Traditional mat making art on the verge of extinction in Odisha's Kendrapara
KENDRAPARA: With the availability of cheap nylon mats in the market, the century-old traditional mat making is on the verge of extinction in the coastal district of Kendrapara and the craftspersons are struggling to survive. While Babaji Jena’s fingers gives finishing touches to a mat locally called ‘Hensa’ made of ‘benua’ grass, there is a forlorn look on his face as he is one among the long line of craftpersons trapped in a rapidly changing society at a time when the mat makers are being exploited by the middlemen and ignored by the authorities. At 65, Babaji, of Taradipala village, has been making and selling mats for more than three decades.
“I learnt the art of making mats from my father. The cost of a mat is Rs 100 to Rs 300 and it takes three to five days for a person to weave a mat. An artisan used to earn monthly Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 a decade back by making traditional mats. But the invasion of plastic mat in the market forced many mat makers in search of greener pastures,” he said. Babaji says he does not want his children to become traditional mat makers. The availability of cheap nylon mats has incurred huge loss on the traditional mat making craft, he added.
Gunanidhi Jena, a 54-year-old mat maker of Parakula village, said several poor and Dalit villagers weave mats after collecting ‘benua’ plant from the riverside areas. The plants look like grasses and have fibrous root systems. Its fibre is dried and used for weaving mats. Middlemen purchase their products by paying them meagre amount and make a fast buck by selling these products in towns and cities. Lack of proper marketing has also taken a toll on the age-old craft, he added.
Around 4,000 families in the district were involved in making mats a decade back. Most of them are from Garadapur, Rajnagar and Mahakalapada. But now, around 2,000 families eke out their living my making mats. “Weaving of mats does not need large investment as the main raw material ‘benua’ grass is available on the river banks. The mat weavers usually make mats of three different sizes and the largest is 8 feet by 5 feet. Due to lack of proper marketing facilities, Government support and bank loans, weavers are giving up the craft which was once a lucrative industry, said Ganeswar Jena of Garadapur.