RIPUNJOY DAS
Sivasagar, Sep 11 : A village that held on its tradition of exquisite bamboo art till hunger got in the way is scripting a revival.
Till a few years ago, almost every home in Bamunpukhuri Chariali, some 25km from here, would have a little pile of processed bamboo to be moulded into artefacts.
But grinding poverty forced most craftsmen to abandon their age-old trade and migrate in search of work and food.
Most found sustenance as daily wage labourers, earning Rs 100 a day.
A farmers’ club in the village is now coaxing the artisans to return and train youths to revive their art.
The Swaraj Farmers Club, with Suren Sarma as president and Hemanta Sarma as secretary, was formed in March, 2006, under the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development’s farmer’s club scheme.
“Convincing the villagers to co-operate to revive the art was not an easy task. Most of them had quit the profession altogether. We invited the expert craftsmen of the locality to train the local youth during a 15-day preliminary training,” said Hemanta.
A group of 25 youths, including three women, took part in the bamboo training that concluded on August 25.
“The trainees learnt how to make bamboo tea strainers, incense sticks, flower pots, miniature bamboo artefacts and other products of day-to-day use. We also plan to train them in making high-end bamboo products in the next phase,” the secretary said.
Hemanta was encouraged to rope in the artisans after Nabard supported a plan to send the trainees to Haryana in July.
The group was able to get orders of 2,000 bamboo tea strainers during their visit.
Shortage of funds, however, remains a concern.
“Local experts are hesitant to provide training as they earn more working as daily wage labourers or in other occupations. Moreover, we need money to buy bamboo for the training sessions. Non-availability of a market for the finished products is also a cause for concern,” Hemanta said.
A rural mart, that will open in Sivasagar town shortly, may give this endeavour a ready market. Money and market hurdles to youth training scheme
RIPUNJOY DAS
Sivasagar, Sep 11 : A village that held on its tradition of exquisite bamboo art till hunger got in the way is scripting a revival.
Till a few years ago, almost every home in Bamunpukhuri Chariali, some 25km from here, would have a little pile of processed bamboo to be moulded into artefacts.
But grinding poverty forced most craftsmen to abandon their age-old trade and migrate in search of work and food.
Most found sustenance as daily wage labourers, earning Rs 100 a day.
A farmers’ club in the village is now coaxing the artisans to return and train youths to revive their art.
The Swaraj Farmers Club, with Suren Sarma as president and Hemanta Sarma as secretary, was formed in March, 2006, under the National Bank of Agriculture and Rural Development’s farmer’s club scheme.
“Convincing the villagers to co-operate to revive the art was not an easy task. Most of them had quit the profession altogether. We invited the expert craftsmen of the locality to train the local youth during a 15-day preliminary training,” said Hemanta.
A group of 25 youths, including three women, took part in the bamboo training that concluded on August 25.
“The trainees learnt how to make bamboo tea strainers, incense sticks, flower pots, miniature bamboo artefacts and other products of day-to-day use. We also plan to train them in making high-end bamboo products in the next phase,” the secretary said.
Hemanta was encouraged to rope in the artisans after Nabard supported a plan to send the trainees to Haryana in July.
The group was able to get orders of 2,000 bamboo tea strainers during their visit.
Shortage of funds, however, remains a concern.
“Local experts are hesitant to provide training as they earn more working as daily wage labourers or in other occupations. Moreover, we need money to buy bamboo for the training sessions. Non-availability of a market for the finished products is also a cause for concern,” Hemanta said.
A rural mart, that will open in Sivasagar town shortly, may give this endeavour a ready market.
