MALKANGIRI: Sitting cross-legged on the verandah of his house in Maderi Street of Malkangiri town, P Daligurulu carefully separates long blades of bamboo. After dyeing 20 blades in green and red colour, he uses those to weave a small Dala (basket). In a given day, the bamboo artisan creates at least 10 utility items.
His neighbours - Gurumurthy and his wife Sridevi - also create other bamboo products like ‘Kula’ (winnowing fan), ‘Pachiya’ (wicker basket), ‘Binchana’ (hand fan) and sell those at the local markets.
Maderi Street is home to 100 bamboo artisans including Daligurulu, Gurumurthy and Sridevi, who have kept bamboo craft alive despite lack of market linkage and competition from plastic products. They said the demand for their products was high earlier, but it has come down as the people prefer plastic utility items now.
“The craft is no longer profitable. We are compelled to sell the bamboo items at far less price than earlier,” said Daligurulu, adding that the artisans are forced to look for alternative sources of income. “What is lacking is a proper platform where we can showcase our work,” added Gurumurthy.
Making things worse for the artisans is the soaring price of bamboo. They purchase bamboo from Mathili at Rs 120 per one pole while the artisans sell a ‘Kula’ for Rs 30, ‘Pachiya’ for Rs 30, ‘Dala’ for Rs 25 and ‘Binchana’ for Rs 20. “We manage to make a profit of only Rs 20 from each item,” said Sridevi. The artisans have sought intervention of the Collector and municipality authorities in preserving this age-old craft.
Contacted, Odisha Livelihood Mission District Project Manager Pabitra Mohan Bariha said if the Urban Livelihood Mission that is managed by local municipality comes up with a proposal to promote bamboo craft of Mederi Street artisans, they would extend training to them. Municipality Executive Officer N Nilakantha Naidu said efforts would be made to provide market linkage to the artisans.