By Sagar
Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Dec 27: Nestled among 200 handicraft stalls, the one from Arunchal Pradesh welcomes visitors warmly. The stall at the Toshali Crafts Mela on Janata Maidan has been a center of attraction with visitors flocking to buy the flowers that do not die for their vases back home.
The starkly beautiful flowers are not real but are made from other natural material.
“All these are the waste parts of flowers, crops and trees that one otherwise discards, including peels of corn crop, harvested paddy, ‘daichi’ seed and other material. Back home in Arunachal, we collect them and make decorative items at home,” said Khoda Yokam, the eldest of the three women who run the stall.
Her sister, Mispi Kino, was busy making a bunch of flowers out of corn peels. “I learnt it from my sister Yokam two years ago and now work with her and help her in business. This is our part-time job at home,” Kino said.
Dipli Ghur, the youngest sibling who joined her sisters six months ago, is still learning the art of making flowers out of dry leaves, seeds and grass. “I like doing it. I now accompany my sisters on their business tours to different states whenever there is an exhibition,” said Ghur.
The sisters are enjoying their visit. “Orissa has been the best for us so far. We never did so much business in any other exhibition in other parts of the country. People like our work,” said Yokam.
Unfortunately, the picture is not all rosy. The sisters travel to different states across the country to display their work at the various handicraft melas hosted by the central or state governments. “When we are at home we collect raw material such as dry leaves, grass and seed and dye them in different colours,” said Yokam.
She, however, does not know how to sell her work to people from other countries. “I don’t know how to sell it outside the country. However, I’m sure our work would be liked by foreigners as well,” Yokam said with a smile.
Back home, Yokam teaches the art to around 20 girls. “In Arunachal, it’s very common. The girls know these arts instinctively,” she said.