Bamboo Craft - Vellore
Bamboo is said to be a biggest grass grown on the earth surface. Bamboo is also a fast growing plant in the world, which is primitive. Bamboo can grow in any climate, from cold climate to hot regions. Bamboo is also an environmental benefit. The humans from ages are have adorned Bamboo. Bamboo is used in various requirements of any kind of life on earth, from providing food for pandas, elephants and chimpanzees to being cultivated for Timber, Leaching, Culinary purpose, Medication, Construction, Textiles, Weapons, Musical Instruments, numerous traditional usage and other many uses. We find bamboo most on the Asian grounds, basically in China and India. They are around 50 genera and 700 species in Bamboo that is used, when it comes to above-mentioned uses. In developing countries bamboo is been used in many traditional uses, in rural industries like handicrafts, furniture, and utensils in houses. It is also used widely in multiple industries in modern times. It also serves like an alternative to wood and other construction materials. Bamboo is also used immensely in producing pulp and paper.
Bamboo is been exquisitely used all over in Indian Craft and Culture. From variety of baskets to furniture the Bamboo craft is grown immensely. Places like Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Tripura in Northeast India is very famous for Bamboo crafts. The tribal people, for the basic needs like knife, shelter, furniture, food, containers and many more purposes used bamboo most of the time. Likewise in southern India Bamboo craft is trendily emerging for its durable quality, lightweight and for its leisurely handling. Bamboo’s main production is basketry; various kinds of baskets are made irrespective of size, shape and design. Other than baskets trays, mats, folding fans, screens, toys, glue, ladder, furniture, wind musical instruments and many more are made out of bamboo. Coiled basketry; Plaiting basketry; Twining basketry and Wicker and Splint basketry are different forms of basket weaving. ` of human civilization. Baskets are used for numerous purposes like in storage; in transportation of harvests; in processing the seeds and grains; in laundry; in catering; fish traps; in commercial business of vegetables, fruits, flowers and many more. In ritual occasions also the bamboo basket is used to carry the offerings for the god.
Tamil Nadu is predominantly known for its bamboo crafts, which are made for home décor, furniture, Natural reed bamboo for fencing and many other purposes. Likewise in Vellore artisan called Mr. Chinnaraj, practices his ancestral bamboo craft on the streets of Sitting Bazar Road, Saida pet. Most of his products are open baskets of various sizes according to the purpose it is needed for and there are small boxes made especially for the devotees of murugan (Kartikeya son of Lord Shiva) to carry the offerings while going for pilgrimage. Bamboo is largely harvested in nearby forests and segregated among 250 Bamboo craft artisans. All the artisans are situated in local market around the city.
