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<h2><a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/articles/trapped-by-climate-change-in-the-brahmaputra/">Trapped by climate change in the Brahmaputra</a></h2><p>The seppa, bair, darki, duyer, diyaar are just some of the indigenous bamboo fishing traps that Jalal Ali crafts for a living. But truant monsoons have shrunk Assam’s many waterbodies, and the demand for fishing traps has fallen sharply, and so has his income</p><h5>October 17, 2024 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/mahibul-hoque/">Mahibul Hoque</a></h5>

Trapped by climate change in the Brahmaputra

<h2><a id="28142" linktype="page">‘Who knew the lack of rain could kill my art?’</a></h2><p>Sanjay Kamble, a farmer and craftsman from Kerle village in western Maharashtra, makes intricate irlas (bamboo raincoats) by hand. Decreasing rainfall over the last decade and the availability of plastic raincoats have made it difficult for him to pursue his craft<br/></p><p><br/></p><h5>June 16, 2024 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/sanket-jain/">Sanket Jain</a></h5>

‘Who knew the lack of rain could kill my art?’

<h2><a id="28049" linktype="page">The Bihari bamboo basket maker</a></h2><p>Baban Mahato is a master at crafting a duli -- a very large bamboo basket used to store paddy in West Bengal. He speaks in hand measures and traditional weights when describing his work – making tall and wide baskets to store the paddy harvest. From Bihar, craftspersons like him have been migrating to neighbouring states to make bamboo baskets for over a hundred years<br/></p><p><br/></p><h5>April 19, 2024 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/shreya-kanoi/">Shreya Kanoi</a></h5>

The Bihari bamboo basket maker

<h2><b><a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/articles/darrangs-vanishing-bamboo-basket-makers/">Darrang&#39;s vanishing bamboo basket makers</a></b></h2><p>The traditional basket weavers of Na-mati village in Darrang district, are facing fierce competition from plastic sacks. The loss of livelihood is forcing many to migrate to other states in search of work<br/></p><p><br/></p><p></p><h5>April 4, 2024 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/mahibul-hoque/">Mahibul Hoque</a> </h5><p></p>

Darrang’s vanishing bamboo basket makers

<h2><a id="25937" linktype="page">The last chukker of the polo ball craftsman</a></h2><p>Ranjit Mal is the only person in Deulpur census town of Howrah district who can craft a polo ball from bamboo rhizome – a skill that has lost its relevance as machine-made fibreglass balls have taken over. But the memory and feel of the craft that earned him a livelihood for four decades, endures with him<br/></p><p><br/></p><h5>December 15, 2023 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/shruti-sharma/">Shruti Sharma</a></h5>

The last chukker of the polo ball craftsman

<h2><a id="22360" linktype="page">Jambhali’s jhopdi architects</a></h2><p>Building a jhopdi – a hut made with mainly wood, bamboo and thatch, calls for a deep knowledge of local customs and sustainable practices. Maharashtra farmers, Vishnu and Narayan put themselves to the test<br/></p><p><br/></p><h5>May 3, 2023 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/sanket-jain/">Sanket Jain</a></h5>

Jambhali’s jhopdi architects

<h2><a id="20872" linktype="page">Tshering Bhutia and his love of making bows</a></h2><p>In Sikkim’s Karthok village, an 83-year-old traditional bow-maker speaks about his craft in this video<br/></p><p><br/></p><h5>January 28, 2023 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/jigyasa-mishra/">Jigyasa Mishra</a></h5><p></p>

Tshering Bhutia and his love of making bows

<h2><a id="20231" linktype="page">Bastar’s bamboo-barrelled guns</a></h2><p>At the annual Goncha festival in Chhattisgarh, local Adivasi communities have a unique guard of honour</p><h5>November 29, 2022 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/thamir-kashyap/">Thamir Kashyap</a></h5>

Bastar’s bamboo-barrelled guns

<h2><a id="17342" linktype="page">Tshering: straight-arrow bow maker of Pakyong</a></h2><p></p><p>High-tech devices rule the archery market in Sikkim, but 83-year-old Tshering Dorjee Bhutia still makes bows and arrows the old-fashioned way, in a state whose archers have represented India in three Olympics</p><h5>February 18, 2022 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/jigyasa-mishra/">Jigyasa Mishra</a></h5><p></p>

Tshering: straight-arrow bow maker of Pakyong

<h2><a id="14926" linktype="page">Ichalkaranji torans: gelatine, gods, greetings</a></h2><p></p><p>At 70, Muralidhar Jawahire of Maharashtra’s Ichalkaranji town still painstakingly makes paper-bamboo torans – decorative door hangings – and retains a sense of pride in a craft no one wants to learn anymore</p><h5>July 8, 2021 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/en/authors/sanket-jain/">Sanket Jain</a></h5><p></p>

Ichalkaranji torans: gelatine, gods, greetings

<h2><a id="10746" linktype="page">Locked down in Telangana — a basket case</a></h2><p></p><p>The Covid-19 lockdown has halted the basket trade in Telangana’s Kangal village. For now, basket makers of the Yerukuka ST community are relying on some agricultural work, and rice from the PDS and relief packages</p><p></p><h5>May 13, 2020 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/harinath-rao-nagulavancha/">Harinath Rao Nagulavancha</a></h5><p></p><p></p>

Locked down in Telangana — a basket case

<h2><a id="10537" linktype="page">Wilting mahua, wasted baskets, silent haats   </a></h2><p></p><p>The Covid-19 lockdown has shredded the fragile economy of the Kamars, a Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Group in Chhattisgarh, who depend on a trickle of income from weaving baskets and selling mahua flowers</p><p></p><h5>April 15, 2020 |  <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/purusottam-thakur/">Purusottam Thakur</a></h5><p></p><p></p>

