Bamboo Baskets of Dadra and Nagar Haveli

The bamboo used to make baskets is the easily pliable green gaoghari vaas. The outer layer is split into eight strips that form the radial base of the basket. These structures are placed one over the other and tied with a thinner bamboo split. The sides are woven using narrower bamboo splits. The rim is of two inches and constructed in a different weave. The strips are not polished at the time of weaving but acquire sheen and smoothness with use.

The construction is of a basic style and uses tools such as charo/knife, difu/bamboo piece, and pataalo/stool.

Articles made of bamboo are chhabdi/shallow dish, moti topli/big basket, nani topli/small basket, tingadiu/hanging basket, karandia/chicken basket, agarbatti/incense sticks and icecream sticks. A huge basket with a lid is used to keep the offering made to Kansari Devi/ the Goddess of grain. The basket contains silver plates embossed with icons of gods and goddesses, rice grains and stones smeared with sindoor/vermilion powder.