Ranchi: As Chhath preparations gather pace, bamboo artisans are finding a wider market for their products through Chhath special bazaars organised by the Jharkhand State Livelihood Promotion Society (JSLPS) across the state from Wednesday to Sunday.The initiative promotes traditional bamboo products such as soops and dauras, essential for Chhath rituals, while giving artisans direct access to buyers and reducing their dependence on middlemen. Artisans from Pakur, Dumka, Sahibganj, Giridih, and Seraikela-Kharsawan are participating in the fairs.For many artisans, Chhath is the most important sales season of the year but earnings have often remained limited due to a lack of organised marketing channels and restricted market access. “I make all types of bamboo products, including small baskets. Prices start at Rs 150, depending on the product and its size,” Basanti Astha, a bamboo artisan from Pakur, said.“The move aims at taking them beyond seasonal production and helping them establish independent, sustainable businesses. Another objective is to revive traditional crafts that are gradually losing their practitioners and transform skilled artisans into entrepreneurs,” said Nitish Kumar Sinha, the state programme manager (Non-Farm Enterprise) with the JSLPS.“JSLPS is seeking to address the challenges faced by traditional artisans by linking them to markets and supporting them with training, skill enhancement, and enterprise development so as to make the activities economically sustainable,” he added.The programme also attempts to encourage artisans to diversify into bamboo products with year-round demand, helping preserve traditional skills while expanding livelihood opportunities, officials said.
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