The process starts with arranging raw materials. For this, a bamboo stem is acquired from a bamboo tree. The bamboo can be found in all the regions in and around Agartala, Tripura. More than 200 species of bamboo are found in India. The bamboo stem is cut down from the Bamboo tree by using a hacksaw. Mostly middle-aged non-flowered bamboo tree stem is preferred. Once the branch is cut from a bamboo tree, the splitting process is done. Splitting is a process of dividing an object or item equally. The Billhook is kept on the top edge of the bamboo stem, and the pole is tapped against the ground to insert the blade into it. The Billhook is pushed straight across to the other end of the stem, and tapping is continued. Once the pole starts to split, the hand is used to push the blade straight down. The thickness of the Billhook helps to break the bamboo stem into two halves. After splitting into two parts, the inner nodes are knocked off using Knives. The following process is making rough strips. According to the width requirement of the artisan, the width of the strip is decided. The split-half is again split into two parts and then each half into thirds. According to the required thickness, the strips' outer layer and inner layer are separated using a knife once the strips are made. Excess fibers are removed from the strips to reduce their thickness and increase the bamboo strips' flexibility. Next is the dyeing process. Dyeing is a process of adding color to a material or product. Here, the strips are dipped into a bowl with hot water boiling in it. Required Color powders and chemicals are added to the boiling water. The strips are soaked in that color mixed with boiling water for few minutes to obtain the color on the strips. The water is poured out, and the strips are taken out and kept for drying. Finally, colored strips are made.
The process starts with arranging raw materials. For this, a bamboo stem is acquired from a bamboo tree. The bamboo can be found in all the regions in and around Agartala, Tripura. More than 200 species of bamboo are found in India. The bamboo stem is cut down from the Bamboo tree by using a hacksaw. Mostly middle-aged non-flowered bamboo tree stem is preferred. Once the branch is cut from a bamboo tree, the splitting process is done. Splitting is a process of dividing an object or item equally. The Billhook is kept on the top edge of the bamboo stem, and the pole is tapped against the ground to insert the blade into it. The Billhook is pushed straight across to the other end of the stem, and tapping is continued. Once the pole starts to split, the hand is used to push the blade straight down. The thickness of the Billhook helps to break the bamboo stem into two halves. After splitting into two parts, the inner nodes are knocked off using Knives. The following process is making rough strips. According to the width requirement of the artisan, the width of the strip is decided. The split-half is again split into two parts and then each half into thirds. According to the required thickness, the strips' outer layer and inner layer are separated using a knife once the strips are made. Excess fibers are removed from the strips to reduce their thickness and increase the bamboo strip’s flexibility. Next is the dyeing process. Dyeing is a process of adding colour to a material or product. Here, the strips are dipped into hot boiling water. Required colour powders and chemicals are added to the boiling water. The strips are soaked in that colour mixed with boiling water for few minutes to obtain the colour on the strips. The water is poured out, and the strips are taken out and kept for drying. Finally, coloured strips are made.
The process of shaping begins. Shaping is a process of weaving the strips to form a shape or formation. A basket is built from the bottom to upwards. The initial process starts with making base formations for basketry. The base is formed by weaving the bamboo strips in a crisscross pattern. Bamboo strips with green skin are used at the edge of the base corners for solid sustainability. Weft strips are used to form the base sides of the basketry. Strips are weaved in a tightly enclosed manner to make the basket stiff. The initial stage of basketry is completed until creating sidewalls. After this, design patterns are created.
Here, designing the pattern is a process of adding colour strips into the baskets to create a design. Colour strips are weaved along with the initially completed basket to obtain a design. These designs may be of symbols, shapes, or any form depending on the basket weaver. Sometimes, the entire basket is made using colour strips to gain attraction. Next is the final shaping. Final shaping is the process of weaving the basket according to the width and height dimensions fixed by the basket weaver. An aluminum pot is placed inside the semi-finished basket, and it is tied along with the basket using a thread. Then, the artisan continues weaving the basketry surrounding with the help of an aluminum pot using strips. Weaving is done by circling the pot up to a certain height. Once the pot is removed from the basket, an increase in width dimension can be found.
The next is trimming. It is a process of removing the extra or unwanted strips from the basket. Excess strips are cut down with the help of a Billhook. The basket's top edge borders are weaved following a Zigzag pattern with the customized needle tool. The next process is fusing. It is a process of adding an extra part to the basket. A long thick, bendable bamboo strip is taken and is inserted in between the weaved strips of the basket, forming a handle for carrying. As the entire basket is intertwined tightly, it obtains more grip when the long bamboo strip is inserted in between interwoven strips. The final process is gluing. Gluing is a process of applying an intermediate substance to connect or fix different materials. Glue is applied to the intersection points where the long strip and the basket collide. The adhesive is used on the top edge borders of the basket to make it firmer. Finally, the last step in making the process ends with drying the basket.
