Bulrush Mats and its Impact on Living Standards in Thiruvanamalai Districts

Abstract

This article addresses bulrush mats, traditional mats manufactured from bulrush stalks. The research shows that bulrush mat production is vital to the livelihoods and cultural practises of the people that make it and that attempts are being made to maintain its traditional skills and knowledge. Promoting and preserving bulrush mats in Tamil Nadu requires marketing. TNHDCL and Co-optex promote marketing. NGOs and private companies are improving mat quality and designing new, consumer-friendly designs. South India, especially Tamil Nadu, uses bulrush mats (tule mats) for floor coverings, seats, and wall hangings. Women in Thanjavur, Tiruvarur, and Nagapattinam produce bulrush mats. During the monsoon season, bulrush leaves are harvested, dried, and the fibres extracted to weave mats. Village fairs, exhibitions, festivals, and Amazon and Flipkart are the key marketing channels. The craft's cultural and economic value, artisans' struggles, and efforts to preserve and develop it have been studied. They are used for flooring, basketry, insulation, erosion prevention, and outdoor seating. For high-traffic areas, bulrush mats are resilient and easy to clean. They can also be used for basketry and other woven crafts and as decorative accents. They can be used as sleeping layers or clothes linings since they insulate. They stabilise banks and prevent erosion. Bulrush mats offer pros and cons, including availability, durability, dampness, maintenance, bugs, and allergens. When choosing where and how to utilise bulrush mats, these variables are crucial. Tamil Nadu's rural artisans make tule mats, or bulrush mats. Bulrush stalks are gathered, steeped, and weaved into mats using traditional methods. Recently, bulrush mat production has been revived to conserve ancient crafts and benefit rural communities. Irular, Kattunayakan, and Paniya tribes in Thiruvanamalai make bulrush mats for flooring, sitting, ornamentation, and insulation.