BAMBOO AND CANE FURNITURE

Bamboo and CANE FURNITURE

Assam is rich in Sylvan resources and most of its forests are richly stocked with bamboo and strips of various species. Bamboo is a raw material of great versatility and is an integral part of the lifestyle and economy of Assam. Special mention may be made of forests in the Mizo Hills, Cachar, Mikir and North Cachar Hills, Lakhimpur Now Gong and districts. While touring in the hill districts, you sometimes wonder about the large expanses of bamboo and canes. The important species of bamboos of economic value, Mule (Melocanna bambusoides) dais (Teinostachyum dalloa), Khang (Dendrocalmus longispatnus) Kaligoda (Oxytenanthera nigrociliata) and Pecha (Dendrocalamus Hamilton-II). Mule and daïu have great commercial importance, the old wood, building and fencing purposes, and the latter on the mat and basket industry.

Making bamboo and rattan products is perhaps the most universal of all the crafts practiced by a large number of artisans scattered throughout the state. It is practiced as a household industry and no mechanical device is used. Cane and bamboo used for a wide range of purposes and commonly used in every household. 

This industry has carved itself an important place among the handicrafts of the state. It offers part-time employment to cultivators in their spare time and full time employment for the few highly skilled craftsmen who produce only fine decorative baskets, furniture and rugs on a commercial basis.

Raw materials and their uses:

Assam has probably the maximum resources for cane and bamboo industry in India is comparable with Canada and the Scandinavian countries Sweden, Norway and Finland. In bamboo and tubes, Assam has the most concentrated forests throughout India. As many as 51 species of bamboo growing in Assam, and are used for various purposes, primarily for buildings, furniture and miscellaneous items. Investigations are underway in a number of research centers in India with regard to the suitability of bamboo used as reinforcements in place of mild steel bars of light concrete. Bamboo is also used for umbrella handles, walking sticks, tool handles, fishing rods, tent poles, ropes, ladders, yoke, baskets, toys, hand fans and different domestic and agricultural tools. All these articles can be produced on a cottage and small base with small machineries.

Cane:

House and various other smaller industries in Assam are dependent on the supply of various types of pipes and reeds. It is found that generally, three species of cane, used in commercial quantities Jati (Calamus tenuis), Tita (Calamus leptesadix) and Lejai (Calamus floribundus). Some less important qualities as Sundi (Calamus garuba) and Raidang (Calamus flagellum) are also extracted.

Cane is also available in abundance practically throughout the state. There are a few more varieties of bamboo and cane used for manufacture of various products. One form of multi-bamboo locally known as "multi bazail 'used to make umbrella handles. Two other varieties of bamboo locally known as" Mrithinga' and 'Bethua' and different varieties of sticks locally known as 'sundi', 'barjali' 'harua', 'Golla' etc. needed to make furniture and baskets.

Murta '(Clinogyne Dichotoma), a plant family of tubes or patidai required to make the famous" Sital Pati "(cool-mat).

To make 'japis' (umbrella), a type of palm leaves locally known as "tokow pat" is used. A 'fulam japi' (decorated bamboo umbrella) requires, in addition to palm leaves, dyed wool, cotton, dyed yarn, glitter, etc. for dyeing and painting of their products, the artisans use the following materials' bhatar-phen "(boiled rice juice) 'amrapata' (Hibicus Subdariffa), 'tamarind leaves' mezenta (a kind of chemical dye-stuff), kalabati chach (LAC), resin, alcohol, Rabi Mustafi, etc.

Bamboo Musical Instruments:

Flute is commonly used musical instruments made of bamboo. Besides this, other musical instruments as bamboo whisk, do-Tara, etc., used in Bihu festival of Assam. "Gogona" is another musical instrument formed a thick bamboo outer split so that one end forms the handle, while the other end can be hit by the fingers when the instrument is held against the mouth.

Folk medicine from bamboo is used in rural areas of Assam:

Fresh Cuts: green part of the bamboo stem is ground and made into a paste for use of the fresh cut area. It usually serves as an antiseptic and act quickly in wound healing.

Early Diabetes: Water collected inside the bamboo stem, when taken relieves the disease significantly.

Toothache: Toothache is replaced by hot young bamboo twigs and use it.

 

Loose Tooth: The sticky juice that comes from the burning of dried bamboo used at the root of the tooth to make it firmer.

Hypertension: White portion of mew bamboo leaves must be taken on an empty stomach, early in the morning, which helps to control hypertension.

Scale: The ashes of the clump of bamboo sheath is effective to eliminate dandruff. 

Body pain: Sleeping in a bed made of bamboo throughout the body relieves pain.

Chicken pox, small pox and Ulcers: Dried young bamboo shoot must be grounded and made with boiled Malle, which helps in early healing of chicken pox, small pox and wounds.

Giddiness and chronic pain: Curd prepared with young bamboo shoots taken with black pepper relieves dizziness and chronic pain.

Headaches and sinusitis: Dried bamboo burned and inhaled the smoke of bamboo relieves headaches and sinusitis.

Diversification currently Bamboo Industry:

Given the current market demand and export potential entrepreneurs are either proposing to begin production of bamboo products as follows:

Woven bamboo blind or screen 

Grill sticks 

Spear 

Fruit forks 

Party picks 

Back scratches and ear scrapers 

Rice 

Plant support sticks 

Tooth picks 

Seating cushions 

Ice cream spoons 

Kite stick 

Some other common bamboo products: 

 Bamboo brooms 

Knife handle 

Bamboo curtains 

Bamboo handbags 

Flower vases and ashtrays 

Wall Hanging 

Folding fans 

Walking sticks

Cane furniture:

Manufacture of cane furniture, however, requires a high degree of skill on the part of workers. Such competencies considered to be traditional. Manufacture of cane furniture, Cachar district enjoys a special advantage over other districts in the state as regards workmen affected. Vessel commercial production in almost all major urban areas in the state.

Manufacture of cane furniture begins with the preparation of the necessary volumes of bamboo slips. Canes of different diameters are also reduced in wines of different sizes for adaptability. Craftsmen then draw a rough structure of the furniture by taking part in different bamboo parts (previous size) with the help of nails. In the case of round-cane furniture, thin iron rods used to get the round tube bent to the desired shape. The actual weaving or Coiling of the structure, as has happened with fine tie of flexible pipes. The more a skilled craftsman, they are fine slip of cane, he can use in Coiling and merge. 

To meet the growing needs of consumers in urban enterprises are found to be involved in the manufacture of various types of cane furniture and other miscellaneous items such as pens, murrahs, cradles, office trays, bottle carriers, Tiffin baskets, bicycle baskets, waste paper baskets, etc. Prize for these products is higher than other common bamboo products.

Opportunities for development:

The main raw materials for industry, ie bamboo and rattan of various types is abundant throughout the state. It requires little or no investment and can be exercised by all and everyone in a household as a sideline. As such, the industry has great potential for development and various new products to suit the modern taste can be made of bamboo and rattan. Market intelligence is required to be developed so that products can be made to take into account the need for the consumer market. Emporia State Governments are also trying to spread a couple of artistic and decorative cane and bamboo products outside the state.

To organize the unorganized and scattered handicraft artisans, had the government of Assam has initiated a system of registration of craft artisans and handicraft units.