The bamboo is a perennial grass with woody culms /stems arising from rhizomes - it has innumerable uses and a particular species may be more suited to one craft than another. Bamboo plays a significant and vital role in the life of the Nepalese and is an integral part of their life. For those of the Hindu faith it fulfils numerous ritual requirements from birth to death: rituals like the yangya performed at the sacred thread wearing ceremony and wedding ceremony cannot be accomplished without bamboo. Bamboo groves are found all over Nepal and a majority of rural households have the necessary indigenous knowledge and know-how on how to use the most suitable species of bamboo for specific purposes.
The bamboo craft like many others in Nepal is faced with a declining trend due to the production and import of plastic products that are replacing a number of traditional bamboo products. |
