Surajbati Pardhi and Brijlal Pardhi are bamboo weavers from Bastar. The process of crafting articles out of bamboo begins with bamboo procurement. At first, the stems are split and the knots are removed. The stems are then measured and cut according to requirement. The stems are cleaned and further split into desired thickness. The strips are used to create craft objects of choice. To make weaving easy the strips are dabbed with water. An alternate way of weaving involves using a thread like bamboo strip to weave the thick strips. The end strips in case of baskets are removed. In case of 'supas' (winnowing fan) the end strips are folded over. A thick strip is used as a collar to strengthen the object. At the end, cow dung is smeared on the baskets to close the holes. A bamboo brush with coloured solution is used for basic decoration.
This content has been created as part of a project commissioned by the Directorate of Culture and Archaeology, Government of Chhattisgarh, to document the cultural and natural heritage of the state of Chhattisgarh.
