Now there is a separate market for these materials in Hatia, which is located in 15 local level slums of Mahottari. Nowadays, these goods are being sold in the markets including headquarters Jaleshwar, Matihani, Bardibas, Gaushala, Ramgopalpur, Pipra, Sitapur, Aurhi, Balwa, Loharpatti.
What you should know
As Tihar and Chhath Parva are approaching, the demand for bamboo choya and Kaptera woven goods has increased in Mithila region including Mahottari of Madhes. Due to the Maithil custom of not keeping the worship materials carefully and using the new Chiti, Dali, Kansupa, Nanglo, Chalno, Pankha etc. made of bamboo choya and kaptera to be used in the ceremony, the market of these materials is now frozen in all the Hatia (markets) here.
Separate markets for these materials have now been established in the hamlets of each settlement in 15 local levels of Mahottari. These goods are now always being sold in markets including the district headquarters, Jaleshwor, Matihani, Bardibas, Gaushala, Ramgopalpur, Pipra, Sitapur, Aurahi, Balwa, and Loharpatti. In Mithila, making bamboo sticks and bamboo baskets of the Bin and Dom castes to make chhiti, dali, kansupa, nanglo, chalno, and fankha is considered an ancestral profession.
Kashi Mukhiya Bin, 50, of Ramnagar, Bhangaha-4, says that the work is now difficult due to the increase in demand for such materials during festivals. “At other times, these goods are not sold, and plastic goods have increased. The demand has increased due to the custom of requiring bamboo utensils during Diwali and Chhath,” says Kashi. “Since it is a job taught by our grandparents, we have been doing it for my generation, but our sons and nephews have not paid attention to learning this job.”
Earlier, these goods were used for daily purposes, so my parents used to make a living from this profession, but now there is a demand for it only during Diwali and Chhath. Although there is a demand only for special festivals, the money made and sold during these times can last for about three to four months, according to the elders of the Bin and Dom communities.
“We meet our needs with the cash we earn during this time,” said Paro Marik (Dom) of Bardibas-1, who had reached the Gaushala Bazaar to sell these goods, including the Chhiti. “With the earnings from this festival, we meet our needs for a few months and fulfill the desires of the Dhiyaputa (young children of the house) to eat and play.”
Due to the festival, there is a lot of work to go and find bamboo, split it, make choya and kaptera, and make goods as per the demand. Ratan Marik of Jaleshwor-1 said that after completing the work of taking the finished goods to the market, we finally get some cash. Skilled Bin and Dom are now working day and night. This continues until the day Chhath Parva begins.
