unbreakable items from wastage papers

If you think waste-papers are meant for dustbin after being used, than you have to change your thought, at least after seeing the beautiful creation of a female group of Keonjhar. They are sure to make you to re-think as these females are making unbreakable toys and show pieces including idols of god & goddess using waste-papers as raw materials. These fascinating items become the centre of attraction in the ‘GramaSree mela’ presently underway in Sambalpur and will continue till 3rd June. Organized by the ORMAS and district administration with financial support from CAPART, the fair of handicrafts and handloom has an ideal place of shopping during the Sital Sssti festival.

“We make these items from waste papers. We add few other materials with the waste papers to make the item stronger and durable. it takes much time because we prepare it manually. We never use any machines. Our lady members do the work and earn a handsome amount from the cottage industry”., said, Harihar Suta, trainer and guide of the Maa Tarini Self help group of Keonjhar’s Hatadihi village
According to him, the art of making consumable items from waste papers was obtained from South India. While he was in Bangalore he got the training of making beautiful items through wastepaper. But he cultivated new technique of making unbreakable items through his own experiments. it took him about three years to give his technique to a final shape. Now he is the pioneer of this technique and though this he is able to feed more than 30 families of his village.
“I got the art from South India where have taken number of training on the subjects. But after coming back I started experimenting on it to do something unique. With number of experiments I finally acquired this technique of making unbreakable items. We have formed an SHG and they are running their families under my guidance”, Mr. Suta told.
Sources said, the waste papers are converted into liquid form by boiling with water. When the stuff becomes ready they mix few powders with the stuff specially prepared from tamarind seeds and other dry leaves to make it solid. Than they dry the stuff by giving various shapes as per their requirement and demands. Finally they paint the items with wooden colour to make it beautiful and attractive. .”We use wooden calour because we feel our items are similar to wooden item because of its durability”, Mr. Suta told.
Moreover the costs of these items are lesser in comparison to wooden items. “Wood has become costlier now days so people prefer to take our item because of its look and cost”, a member of the group Sabina told.

Apart from this, several other items like Juti, bed sheets and pearl from Rajasthan and handloom cotton saree from West Bengal are also getting much attention from the people as these items are not available every time in Sambalpur. “We try to house items of every state in Gramasree Mela to make it attractive and praiseworthy. We also organize cultural prograame every evening to entertain the people” the regional manager of the ORMAS Mr., K K Jha told.