Sikki Work
Bihari women also make baskets and festival figures out of tough sikki grass. This is dyed
in bright radiant colours before being woven into basket form. This art is centred in the Mithila
region of north Bihar.
In areas of heavy rainfall such as the north-east, Bengal, Orissa
and the south, rain hats, umbrellas and rain capes are a necessity. They can also provide shelter from the harsh sun. Most of the
hats are made by sandwiching a layer of dried leaves between
two layers of a bamboo netlike structure.
The country made umbrellas and rain capes follow similar principles of construction. The grass is woven into these extremely
fine handicrafts. The wild sikki grass, a virtual riverside weed, has
become a source of creativity for the sikki womenfolk. Sikki
stretch is coiled into shapes, ranging from a simple round box
with a lid to stylized ones stimulating an elephant, a bird, a snake
or a tortoise.
The boxes vary in shape and size. Again, not quite satisfied with just natural texture of the
grass, the women embellish it with dyed strands, woven into patterns of geometrical intricacy,
which add elegance to this simple craft. Nowadays they even create sikki-woven bangles which
look quite exquisite and ornamental. |
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