ABOUT THE CRAFT

Bamboo crafts in India are very popular due to its eco friendly attributes. Since
ancient times, bamboo crafts have held a significant position in India as the
country produces a huge amount of bamboo and cane. Bamboo craft, as the
name suggests, is associated with cane and bamboo, and forms an integral part
of Indian crafts giving rise to the expression of tribal art and providing them with
livelihood. As India is blessed with deft artistry, these types of crafts developed
in this country very soon and with the changes in style, trend, as well as demand
the craft has developed its designs and skilfully blended tradition with fashion.

The Indian artisans are dexterous in creating bamboo crafts and arrays of
bamboo items are famous in India as well as nations abroad. Basically the
artisans create variations in their creations. The craftsmen create different items
with the help of different bamboos and canes that are locally known as 'sundi',
'barjali', 'harua', 'golla' etc. which are required for making furniture and baskets.
It is observed that generally three species of cane are exploited in commercial
quantities- Jati (Calamus tenuis), Tita (Calamus leptesadix) and Lejai (Calamus
floribundus). Some less important qualities like Sundi (Calamus garuba) and
Raidang (Calamus flagellum) are also extracted for creating innovative designs.
PRODUCTS:
Generally the products of bamboo are of two types, namely:
1) articles required for day to day use and of medium quality, that are more
suited to local requirements;
2) and another type is articles of finer quality, both decorative and functional,
to meet the requirements and tastes of more sophisticated markets.
For instance, items like baskets, Chalani, Crossbows, Kula, Khorahi , Dukula or
Tukuri, Dala Dukula or Tali , Doon or Kathi, Bamboo Mats etc. Some of the Indian

states are famous for creating beautiful bamboo items like mugs for rice beer,
hukkas, musical instruments, floor mats, fishing devices and handles. In this
respect, the names of Assam, Tripura and West Bengal can be mentioned. This
traditional craft has received great success in making winnowing baskets, special
Pitaras, oval boxes, oblong caskets, and flower baskets. Assam, a state with
abundant raw materials, has a large variety of beautiful products. Some of the

well known bamboo and cane crafts are Baskets, Chalani, dolls, toys etc which
are made in different sizes and fine designs. One the most interesting and
colourful item of bamboo is leaf-headgear for tea garden workers and farmers.
Umbrella handles made of bamboo are a speciality of the North-East. A number
of designs like leaves, plants and creepers are etched on them. A variety of
furniture items are made to suit the modern homes. Apart from all these,
bamboo mats are extensively used for construction of temporary walls and
sheds, big pandals, roofing of country boats, dwelling houses etc.

Kudal
ABOUT THE AREA:
Kudal is a small town located in the Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra. It is
surrounded by a river named Niranjana (also known as Kudali) on the banks of
which happens to be the major attraction of the place- the Pimpleshwar Temple.
Kudal is the second-largest town in Sindhudurg after Sawantwadi. As of 2011, the
population is more than 25,000. The town is known for its natural beauty full of
greenery. Agriculture is the main activity of the people here. Kudal provides a
closer view of the historic Vairatgad Fort. Kudal houses two dams, which are
located in Mahu and Hatgeghar area. Kudal supports one MIDC area.
CONNECTIVITY:
A railway station in Kudal on the KRCL route connects Mumbai and Mangalore.
The Deccan Odyssey train also has a stoppage here. National Highway 66 passes
through Kudal, along with this the town enjoys great connectivity with various
parts of Maharashtra by means of road. The National Highway 4 connects Kudal
to Panchwad. Further, several important towns and tourist places like
Mahabaleswar, Satara, Panchgani, Wai and Chiplun are located near Kudal again
with great road connectivity. Regular buses are available to towns like Tarkarli,
Malvan, Mumbai, Ratnagiri, Pune, Raigad and Satara among others.
Weather: 29C, Wind NW at 11 km/h, 77% Humidity
Population: 25,000 (2011)

Geography
Kudal is located at 16.008N , 73.687E. It has an average elevation of 20 metres
(65 feet). The climate is mostly like that of coastal regions and so is humid.
Annual temperature rises from 22 to 40 degree celcius. kudal gets very heavy
rainfall of 1100mm per year.

