Dearth of  ‘shola’ hits boat-making cottage industry

JAGATSINGHPUR:As the State celebrates Kartika Purnima, acute shortage of shola pith (a milky white sponge-wood) in the district has badly affected the boat-making cottage industry and livelihood of several artisans. Besides, stiff competition from plastic-made boitas (boats) has taken a toll on the industry.

Earlier, boats floated during Boita Bandana celebrations on Kartika Purnima used to be made of eco-friendly material such as trunks of plantains or paper boats. But, the use of non-biodegradable material, such as thermocol, cheap lead-based paints, varnish and coloured papers have become popular in the recent years. Thousands of gardeners and artisans of 1,294 villages of the district used to earn their livelihood by making miniature boats and selling it to locals to float during the festival. But severe dearth of shola pith has hit the artisans hard.

Boita Bandana is a major festival of the State in which rural people float miniature boats on ponds, rivers and other water bodies to remember the ancient maritime tradition and culture on the occasion of Kartika Purnima. During the ceremony, men, women and children dressed up in traditional costumes launch tiny boats made from banana peels, paper or shola pith with lighted lamps inside, and women perform the Boita Bandana rituals.

Pramila Rana of Alasudha village said though earlier she used to earn `25,000 to `30,000 during the festival by selling different types of miniature boats, now she is forced to bring thermocol from open market for making of boats due to acute shortage of shola pith. It is a plant that grows in marshy areas. The shola pith is the cortex or core of the plant. Gardeners and artisans collect it from bushes on river beds and jungles. Then they remove the outer hard brown skin to get the inner soft material, which can be made decorative. But now, it is hardly found on river beds, she added.

Another artisan said as shola pith is not easily available these days, locals buy thermocol for the purpose. The shola pith, which was earlier used, is a natural alternative and does not contribute to water pollution. But today’s non-biodegradable thermocol and plastic boats create pollution in water bodies, he added.
Faced with non-availability of shola in their vicinity, tough competition with plastic made boats and lack of Government patronage to this cottage industry, the artisans are forced to give up their traditional occupation. Meanwhile, they have urged the State Government to develop marshy areas to grow shola pith plants.