Thanks to arrival of summer season, demand of Khaskhas door and window mats is now high. People cover their windows and doors with the cool mat made up of a water weed (Bena) to save them from the scorching sun. To make Khaskhas mats at least 200 families of Jajpur are now busy to collect the roots of Bena trees which are aplenty in the riverside areas of Bari, Balichandrapur, Dharmasala, Korei and Binjharpur areas.
“We prepare Khuskhus mats from the roots of scented Bena trees in summer after collecting the trees in the riverside areas. After uprooting Bena trees, we dry the roots and make door and window mats from the roots,” said Sarbeswar Jena of village Balichandrapur. The roots of Bena trees absorb water for long time for which the Khaskhas users sprinkle water on the mats. Making door and window mats from the roots of the Bena tree is not an easy task. But, since long at least 200 Dalit families of the district have been making Khaskhas in summer to eke out their livings.
“Our scope for work is restricted now. We make mats from Bena tree during summer. But these sell at dismally low prices, and sales are generally slack, barring summer time,” lamented Prakash Jena, a Khaskhas maker of Bari. “Over five decades, we have also been making mats from Bena trees. During the British Raj, the demand of the Khaskhas mats was high. Due to non-availability of electricity and fans, the British people and other officials including landlords and rich people used to cover their houses with Khaskhas mats in the summer. But after arrival of electricity and air-conditioner, many rich people are not preferring to cover their houses with Khaskhas mats anymore,” said Balabhadra Jena (78), a Khaskhas maker of Bari.
The demand for Khaskhas remains steady in summer season despite emergence of air-conditioners as many people consider the Khaskhas as eco-friendly and less expensive,” opined Manoj Jena (45), an artisan of Binjharpur. In this summer, we got orders from many banks and other offices to supply Khaskhas door and window mats in Jajpur and other areas. At best a Khaskhas maker earns Rs 10,000-Rs 20,000 during the peak season, he added.