DEMOGRAPHY

As of 2001 India census: Kudal had a population of more than 25,000 people.
Males constitute 51% of the population while females- 49%. Kudal has an
average literacy rate of 78%, which is higher than the national average of 59.5%,
of which: Male literacy stands at 81%, and female literacy is 75%.
Interesting fact!- 12% of Kudals population is under 6 years of age

Places to visit in and around kudal

ARVALEM CAVES
The Arvalem caves, also known as 'Pandavas Caves,' are ancient rock cut caves
dating back to the 5th-6th century. These are excavated into the laterite hill and
consist of two major chambers. The cave complex draws tourists and
archaeologists alike.
MANOHARGAD
This fort made Shivapur a thrilling exeperience for the trekkers. To watch the
deep valley among these two forts is also a thrilling exeperience. This fort are in
the dense forest of Shivapur. Fort Ragangad is 18 Km from Kudal. It is 2600 feet
above the sealevel. It was built by the Emperor Shilahar Bhoj. Chhatrapati Shivaji
Maharaj conquered this in 1959. It was his favourite 'Rest House' The beautiful
lake & the temple in the fort are also tourist attractions .
RAGANA FORT
It is in Sahyadri range on the border of districts Kolhapur & Sindhudurg. It was
constructed by Shilahar Raja Bhoj. Shivaji Maharaj conquered this fort in 1659.
Maharaj use to rest here while going to Konkan from Pune. The fort has very
pleasant air, very large lake for swimmers & very tasty, sweet, cool, fresh water.
There is a temple near the lake of Goddess Raganai. Visitors enjoy to visit this
fort for many such reasons & so it is a great tourist attraction.
RAUL MAHARAJ MATH
It is at Sindhudurg in Kudal talunka. It is established by Raul Maharaj. He was a
devotee of Datta. This math is blessed with nature. Devotees from all over India
visit this math.
TARKARLI BEACH
Tarkarli is a village in Malvan Taluka in Sindhudurg district in the Indian state of
Maharashtra. It is tourist destination and an attractive beach. Ramnavmi is
celebrated every year in Mahapurush Temple of the village.Tarkarli has the
state's only scuba diving training centre.
NIVATI BEACH

Offers peace and serenity to independent travelers. Fishermen seen launching

their traditional boats and nets daily into the sea is an interesting feature to
watch on this beach. Adjoining the beach is a twin village Kochara which offers
wonderful view of small tropical oasis on Nivti shore.
AMBOLI WATERFALLS
mboli village is well known as Mahabaleshwar' of konkan. It is an eco-friendly
hill station that promises you an experience to get lost into the spectacular
beauty of nature, nuturing the poet in you. Amboli is an ideal retreat for the
vacationers searching for seclusion and solace. The sunset point, the origin of
Hiranyakeshi river Nagartas fall, Narayangad, Mahadergad, Kawalesad are some
major points worth visiting.

KUNKERESHWAR TEMPLE
Kunkeshwar Temple, an ancient Shiva Temple is located in Kunkeshwar village, 14
Kms from Devgad town. A pristine beach with a very long stretch of seashore
and white sand adds to the beauty of temple surroundings.This beautiful temple
near beach has alluring architecture with reminiscent of South Indian style of
temple architecture. Yadav Kings built this temple in 1100 A. D. Chhatrapati
Shivaji Maharaj who rejuvenated this temple many times was a frequent visitor
to this temple. This temple is also famous as Kashi of South Konkan. Every year a
huge celebration takes place on the occasion of Mahashivratri, which keeps
religious beliefs in constant sight of the multitudes. During the festival a large
number of devotees throng this place with their families and friends. This vigilant
Shiva deity bestows blessings on everyone who surrenders to its feet.
KUNKESHWAR SHIVLING
A walk through the 5 Kms long Kunkeshwar beach across the temple on one side
of the hill has quieting effect on the mind. Swimming in the clear water freshens
the mind and if you are lucky ones you can get a rare view of dolphins diving in
the deep sea from a distance. Greenery of coconut and mango trees surrounding
one side of the beach adds to the beauty and makes the whole experience of
every visitor a memorable one.
VIJAYDURG PORT
Vijaydurg Port is a natural harbour on the west coast of the district of Sindhudurg
in Maharashtra, India. The port is situated midway between Malvan and Ratnagiri
at the mouth of the Vijaydurg creek in Devgad taluka. Its coastal jurisdiction
extends 10 km north up to the Jaitapur lighthouse. Goods weighing about 200
tons are generally loaded or unloaded at the port daily. The cargo brought by sea
is transported by creek up to Kharepatan which is 26 miles up from Vijayadurg.
SINDHUDURG FORT and BEACH

