Sikki grass craft

Sikki grass craft

Sikki grass crafts are various handicrafts that are made from a special kind of grass known as sikki found in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, India. The art of making items from sikki grass is an ancient one in the province of Bihar.

Tharu women in the southern plains of Nepal, have been weaving traditional baskets from sikki grass for centuries. Nowadays, many Tharu women are engaged in producing sikki handicrafts through collaborative networks.

Sikki is dried and the flower head is cut off. The resulting fine golden fibre is used in weaving to make toys, dolls, and baskets (dolchi). Items are sometimes painted.

Boxes made of sikki known as pauti are given to daughters by parents on the occasion of their wedding. The boxes are used to hold sindoor, ornaments, and jewellery.

Sikki

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Bihar bazaar

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Dry-grass

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Each sikki product starts with a base frame of Munj as per the design. Then the Sikki strands with a 6-inch long needle-shaped tool called Takua are woven around it. Takua has a rounded head for a comfortable grip, which is usually made of wood or lacquer ware. To split the Sikki strands, a very fine knife called Choori or a pair of scissors called Kaichi are used.

process

Water is used to moisten the grass, which makes it more pliable to turn it around the Munj structure. The coiling is done so finely that the Munj base is not visible at all. Hands constantly play with multicolored Sikki laces, till the artist is satisfied with the emerging pattern and its finish.

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The craft of Sikki weaving has its root in traditional beliefs of Indian value system, yet it is a perfect example of sustainability in contemporary times. These grass products are lightweight, organic, biodegradable and last just as long as you would like them around.