Elderly man weaving, carrying and selling baskets at 64

By Rajan Rawat,Humla, Dec. 28: A 64-year-old man here has been found maintaining his livelihood by selling bamboo-made baskets for 42 years. 

Jaisingh Tamta of Kharpunath Rural Municipality-5 has spent most of his time weaving bamboo baskets and selling them in the local markets and neighbouring villages. 

Tamta said that he has been engaging in making bamboo baskets for the last 42 years. He sells the baskets by visiting the villages and marketplaces carrying them on his back. 

He further said that his daily routine was to weave bamboo baskets and visit villages carrying them to sell.

His spouse supports collecting the Himalayan bamboo (Nigalo). He also goes to the forest to collect it. He weaves the bamboo baskets throughout the year and takes them to the villages and markets whenever he wants to sell them. 

He said that he has been weaving bamboo baskets with his hand.  He weaves a basket on a long day and when the days are shorter, he takes two days to complete a basket. 

Bamboo baskets are being sold in different villages of Simkot and Kharpunath Rural Municipalities. He has been selling a big basket at Rs. 1,200 and a small one (Daalo) at Rs. 800.   

He has been selling 200 bamboo baskets and 150 Daalos a year. Even at the age of 64 years, he has been supporting his family by making a good income. 

He has been weaving and selling bamboo baskets since he was 22 years old. He has demanded modern skills and techniques to make bamboo baskets but so far he has not received such facilities from any authority.