Sindhudurg Fort is a fort which occupies an islet in the Arabian Sea, just off the
coast of Maharashtra in Western India. The fortress lies on the shore of Malvan
town of Sindhudurg District in the Konkan region of Maharashtra, 450 kilometres
(280 mi) south of Mumbai. It is a protected monument

Lifestyle and Cuisine of Kudal

Malvani cuisine is the standard cuisine of Kudal. Although it is an independent cuisine, it
overlaps Maharashtrian cuisine and Goan or coastal South Indian cuisine. Malvani cuisine is
predominantly non-vegetarian, but there are many vegetarian delicacies.
Malvani dishes have some distinctive features like it uses coconut liberally in various forms
such as grated, dry grated, fried, coconut paste and coconut milk. Many masalas have dried
red chilies and other spices like coriander seeds, peppercorns, cumin, cardamom, ginger,
garlic, etc. Some dishes also use kokum, dried kokam (amsul), tamarind, and raw mango
(kairi).
Fishing being one of the major occupations, Fish dishes dominate the Malvani cuisine.
Major Crops cultivated that influence the cuisine of the place are:

Rice

Coconut

Kokam

Mango

Cashew

STATUS OF BAMBOO CRAFT IN KUDAL- THEN AND NOW:

Interestingly, the bamboo craft has a long history but not as a commercial
commodity, whereas more of a household commodity. It was made on a
small scale for the basic house hold need products such as hand fans,
jewellery boxes, food storage boxes, grain containers, baskets, plantation
pots, wedding sets comprising of articles needed by the bride such as a
basic small hand purse etc. It was only made on large scale during the
occasion of ganesh chaturthi when required by local commodity.
Traditional house hold craft was generally done by ladies in their leisure
time so as to meet their needs and also to keep themselves occupied,
almost like a creative hobby.
With the initiatives taken by Govt. & different NGOs now the household
work has been transformed to commercial activity with the purpose of

increasing small scale industries and providing employment to the locals

(though through our personal interviews we got to know that in fact there
is a lack of government support in many aspects).
Learned by young ones & teenagers and taught by mother and
grandmother, however, they are not as keen on learning the craft as the
generations before them had been. (as found out from interviewing the
artisans)
Naubuddha community generally used to practice this craft.
RAW MATERIALS:
The raw materials essential for this craft are as follows:
Bamboo- either bought locally at the rate of Rs 40-50 per bamboo (40ft) or
cultivated at home. Price fluctuates according to the demand and
availability. 10-12 bamboo shoots are bought at a time.
Products made are mostly decorative or fancy items. Pen stands, incense
burners, hair clips, flower vases, lamp shades etc. earlier sieves, baskets,
etc. were made.
About a hundred small pieces can be made from one bamboo branch,
which would sell at a price of around Rs 1000 altogether.
No artificial colours are added. If coloured slivers are required, then they
are dyed using natural colours which are made using indigenous materials.
The products are finished with a touch of lacquer.

Instruments Used

Billhook drill
Chisel
Planer
Hacksaw
Scissors
Sand Paper
Adhesive
Brush

Technique
The bamboo is first cut into suitable pieces with the billhook.
Then skinned and cut into fine strips which are known as slivers.
These are cut into further fine strips.

 The slivers are then wetted in water then weaving or construction is

started.
End Use
In construction:

Bamboo house
Gazebo
Chairs
Tables

In craft:

Veneers (matts, these form the basic structure of most products)

Lamps
Tea coaster
Clips
Rack Stand
Dinner matts
Flower pot
Basket

Skills
Designing Skills
Weaving Skills
Need to have a good judgment in terms of estimations while sizing as well
as weaving.
NOTE: Artisans dont have their own unique products or ideas, follow what
has always been done, designing of new products is done by the instructor
or other designer/organization and is made to order
Colours
The various sources from which colour for dyeing of slivers can be carried out are
as follows:

Haldi
Harda
Mehendi
Beetroots
Onion
Turuti

 Tea leaf
Boric
NOTE: These are all found locally, occasionally when a new colour is
required which cannot be dyed using indigenous materials, sourcing is
done from as far as Mumbai.
FACTORS OF DYEING PROCESS:

Process varies for different colours .

