Sikki Grass Crafts Objects
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The simplest crafts of India have been an integral part of our objects of everyday utility. The fibre woven baskets are a case in point. Durable and environmentally sound containers for the carriage of essential goods, they have been a part of the farmer’s wife carrying his lunch to the fields, or the father carrying sweetmeats for his children. These baskets have been the objects of essential use and simple beauty.
In the Sitamarhi district of north Bihar, Sikki grass is the raw material for women to engage in creative activities to create a variety of household products-- utility items for their everyday needs. These women, traditional as they seem to be, emerge to be th creators of beautiful things, with the use of a raw material, that is bio-degradable, natural, organic and light, and emerging as preservers of the environment.
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Considered auspicious, Sikki is woven to make things of religious significance like figures of deities for religious festivals. Sikki products are also very closely associated with the marriage ceremonies. These products are made especially by brides-to-be and taken to the groom’s home after marriage as part of their dowry - the Pauthi is a basket in which all the dowry was gifted, and this practice is observed even today by both Muslim and Hindu communities. Sikki weaving is therefore at its peak during marriage seasons (October to June).
For daily use, containers are made to store grain, rice, spices and lentils; boxes are made to keep women’s clothes and jewelry; baskets to store sweets and keep betel leaf; mobiles and toys are made for children, while the women make bangles for themselves.
Sikki is also being used today to make coasters, hand-held fans, bowls of all types and sizes, and two- and three-dimensional figures of birds and animals, trees for the urban market.
With a striking individualism in form, design and color, each object is a master piece in itself. Colors are used in dramatic contrast and products reflect the creative impulse of their makers.
Sikki Grass
Sikki is obtained from the dried stem of a succulent plant ‘Katra’, a wild variety. The golden grass grows wild near water bodies, ranging from ponds to puddles, immediately after the monsoon season and is harvested during the month of July, August and September. The Amas (belonging to the OBC category) and some Muslim farmers are involved in harvesting, cutting and splitting of dried sikki.
Sikki grass costs about Rs 60 to Rs 70 during its peak seasons, while Rs 130 to Rs 150 in the off-season. Sikki is sold by its traders at the weekly haat (market). The rate varies, but interestingly, Sikki is not sold by weight, but measured by the fistful.
Process
The grass is first cut from near its base to make the Sikki grass usable and is then dried. The upper portion of the flowering stem is discarded and the remaining portion is finely sliced and shaved. The grass is now ready for use through the process of coiling.
The actual form is shaped with sabe, or khar, a form of local grass, abundantly available. This provides the basic shape and gives additional strength to the product.
The women use a 6-inch long needle-shaped iron object called takua with a rounded head, made of lac or wood, which is used to grip the needle while coiling the grass.
The golden color of sikki grass is juxtaposed with colors like purple, deep blue, bright yellow, magenta pink, green and red. These colors are achieved by boiling the grass in vegetable/ organic dyes, though certain chemical dyes are used as well.
Transitions
The items made with Sikki grass are a perfect example of how natural materials can enrich daily lives. With shifts in modes of production, the traditional Sikki grass products have lost their significances. Newer raw materials like recycled plastics or wool have replaced the golden grass, leading to the sparser cultivations.
The ‘Aditi’ effort to revive the craft tradition did not make a significant impact. The craft tradition has still to be revival, in the true sense of the word, like its counterparts- Mithila painting or Sujani embroidery. Jiyo!, an initiative led by the Asian Heritage Foundation is another commendable effort in the upliftment of the Craft.
Images sourced from Google search engine with the term "Sikki Grass" |
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