Janumdih, Jan. 1: In a remote village in the Potka block, a group of eight women spins mats in a quiet shade.
Located in the interiors of the East Singhbhum district, the village, Janumdih, is connected only by mud roads to the nearest town of Khairpal.
While the men work in the paddy fields for six months, the women work throughout to supplement the family income and preserve their traditional art form.
Today marked the inauguration of a training session in Janumdih. Around 30 artistes from Ganakpada, Ragrasai, Harina and Noagram villages would receive training in the nuances of designing bamboo products. From Ganakpada, six artistes have been engaged to produce “gonda” grass which is then weaved and stitched at Ragrasai village by a group of 13 artistes.
The Harina village sees artistes sewing the products after which Noagram takes care of the mat weaving. Currently, this village comprising the Bhumij and Munda tribes is also engaged in a grass mat training programme.
Marketed by Kalamandir, a body working for the cultural preservation of traditional art forms, these artistes also entered into collaboration with the Union Bank of India today.
Under the credit linkage policy, the village becomes the first rural pocket to link up with a bank to avail the loan facilities for their enterprising projects. But electricity at Janumdih still remains a distant dream.
“We have to wrap up work early as we cannot work after the sun sets,” said a disappointed Sumita Sardar, one of the women who weaves a set of three mats daily at one of the eight manual looms.