Time consumed varies for different colours.
Salt is added so that colour doesnt fade or come off while handling

product
Slivers are coloured as per order
Slivers doesnt get damaged during boiling
Boling while colouring destroys the sugar present in the sliver

Market

Craft Products are sold in the local market, in cities and even sent to the
international market, all of these varying from each other depending on

the demand and need of the place.

Konbac & Chiva mostly export products to metropolitan cities of the

country and also the international market.

Tourist also like to buy these products and are amazed by the
workmanship of the women of the village.

Visits of Craft Cluster at Kudal

The Artisans
1) Paushi
The first visit for our study was to the MSSIDC, Paushi where a workshop is held
for women who want to learn the craft of bamboo weaving in order to make
products. The course teaches novices everything there is to learn about the craft

and makes them independent as by the end of it they will most likely get a job in
bamboo crafting and will have also learnt a new skill. Not only this but in addition
to learning the weaving, they are given a basic stipend for their efforts which is
also helpful for them. We got a chance to be a part of the workshop for a day and
learn about the craft as well as the people that make the craft happen.
About the workshop:

The workshop was started in 2003.

Mr. Sanju Karpe, belonging to the Konbac organization, initiated it.
MS. Sneha Lata Sandesh Malwankar is the head of this workshop who

organizes, oversees and teaches the course.

Ms. Sneha Lata had learnt the craft and obtained her skills from IIT

Bombay.
The products made by the students serve both purposes- practice as well

as for selling.
They make commercial products.
Products are sold to the companies that place orders.
A four months long workshop is carried out in batches for women, where
they are taught the entire process of the craft- from the selection of

bamboo to the finishing of end products.

Three batches of the workshop are carried out in a year and on an average

100 people learn this craft every year.

Timing of the class everyday is 11am to 4pm.
Students have to pay Rs.10, 000 as fees to join the workshop. But the paid
amount is recovered by the daily wages they earn because of the products

they make.
Rs. 100-200 is paid to the learner for the products they make.
The aim of this workshop is to make people independent, especially

women.
The students can work for the company or individually on their own once

the workshop gets over.

Another advantage is that because of the workshop, the caste barrier is no

more
Since people from other castes are also learning and promoting the
commercialization of the product, there are higher chances that this craft
wont die soon.

About Ms. Sneha Lata (Abstract from personal interview)

Sneha Lata sandesh malwekar who heads Paushi & other centres was sent
by Konbak to IIT Mumbai in 2004 to do 3 months bamboo art course.

She has been teaching bamboo craft to locals since last 12 years.
She also teaches bamboo craft at Mumbai, Pune & Gujarat.
Sneha Lata is now working with Chiva after she left Konbak due to poor

health for one year.

She agrees payment was better in Konbak but she got a chance to use her

inner creativity after working with Chiva.

She also added that she is working on a different product using the art viz
making a saree border with bamboo sliver and has succeeded in doing so
by creating a sample product more of which can be made as per customer
orders.

2) Ambedkar Nagar
The second visit was to the village called Ambedkar Nagar. The residents
of this village make up the community who started bamboo crafts in this
area and have been continuing and passing it on from generation to
generation since years in Kudal. The designers of Chiva and the
organization called Konbak which we visited in the following days are able
to deliver high quality finished products owing to the experienced and
creative women of this village. After the visit we were left inspired by

these artisans.
ABOUT THE AMBEDKAR NAGAR COMMUNITY:
Here most of the women folk work together and make products on order

for the company.

They are professional and very experienced.
They all started this initiative of starting to sell bamboo craft products

together and till date have continued working as a community and team.
Since 12 years they have been making commercial products
Everyone had learnt the traditional craft in their childhood from their

mothers or grandmothers
Later on they learned to make innovative commercial products from the
workshop.

Ms. Lata manages this place too

CRAFT CLUSTER DIARIES:

VISIT 1:
What the artisans have to say
At the : MSSIDC (Paushi)
Q. How are strips obtained from bamboo?
-> The sliver is taken out from the bamboo and polished using a sickle.
-> Sizing of slivers is done using a machine known as the sizer machine.

