Man weaves baskets to make money for children's weddings

By Amrit Prasad Poudel,Myagdi, May 22: As modern professional careers become increasingly desirable, more and more people are leaving behind their ancestral occupations. However, Dil Bahadur Shripali, 52, has managed to marry off three of his four children through the income earned from his traditional family craft. 

A father of four, Shripali arranged the weddings of two daughters and one son using the money he earned by producing and selling handicraft items. 

Originally from Tamankhola Rural Municipality-4 in Baglung, Shripali has been producing and selling bamboo and choya (bamboo strips) products such as baskets, winnowing fan and trays in Tatopani, Beni for the past 32 years. 

His family has been engaged in this craft for generations, and most of his family members are skilled in handicraft production. Currently, he lives and works in Tatopani with his wife.

 “We have bamboo and cane on our land in Baglung. I prepare the raw materials and produce attractive items for sale. I also make customised products based on orders and sell items made by my relatives and neighbours in the village,” he said.

“Working with bamboo strips is our ancestral profession, and I truly enjoy it. My wife has been a great support,” Shripali further said. 

His wife helps with the finishing work of the bamboo baskets and small decorative items used in homes. "Working together makes the process easier and lighter, and it really helps in boosting production," he added. 

According to Shripali, everyone in the family is capable of preparing bamboo strips and making products. Although he prepares the raw materials himself for making baskets and containers, he shared that government support for producing bamboo strips for winnowing fans (nanglo) would be helpful.

Typically, decorative baskets sell for at least Rs. 600, and depending on size, some items can fetch up to Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4,000. Shripali said that it takes around two days to make a basic basket or container, and while some items don’t yield much profit, others do. 

“I was taught this craft by my father when I was 13, and he was taught by his father. Although our family has been in this profession for generations, I worry whether the next generation will continue it,” he reflected.

He stated that the business he recently started in Tatopani is doing quite well. Visitors who come to bathe in the Tatopani hot springs often buy the items either as decorations or for use at home. He finds that the products fetch better prices in the market compared to rural areas.