A "pandal" in Kolkata.
Bamboo mugs from Assam.
Deities carved into bamboo roots.
It’s that time of the year again! Goddess Durga has left her
celestial abode and come down to earth to visit her maternal home. The city of
Kolkata is exhilarated with joy as it welcomes the eternal mother, a
magnificent woman with ten hands, a symbol of the divine purging out all evil .Every
‘para’ or lane in the city is constructing a decorative “pandal”, each
proclaiming to be better than the other, specimens of artistic ingenuity for
their beloved mother to reside. As I drive home from work, each day I witness
the cityscape transform, from skeletal
bamboo constructions, lit up high rises to ostentatious ‘pandals’, Kolkata is
shinning and alive. It is at this time of the year that the bamboo forms the
basis of compound art in the form of “pandals’.
‘Uttare
charu?/Dhakkhine garu/pube hah/pashime bah’…(kitchen on the north, cow shed on
the south, pond/duckery on the east and bamboo groove on the west)…Nayan Gogoi
recalls an ancient assamese wisdom that emphasizes the importance of bamboo in
homestead planning. Bamboo is his source of livelihood. For years, it has been
subjected to his contemplation and been turned to beautiful artistic decorative
pieces. Bamboo has been his canvas of expression and the basis of his small
business in the village of Dhubri in Assam. The bamboo mugs he makes are a
specialty and in demand during the festival of Bihu when “sujen”(alcoholic
beverage) is made and drunk in great quantities.
Tucked in the lower ranges of eastern Himalayas is Ziro
valley(Arunachal Pradesh), home of the Apatanis. A tribe of nature worshippers
, they have mastered the art of land cultivation which has enabled them to be
self sufficient through centuries . This unique tribe has developed an
indigenous method of growing bamboo that never flowers thus making it immune to
rodent and birds. Naturalist and conservationists in their own right, the
Apatanis use bamboo in various spheres of their lives. The women are excellent
weavers and bamboo is used to make baskets, haversack bags and even kitchen
utensils. Bamboo here is a source of utilitarian art that helps the tribe to
function through their daily chores.
Three different states,…three different usage of the sturdy
bamboo. An object of utility, it is contributing in the process of making
beautiful art. Whether it’s the foundation of a pandal or being skillfully
carved to make it ornamental or even woven into exceptional utensils
distinctive to an isolated tribe , the bamboo has surpassed its role of simply
being a poor man’s timber.
An Apatani tribal woman.
(photograph courtesy wikipedia)
Apatani bamboo utensils.
If you would like to purchase the bamboo products on display and help Kriya Kalash promote artisans from the northeast of India, kindly contact us on kriyakalash@gmail.com
