A cup of tea is served in a bamboo mug and one can drink it sitting on a bamboo chair. At the Kallickal tribal settlement, near Uppukunnu, in Udumbannur grama panchayat here, bamboo has become a part of life. Items ranging from furniture to kitchenware, in addition to baskets, mats, and boxes are artistically crafted here. In effect, plastic has been replaced by bamboo.
The ‘bamboo village’ came into being after a group comprising 19 women were trained by Kirtads (Kerala Institute for Research, Training and Development Studies of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) in making bamboo utensils and marketing them. The movement is relevant in the wake of the plastic ban in the State and the village is hoping to make a livelihood through these products. Around 140 bamboo items are made here.
Lengthy process
P.V. Sunil, secretary of the bamboo village project, said the villagers collected bamboo from the forest but were wary of over-exploitation. The cut bamboo is put in hot water and dried completely.
“It takes at least 28 days to make a bamboo cup; including the four-day period of keeping it idle and five days of of soaking it in hot water. The process is followed to make the products durable and pest-resistant,” he said. There are also miniature bamboo baskets and mats for the purpose of display, he added.
Simi, a bamboo artisan, said they made bamboo products after completing their other chores. “We have exhibited the products in various fairs and are getting orders. The products are made mostly depending on the orders,” she said.
Bamboo houses
The tribespeople were earlier adept in building bamboo houses. Over the years, the houses were replaced by those provided under various government projects.
A few tribespeople are still skilled in building strong bamboo houses.