Q. Which type of dyes and colours are used to colour the slivers?
-> Only natural colours are used which are obtained locally from sources such as
Haldi, Harda, Beet, Tea leaves, Henna, etc.

Q. What about the process of dyeing?

-> It can take from 30 minutes to 1-2 hours for the whole process, depending on
the colour.
-> For example in dyeing yellow colour, it takes 30 minutes, salt is put to avoid
the spreading of colour later during weaving and for colour fastness, haldi
powder is added, and the mixture is boiled along with the slivers.
->OR, if no colour is wanted and we only want the natuarl bamboo coloured
sliver, allum is added to the slivers along with borax and it is boiled/ left in these
chemicals for about a day.

Q. When did the craft and workshops start here?

-> It was started in the year 2003, by Mr.Sanjeev Karpe.

Q. Where is the bamboo obtained from?

-> We have our own backyard plantation, the bamboos from which are used to
obtain all slivers we use for weaving.

Q. What is the market you cater to?

-> Not for local markets, the products are sold in Bombay and Goa.

-> We send the products to the company that places the order such as Konbac or
Chiva, for Chiva we have made upto 65 types of vineers which are creative,
whereas Konbac doesnt require that much variety.

Q. What are the wages?

-> Rs.100 per day for learners
->Rs. 200-300 per day for learned artisans depending on the product made by
them.

Q. Is the preparation and processing of the slivers done by workers?

->Either the company that orders can provide the materials or workers can
acquire raw materials and do dyeing and processing on their own.

Q. How is the pricing of the product done?

-> Depending on weaving pattern, if the design is simple then the cost is lower
and the price increases with the complexity of the weave.

Q. How is the finishing of products done?

-> A border is stuck and stitched around the unfinished edges.

Q. What are the most commonly made weave names?

-> The weave names are given by us for our own understanding, for example:
-Cross (Plain Weave)
-Stitch (Variation of plain weave + basket weave)
-Herringbone (Twill variation, not always actual Herringbone weave)
-Also the hair pin is made by making a Celtic Knot.

Q. Why do you use water on strips while weaving?

->Wetting the strips makes it less prone to breaking while we weave.

Q. How many students are taken for one batch of the workshop?
->20 students are taken at a time for the course, and per year there are around
100 students.

Q. How much is the charge for the course?

-> Rs. 8,000

Q. What are the job prospects after the course for the students?
-> Some have options individually, for people who dont the organisation helps
them in the job search.

Q. Before Konbak, who did this craft?

->Parampara organisation and the people of Ambedkar nagar used to do this for
Ganesh Chaturthi festival.

Q. What is the sequence of the lessons taught to the students?

1. Bamboo Choice
2. Cutting of Bamboo
3. Obtaining sliver
4. Polishing of sliver
5. Size
6. Colour
7. Weaving of basic vineer
8. Table matts (basically finishing of vineer by using fevicol and stitching border
at edges)
9. 10 other products

VISIT 2:
AMBEDKAR NAGAR (ARTISANS VILLAGE)
Q. Did you learn the craft from home or from the 4 month workshop?
->From both the places: first basic knowledge passed down from mother, then
learning of new things at the workshop.

Q. What kind of orders do you get and types of sale you put up?
->First it started out at a small scale for home use and everyday needs

->Now products are made only for Konbak or orders are taken for bulk by
showing samples.

Q. Do you teach the children bamboo craft too?

->We try but the children go to school and are not willing to learn the craft too.

Q. Then how will you keep the craft revived and continue passing down the skill?
-> We are willing to teach outside our own community too to keep the craft
going.

Q. Are you comfortable with doing this craft using a machine?

-> We are only comfortable with doing sizing process on machine since even if
we do craft on the machine, we will have to make alterations by hand afterwards.
Although we use the gauge system instead of the sizing machine as sizing can
be done easily by estimation once you have years of practice.

The Organisations
Konbac (NGO)
The third and fourth visits were paid to organisations instead of artisans. Their
aim is to create well finished, aesthetically pleasing as well as functional
products and cater to the modern customer base- such as in metropolitan cities.
Unlike the next to nothing cheap prices that the artisans ask for, these products
are quite expensive but are also high quality and durable.
ABOUT KONBAC:
The organisation focuses mainly on home furnishings and constructions using
bamboo. However, there is also a small range of bamboo craft products. For
both these lines, two different types of bamboo are used:
1) For bamboo crafts- the bamboo with a hollow middle is used as only slivers
are required.

