The Covid-19 pandemic has affected all of us to a great extent; we are facing its wrath and bearing it’s brunt. Many sectors and businesses have to face the worst scenario due to the pertaining effects of the virus. Similarly the bamboo weavers living near the station bazaar in Dhenkanal are facing an ordeal ever since. Around 80 percent of the bamboo weavers are women here. They are the bread winners of their family. The crafts made by them using bamboo are being taken for sell to different fair and festivals. Apart from fair and festivals their crafts are also taken to different places and nearby markets for selling from which they earn their livelihood. But with the arrival of pandemic and subsequent lockdown they are unable to sell their crafts. The demand for these crafts have been plunged since the onset of the covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown.
The bamboos used for making these crafts are obtained by them from nearby areas. Everyday after finishing their household chores they start peeling the bamboo and from that peels they shape different types of crafts like bamboo fans, bamboo trays, bamboo baskets etc and also paint them to make it more attractive and fancy. But the Covid-19 pandemic has robbed their earnings, though the pandemic has plunged their business still they are determined enough and didn’t stopped making these bamboo crafts but the increased in cost of raw material i.e., bamboo is adding to their plight, the artists have requested the government to come forward and lend some respite to them during this unprecedented time.
Image Courtesy : Aman Ayushman Das
