ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Through craft cluster we would like to thank numerous people whose consistent support and guidance
has been the standing pillar in architecture of this project. To begin with, our sincere thanks to the management of NIFT for giving this opportunity to experience and learn the processes practiced in crafts of
India.

For the completion of this document we would like to thank Mr. Niteen Rangdal (Professor, Department
of Textile Design, NIFT) for being our mentor and our guide throughout the project.
We would like to extend our heartiest thanks to our CC Dr. Reena Agarwal for providing us with the
opportunity of learning about the Bamboo Craft of Maharastra and helping us whenever we needed her
help.

We would also like to thanks Mrs. Sneha Lata (chiva designer), Prasant Karane (manager of Konbac),
Jitu Vajradkar (manager of chiva) and George Joel (founder of chiva) for providing us with ample support for completing this assignment.

CONTENTS
1. About the Craft
2. Products
3. Kudal
4. Status of Bamboo Craft in Kudal- Then and Now
5. Raw Materials
6. Instruments Used
7. Technique
8. End Use
9. Skills
10. Colours
11. Factors of Dyeing Process
12. Market
13. Visits Of Craft Cluster- The Artisans
14. Craft Cluster Diaries
15. Visits- The Organisations
16. Conclusion
17. Product Designs
18. Weaves Developed

1
2
4
11
12
14
16
17
20
21
22
23
24
29
33
40
41
44

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.
Figure 1 intro pic of bamboo

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 Leptospadix) and Lejai (Calamus Floribundus).
Some less important qualities like Sundi (Calamus
Guruba) and Raidang (Calamus flagellum) are also
extracted for creating innovative designs.

Figure 2 Bamboo products

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;
2Another 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, DalaDukula 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 namesof 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 asmall 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:
Population:

29C, Wind NW at 11 km/h, 77% Humidity

25,000 (2011)

Pimpleshwar temple

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%.

Vairatgad fort

Interesting fact!- 12% of Kudals population is under 6 years

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 ShilaharBhoj.
ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj conquered this in 1959.
It was his favourite Rest House The beautiful lake
& the temple in the fort are also tourist attractions.
RANGANA FORT
It is in Sahyadri range on the border of districts Kolhapur
&Sindhudurg. It was constructed by Shilahar Raja Bhoj.
ShivajiMaharaj 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.
6

RAWOOL 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 MalvanTaluka 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
Amboli 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 riverNagartas 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. ChhatrapatiShivajiMaharaj 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.
8

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 Devgadtaluka. Its coastal
jurisdiction extends 10 km north up to the Jaitapur lighthouse.

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.

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

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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 purseetc.It was only made on large scale during the occasion of ganeshchaturthi when required by local commodity.
Traditional house hold craft was generallydone 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

Traditional product
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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.

12

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 materia
The products are finished with a touch of lacquer.

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Instruments Used
Billhook drill

Chisel

Planer

Hacksaw

Scissors

Sand Paper

14

sizing machine

Cutter

Adhesive

15

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.

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End Use
In construction
Bamboo house

Chairs

Tables

Gazebo

17

In craft

Veneers (matts, these form the basic structure

of most products)

Tea coaster

Lamps

Clips

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Flower pot

Dinner matts

Basket

Rack Stand

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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

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Colours
The various sources from which colour for dyeing of slivers can be carried out are as follows
Haldi

Onion

Harda

Beetroots

Tea leaf

Boric

Mehendi

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.
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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 and therefore bamboo products doesnt degrade.

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Market

Craft Products are sold in the local market, in cities and even sentto 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.

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Visits of Craft Cluster at Kudal

The Artisans
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.

Trainee of Paushi

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About the workshop

The workshop was started in 2003.Mr. Sanju Karpe, belonging to the Konbac organization, initiated it.MS.
SnehaLata Sandesh Malwankar is the head of this workshop who organizes, oversees and teaches the course.
Ms. SnehaLata 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 moreSince people from other castes are also learning and promoting
the commercialization of the product, there are higher chances that this craft wont die soon.

25

About Ms. SnehaLata sandesh Malwankar

SnehaLata sandesh Malwankar 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.

SnehaLata 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 sareeborder with
bamboo sliver and has succeeded in doing so by creating a sample product more of which can be made as per
customer orders.

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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.

Artisans OF AMBEDKAR NAGAR

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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

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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.SanjeevKarpe.

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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
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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. BeforeKonbak, who did this craft?
->Parampara organisation and the people of Ambedkarnagar 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

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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.

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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)
2)

For bamboo crafts- the bamboo with a hollow middle is used as only slivers are required.
For construction purposes and furniture a solid bamboo is required so as to provide strength and durability.

33

In 2002, a group of young women and men in maharashtra started experimenting with bamboo furniture and crafts through konkannisaargmanch (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 nonprofit 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

34

In craft

Weaving (weaves havebeen 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

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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.
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BOAT HOUSE

CHAIR & TABLE

KEY HOLDER

CLOCK
FLOWER POT

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Chiva
This is where the second half of the bamboo craft process (done by artisans) takes place. Chivais 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 eco- friendly 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?
Chivais 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.
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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

Dhaari Manjul

Dhaari Gaatik

Dhaari Taamrata
39

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.SnehaLatas 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.

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PRODUCT DESIGN

41

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DEVELOPED WEAVE

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