starofmysore.com / Star of Mysore / Home> Feature Articles / Monday , November 24th, 2014