Wilting mahua, wasted baskets, silent haats

<h2><a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/articles/the-bards-of-nuapada-and-the-goddess-of-grains/">The bards of Nuapada and the goddess of grains</a></h2><p></p><p>Although their craft tradition is waning and needs state support, the Debgurus in Odisha continue making idols and objects with paddy, and go from village to village reciting the Laxmi Purana</p><p></p><h5>February 17, 2020 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/ipsita-ruchi/">Ipsita Ruchi</a><p></p></h5><p></p>

The bards of Nuapada and the goddess of grains

<h2><a id="7176" linktype="page">Baskets made with a different vision</a></h2><p>Debahala Chakma of Rajivnagar in Mizoram, a visually impaired craftsman, has made intricate baskets for a living for 50 years using touch and memory, and says he can still make even a house of bamboo<br/></p><p></p><h5>July 25, 2019 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/lokesh-chakma">Lokesh Chakma</a></h5><p></p>

Baskets made with a different vision

<h2><a id="4396" linktype="page">The last ringal weaver of Jaiti</a></h2><p>Nain Ram Bajela, who makes bamboo products in rural Uttarakhand, says his work demands patience, like any art. But due to low returns and a lack of state support, his sons have moved on to other work</p><p></p><h5>February 21, 2018 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/arpita-chakrabarty">Arpita Chakrabarty</a></h5>

The last ringal weaver of Jaiti

<h2><a id="4099" linktype="page">Making baskets in English</a></h2><p></p><p>This Dalit hamlet in Bihar&#39;s Banka district is called English, and all the residents here have the same last name. Three generations ago, they gave up burning bodies and took up the more respectable occupation of making baskets</p><h5>November 11, 2017 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/shreya-katyayni">Shreya Katyayini</a></h5>

<h2><a id="3904" linktype="page">The bamboo-splitters of Dhubri</a></h2><p></p><p>Mainuddin Pramanik of Kuntir island on the Brahmaputra in Assam comes to Dhubri town every day to work as a bamboo-splitter. But the trade is in decline and few other options are available to daily wage workers</p><h5>October 23, 2017 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/ratna-bharali-talukdar">Ratna Bharali Talukdar</a></h5><p></p>

The bamboo-splitters of Dhubri

<h2><a id="3858" linktype="page">The many baskets of Mako Lingi</a><p></p></h2><p></p><p>A basket weaver and an Idu Mishmi elder, Mako Lingi of Ahunli village in Arunachal Pradesh, remembers a time when barter was a part of life and basket-weaving was necessary for survival</p><p></p><h5>October 11, 2017 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/sweta-daga">Sweta Daga</a></h5>

The many baskets of Mako Lingi

<h2><a id="3845" linktype="page">Bala’s baskets, brooms and blinds</a></h2><p></p><p>Madurai-based P. R. Bala has been making bamboo products for 22 years. This centuries-old family occupation is demanding and barely profitable, but the personal rewards, he says, are worth the toil</p><p></p><h5>October 6, 2017 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/dorairaj-v">Dorairaj V.</a></h5>

Bala’s baskets, brooms and blinds

<h2><a id="1288" linktype="page">&#39;All migrants are like stray dogs&#39;</a></h2><p></p><p>Kamla and other Paharias of Bolangir, Odisha, struggle to be recognised as Adivasis and access their rights</p><h5>July 13, 2016 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/purusottam-thakur">Purusottam Thakur</a></h5>

'All migrants are like stray dogs'

<h2><a id="3126" linktype="page">Make in India – with bamboos and leaves</a></h2><p></p><p></p><p>Farmers, labourers and shepherds in rural Odisha wear delicately woven ‘rain hats’ while working. Made by Adivasis, they’re sold by small vendors, who carry them on bicycles across long distances</p><h5>July 6, 2017 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/p-sainath">P. Sainath</a></h5><p></p><p></p><p></p>

Make in India – with bamboos and leaves

<h2><a id="45" linktype="page">Biswas and the bamboos on his bike</a></h2><p></p><p>Kamla and other Paharias of Bolangir, Odisha, struggle to be recognised as Adivasis and access their rights</p><h5>February 6, 2015 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/p-sainath">P. Sainath</a></h5><p></p>

Biswas and the bamboos on his bike

<h2><a id="511" linktype="page">Visible Work, Invisible Women: and gathering their lives (panel 6)</a></h2><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>This panel of P. Sainath’s curated, online photo exhibition, depicting rural women’s labour, shows how women use forest produce like grass and bamboo to make baskets, brooms and more</p><p></p><h5>July 23, 2014 | <a href="https://ruralindiaonline.org/authors/p-sainath">P. Sainath</a></h5><p></p><p></p>

Visible Work, Invisible Women: And gathering their lives (Panel 6)

Lives and work interlaced with bamboo

بانس کے سہارے چلتی زندگی اور اس سے جڑے کام

<p><span style="background-color:transparent;color:#000000;font-size:12pt;"><span style="font-family:'Times New Roman',serif;font-style:normal;font-variant:normal;font-weight:400;text-decoration:none;vertical-align:baseline;white-space:pre-wrap;">At present, we can only accept donations in Indian rupees by Indian citizens. All donations made to the CounterMedia Trust are eligible for exemption under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961. Here is a copy of our exemption certificate.</span></span></p>


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Lives and work interlaced with bamboo

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