When I visited Prof M P Ranjan’s blog today, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that besides being a senior member of the Faculty at NID, he is also the chief designer and initiator of an amazing project that will help transform the rural economy in India.
Katlamara is a sleepy rural community in Western Tripura located in the Northeastern region of India. It is a very fertile area rich with vegetation and organised farms for rice, vegetables, tea and a particular species of bamboo, Bambusa affinis, locally called Kanakais.
This is an amazing bamboo with very interesting properties. It grows in varying thicknesses, and based on the diameter has been used for fishing poles, pole-vault poles and were once even exported to Mauritius as boatman’s poles to push and propel boats in coastal and swallow waterways. Today these applications are coming under pressure from global changes and the farmers are unable to get a good price for their cultivated produce.
This is where Prof Ranjan and his team stepped in and put this unique bamboo to really good use in the form of furniture. 40 craftsmen and women from the community were trained to build new products designed by the NID, in the hope to catalyze further action in collaboration with industry and Government participation.
Here are some of the products they designed.
I am sure you will agree that the beauty of the Katlamara bamboo makes quite a design statement, and has great potential due to the fact that it can be knocked-down and stacked (as shown in the pic above) when not in use, and is quite cost-effective too.
If you are wondering where you can source these products, they are made in Katlamara and in nearby villages largely for local consumption. However, there are some producer groups in Agartala, the major city in Tripura, located 40 km from Katlamara, who would be able to supply upcountry orders on request. The Tripura Bamboo Mission is now working with local producers in capacity building so that they can execute such requests commercially.
If you have any questions regarding these products, do record them in the comments section, and Prof Ranjan will address them.
All information and pictures on this post are courtesy of Prof Ranjan.
Great post, love the Bamboo armchairs! 🙂
Wonderful post … . I so adore all things bamboo and all things which can fold away . Love the bed and the chaise! Excellent job, Prof Ranjan !
Judith
Eco friendly furniture is really what we need now. Great post, Sharon!
I have heard they also make bamboo pajamas and they feel great on the skin!
thns for the info on bamboo,.pics r really nice,..
Lovely and ecofriendly.good job,Mr Ranjan.
Beautiful, I loved the collapsible furniture, so practical and comfortable too.
I love Bamboo furnitures. We have them at home for the past 15 years and they still stand healthy! Loved all the designs 🙂
What a fantastic project. I love to read these stories, kudos to Prof. Ranjan:):)
Great post Sharon:)
Thank you for your comments dear Asha, Judith, Aditi, notyet100, Lakshmi, Rekha, LG and Kala. I am thinking of a bamboo corner in my home [I love the green hues of the Katlamara bamboo, but I wonder if they deliver to Pune:)]
Tara, I must look that bit about the bamboo clothes up. Perhaps it can be another new product that the Professor can think of introducing in his catalog?
LG, won’t you share some pics of your bamboo furniture. I would love to have a look!! 🙂
Thanks again everyone!
Sharon
Sharon, that was really nice to read … infact I won’t mind the kiddy furniture for my lil’ one.
Very informative post…
Oh My! Everything looks so good! I am visiting his blog now:)
Rajee, I said the same when I saw the pics of the kiddy furniture – best of all, it’s stackable!
Sri and Sunshinemom, thanks!:)
– Sharon
Love bamboo products. I have a bath rug and window blinds made from bamboo. It is reusable, organic and a great green product. The craftsmanship is amazing. love the collapsible charpayee. I need one for my lil tiny apartment. I wish I could get these furniture in NY.
Love Bamboo…loved the casual look of it…
I really love bamboo products very much. I just like the bamboo armchair s very much. It's great post you have shared with us. Thanks for the lovely and wonderful pics of bamboo furniture. Keep blogging.
I prefer to purchase modern design furniture as they have various European and Italian design furniture to give the right feel to home decor. Spacify is a perfect place which displays varied quality furniture products that are perfect blend of style and utility.
Italian dining room furniture
we supply all kinds of bamboo and wooden products,such as bamboo garden products and bamboo torches and bamboo mats and wooden flooring and wooden mirrors and so on,we supply high quality & low price
we supply all kinds of bamboo and wooden products,such as bamboo garden products and bamboo torches and bamboo mats and wooden flooring and wooden mirrors and so on,we supply high quality & low price
So do they deliver to pune?? I want that bed!! 🙂