Bhagwad Gita available on bamboo

Orissa: Historically, religion and art have always gone hand in hand and one craftsman in Orissa is trying to continue the tradition.

He is carving the teachings of Bhagwat Gita and the Hanuman Chalisa on thin, delicate strips of bamboo.

For the last 20 years, Makardhawaja Behera, an Orissa-based craftsman, has been turning bamboo sticks to beautiful pieces of art like lamps, houses and birds.

However, of late he has given up the usual designs to try something new and unique.

Makardhawaja is writing the entire Bhagwat Gita and the Hanuman Chalisa on wafer thin strips of bamboo.

"I had once been to Mathura and there I saw the Gita written on chunks of marble inside a house. That inspired me and since I am a bamboo craftsman I thought of writing it on bamboo," says Makardhawaja.

But translating his passion into reality was not an easy task. To write each word it takes hours and it has taken Makardhawaja two years to complete two volumes.

He cuts small pieces of bamboo, then peels the skin and creates each letter for the words.

These words are then pasted on a sheet also made of bamboo. Behera's daughter, Kunmun, who helps her father, has also become interested in this project.

"When my father started doing this, I thought it was a really difficult thing to do. But as I started helping him, I really started enjoying myself," says she.

Makardhawaja now wants to display his work at a national exhibition.

Though he may not be widely known even in his own state, in his own small way, Makardhawaja makes us believe that this is a land of unique people with unique achievements.

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