It costs from 500 to 1200 rupees depending on the size of the head. I am doing business from 15 to 20 thousand rupees per month.
Chhatradeva-8 of Arghakhanchi is my birthplace. Although the house is there, the nearest market is Tamghas, the headquarters of Gulmi. I learned to knit at home from a young age. Earlier, I used to come to Tamghas to sell the hats made by my father and grandfather. Now I have started making and selling it myself. Every now and then I reach to sell doko at Sandhikhark, headquarters of Arghakhanchi.
I am now 53 years old . We have a joint family. We are a family of 15 including mother, brothers and sisters-in-law living under one roof. I have three sons and one daughter . Especially I make a bamboo head . Apart from that, I have made many kinds of materials including bamboo chairs, tables, mudha. Most of my household expenses come from this job.
The means of livelihood of a large family are materials made from bamboo. It costs from 500 to 1200 rupees depending on the size of the doko . I am doing business from 15 to 20 thousand rupees per month . However, the business is less now than before. However, the income from this is to educate the children and run the household expenses . Our normal family is . No such fuss is made . I am satisfied with this profession by working till now.
Earlier there was a dense settlement in the village. Earlier everyone used to farm . Everyone wanted Doko . It would be a good business . Now the village is going to waste. Farmers are also gradually decreasing. Business is also going down . Earlier, I used to weave and sell hats. Not so now . The number of people buying doco in the village has decreased. If too many heads are woven, there is a problem in marketing . Now I have been knitting only for household expenses .
After buying bamboo, cutting choya, weaving doko, applying flour and bits, doko is ready . After preparing the necessary ingredients, I prepare 3/4 of the dough in a day . But now there is no such way . Some of the leisurely knitted heads are also stuck.
After coming to the local level, they started giving training on materials made from bamboo. I have also been a trainer in such trainings. It is a pleasure to teach others the skills learned at home . I reached Dang and Dhading as an instructor in training. I have the skills to prepare all kinds of materials made from bamboo . I will reach out to different wards of the municipality by teaching these skills.
I went to India for employment at the age of 20 . I also worked in India for four years. Later, I took the skills I learned at home as employment. And I started preparing the bamboo head .
I remember selling Doko for 5 rupees when I was a kid . Around the year 2040 . At that time, a cup of tea was available for one stamp . Tamghas was like a village. We used to buy 1 kg of rice for 4 rupees and return home . There was such a time, now such a time has come .
I survived by doing this profession at a young age . There is no choice now. I am satisfied with this profession. Had to work until age allowed. But the current generation does not want to learn anything in this profession. Little by little, this profession will disappear!
Presentation: Santosh Mahatara
