Bamboo Infoline in Himachal Pradesh-Analyzing the Current Status of the Furniture Industry and Artisans

India is famous for its cultural legacy and its artisans and artistic heritage. Himachal Pradesh has always been known worldwide for its culture, styles, and workmanship. Bamboo is the most versatile and sprightly growing perennial grass. It is the fastest-growing resource that is getting recognition in all the states of India but has shown a very low pace in Himachal Pradesh. The state which is a hub of artists and bamboo resources is not able to utilize the resources and meet consumer demand. The prominent concerns in Himachal Pradesh are inadequate technological know-how & facilities; lack of awareness amongst artisans regarding the latest trend of bamboo furniture and design; lack of promotion of bamboo craft and furniture. The artisans and craftsmen are facing many challenges due to these impediments. Bamboo is an exciting design resource and has many positive attributes such as rapid growth, high strength, and ease of manipulation using simple tools with low investment and can act as a supportive measure to enhance the current status of the artisans in Himachal Pradesh. The removal of poverty and social tensions which Himachali craftsmen are facing, bamboo furniture development and productions can play a major stroke to protect the heritage legacy [1]. The focus of this paper is to find the current status of the bamboo handicraft and furniture industry in this highly tourist-oriented state of Himachal Pradesh, the gaps and challenges faced by all the stakeholders in the industry, and the development policies which are needed to produce a better source of handicraft and furniture to meet consumer demand.

Keywords: Bamboo, Bamboo Artisans, Craftsman, Furniture, Handicraft, Himachal Pradesh.