Markets busy as Chhath and Tihar near, but Dom community's bamboo-ware trade in crisis

As Chhath and Tihar approach, demand for bamboo and clay items used in worship has risen in markets from Siraha to Nepalgunj. But the income of the communities who make these items remains seasonal and low.

In Siraha's markets, people have begun arriving to buy the dhaki, sup, nanglo and konia used to offer arghya to the sun. With the festivals nearing, traders selling bamboo items are waiting for customers.

In Saptari, however, the Marik, or Dom, community that makes konia, nanglo, dhakki and changeri say it has become difficult to sustain their families through this ancestral trade. Their struggles have grown because the work demands heavy labor for little income, and sales occur mainly during weddings and festivals.

According to 70-year-old Bhaju Marik of Tirhut Rural Municipality-3, buying a single bamboo costs about 200 to 300 rupees, from which three items can be made in a day. He said that in months outside festival season, it is hard even to manage two meals a day, and the pay does not match the labor involved.

Meanwhile, the Kumhal community in Nepalgunj is busy day and night making diyo and other clay items for Tihar and Chhath. Some are kneading clay while others shape it into form. According to Dipak Kumhal of Nepalgunj-3, although the use of clay items has declined due to modern utensils, demand rises sharply around Tihar.