A half-a-dozen master craftsmen, after travelling about 2,500 kms from Mariani junction near Dibrughar of Assam to Maredumilli forest in East Godavari district, imparting training to semi-skilled Adivasis.
Prabhath Saikia, general secretary of All Assam Artisans Association and head of the six-member group, came to Maredumilli to participate in one-month long training programme at the Youth Training Centre here organised by the Integrated Tribal Development Agency (ITDA) and the AP Skill Development Centre in association with an NGO.
Assam and Rampachodavaram Agency having many similarities as the making of bamboo and cane items is the main livelihood in both the areas.
But tribal people who are living in Maredumilli, Y. Ramavaram, Addateegala and Rajavommangi are not coming out of the good old practices in making different kinds of handicrafts.
According to Baburao and Eswararao of Kotha Colony of Maredumilli, the young generation wants to know the new artistic models which will be sold in national and international exhibitions and also the new techniques. They said that they had requested ITDA Project Officer K.V.N. Chakradharababu to bring some expert trainers and impart training and accordingly he brought master craftsmen from Assam.
Mr. Prabhath Saikia participated in hundreds of exhibitions at national-level along with his artisans group, Abhinobh Sanskritic Gusthi, involving Chankikya Dutta, Priyanka Barali, Amitabh Barua (Brahmaputra Boyz) and individually in more than 10 international bamboo and cane international exhibitions .
Speaking to The Hindu , he said that the tribal people in Maredumilli were only making traditional swings, bamboo cots, diwan sets and other decorative sets. When he spoke with them with the help of a translator Sk. Basha, they told him that the other items have no market, which is not true.
“If we make the item very attractive, people will love to see it and purchase them, even if they are costly. But, bamboo and cane articles are like this…they can be bought from Rs.50 to Rs.50,000,” Mr. Saikia said.
He added that his team was training them in making women jewellery with bamboo and can, mobile covers, hangers, see grass baskets, egg stands, different varieties of chandeliers, pendants, fixers, walls and so on within 20 days to one month.
Uttam Roy, expert in cane and, Jabbar Ali and Azahar Ali, experts in both bamboo and cane, have said that the tools which the locals were using have to be changed and added the support from the ITDA and the APSSDC is good compared to Assam.