Bamboo Delight…

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