Bamboo is not new to our Culture.

It’s only in the last 50 years, we have abandoned it and we are already seeing the effect of it. Landslides and Floods are becoming more common in hilly terrains. Replacing Bamboo and other grasses indeginous to the hills with commercial crops like rubber, arecanut, Coffee etc has created overall instability in the Soil structure underneath.

Now, the question is, if we move away from the commercial crops and grow grasses like Bamboo, what are the livelihood options available? So, its important to develop knowledge and skills based on Bamboo and other natural materials that can provide rural livelihood options that can promote biodiversity and environmental stability.

Fortunately, Bamboo provides various livelihood options on this regard. Bamboo Diaries along with the renowned Bamboo Craftswoman Mrs. Valsala has organized a 5 day training program to the women self help groups of Kurumbalakotta hill. The local women are to be trained in the following”

• Identification of the right Bamboo spcecies for Craftwork

• Bamboo cultivation and Harvesting

• Bamboo Strips making

• Bamboo strips treatment

• Bamboo weaving & craftwork

• Marketing options & strategy for Bamboo products

Subsequent to the training, a production setup is being established at this Kurumbalakotta Bamboo Craft Center venue where training and production happens in parallel continuously.

The larger goal is to create a local market for the products and not just sell it to faraway markets. Bamboo Diaries is happy to work hand in hand with the local women of Kurumbalakotta on this regard.

The program was ably supported by the local Panchayat Member and the Kudumbashree organization.

The Photo album can be found at:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/d66D9dU2KrbT4in86

A 3 day workshop was organized at Wandoor village, Nilambur for learning the art of Bamboo weaving. The trainer Mrs. Valsala has 3 decades of experience in making bamboo crafts and her dedication and passion showed in the training activities. In 3 days, she could make all the novice participants do bamboo crafts on their own. The feeling of converting a raw bamboo to a craft with your own hands is both meditative and blissful.

Today, Bamboo Lovers planted 3 species of Bamboo at the Bamboo Demonstration center. Gaudua Angustifolia, Dendrocalamus Strictus and Oliefera. While this may not be the right time to do planting, our Bamboo Demonstration Center host Sri Satish has agreed to water is regularly.

The treated bamboo load which was lying idle for 5 months at the BDC (Bamboo Demonstration Center) has been segregated. Next step is to be build a small Information center using it.

It was gratifying to see what a small group of Bamboo enthusiasts can accomplish in half a day.

Bamboo lovers assemble once in a month to touch and feel it, work with it, understand it and grow more of it. If interested, do join us on the 3rd Sunday of every month to spend a day working with and for Bamboo.

Assembling Point:

Bamboo Diaries

1137/A, Geeta road, Chamarajapuram, Mysore - 570005