Traditional Bamboo Weavers in city

A custom practiced by most women during the Ganesh- Gowri festival is the exchange of a bamboo tray (Mora) containing clothes and grains called Bagina. But many are not aware who weaves these bamboo moras.

They woke up at 4 am, cooking food for their children, carrying food for them, they catch the bus at 5 am from Nanajangud and assemble beneath the Peepal (Arali Mara) tree opposite to 101 Ganesha Temple before sunrise.

Men cut and prune the Bamboo stems, the women folk weave them.

After the bamboo stems are carefully smoothened with knives by the men, women pick them for weaving the traditional mora.

All the women sit in a circle and weave pruned bamboo. While the husbands, brothers can be seen sitting opposite to them cutting bamboo stems and giving the pieces to the women.

The family comprising a total of 43 members of which 18 are women say this has been their permanent place during festival season for the past four decades, while in the past their parents and grand parents were selling the bamboos sitting on the same place.

These traditional Bamboo Weavers, hailing from Nanjangud taluk, work from dawn to desk for about one-and-half month only during Gowri-Ganesha festival. With about Rs 400 to Rs 500 in pocket the couples catch their bus back to town at 10 pm. They say during this festival season they sell about 80 to 120 mora per day.

“We are all relative. We make and sell 'Mora' using Bamboo. This is offered as 'bagina' for Goddess Gowri and also to other women,” says 48-year-old Mangalamma, who is accompanying her husband for the past 32 years.

“I have three children. I wake up at 4 am. Clean house, prepare food for children and come here to sell bamboo mara. Even during other times our routine remains same. We even bamboo items at Nanjangud Town,” said 60-year-old Jayashree.

--- box ----

Bamboo woven 'Mora' plays major role in Gowri-Ganesha festival and is called as 'Morada Bagina'.