2) For construction purposes and furniture a solid bamboo is required so as

to provide strength and durability.
In 2002, a group of young women and men in maharashtra started
experimenting with bamboo furniture and crafts through konkan nisaargmanch
(konim), an NGO, which was working on processing of other NTFP products.
During 2004, a team from international network for bamboo and rattah(INBAR)
visited the area and the establishment of the konkan bamboo and can
development centre (KONBAC), a section 25 non- profit company.
In 2009, to add scale, a for profit entity native KONBAC bamboo products private
ltd was registered.
Technique
In Construction:

Bending of bamboos by heating using jets of flame, this is followed by

local cooling using water in these areas.

Bamboo is first drilled and then nails are used for joining and

reinforcement to provide more strength and hence durability.

Smoothing the cuts for aesthetic purposes as well as for safety.
Finishing

In craft

Weaving (weaves have been given local names or numbers by the crafts

women for identification purposes)

Wetting with water to make sliver flexible and easier to weave.
Applying mixture of Water and fevicol for finishing and also so it works as
a fixative.

Processing
Processing method for bamboo used in Construction and furniture
Drilling Bamboos: so that while the chemical treatment is given, the liqour seeps
into the bamboos easily.
Treating with chemical is done so that the sugar that is present in the bamboos is
destroyed. Hence the bamboos wont age or undergo any decay.

Processing method for bamboo used in craft:

Selection of bamboos
Cutting of bamboos
Sizing and making of the slivers
Polishing the slivers
Colouring the slivers

Amongst the best work done by Konbak comes the MTDC Resort: Bamboo
Boathouse at the Tarkali beach. Other products are furniture such as dining table
set with bamboo weaving on the base, and a sofa set, or a gazebo entirely
constructed of bamboo.

Chiva
This is where the second half of the bamboo craft process (done by artisans)
takes place. Chiva is an organisation founded by a mechanical engineer turned
interior designer who is also the architect of the bamboo cottages made by
them- George Joel. He is also the founder of greenearth culture. He chose to work
with bamboo rather than usual industrial materials due to the human element of
the women of the village weaving the craft vineers, and also due to the ecofriendly aspect of bamboo, though it is more difficult to promote and work with.
Also there is not much help from the government in promoting the women and
this craft either. While interviewing Mr. Joel, we found out that the designing of
the products and finishing process is carried out by the organisation but the
actual creative weaving patterns, over 65 varieties, are all the innovation and
creation of the women of the workshop and Ambedkar Nagar.
WHAT IS CHIVA?
Chiva is basically handcrafted bamboo veneer is crafted out of selected bamboo
slivers treated in non toxic preservation for an extended life expectancy against

pests & decay. Dyed with natural colours. Chiva enhances & Compliments ethnic
& comtemporary interior environment.
The weaves consists of daayami the traditional herringbone Weave, gawaaksh
the cross weave with small windows & jaalikaa or the basketry.
The colour schemes within the range are Manjul-Pastel Shades,Gattik
meaning dynamic & Taamrata meaning tanned.
Chiva name comes from the types of bamboo named chiva and cultivated in
malvani region.

They have 80 different designs in total.

They are trying to patent some of their designs.
Their target markets are metropolitan cities and the international market.
No support from government
Need new designers & more commercial designs
Use organic preservatives

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, bamboo craft not only is a thriving and beautiful craft, but also has
great potential in terms of innovative products that can be made with it. Once
new products keep coming into the market and with further promotion, the
demand and market for the craft will only grow further.
Another positive point is that it provides so may women with a source of income
and is hence a source of women empowerment in the rural areas. As seen from
the artisans of Ambedkar Nagar and the learners at Ms. Sneha Latas workshop,
once they learn the craft, the women are very skillful at it and even create new
and innovative colour and weave effects which even textile students are inspired
by.
Further, it is not at all a dying craft owing to the fact that the craft is not only
passed down generations, but they are also willing to teach other communities.
With organisations like KONBAC and Chiva providing the women with work and
promoting their skills, the craft holds a lot of promise. However, the government
must promote the craft as well in order for it to do even better.