First bamboo biennale begins in Wayanad

KALPETTA: Bamboo biennale, an event to celebrate bamboo, started Uravu centre for indigenous knowledge and technique, Thrikkeipatta here on Saturday with live demonstrations of craftsmen. Organised on the lines Kochi Biennale, the festival showcases bamboo based artworks, architecture, crafts and environmental conservation initiatives. Sessions on bamboo policy and legal issues also was held. The biennale started on Saturday afternoon. The event is aimed at bringing together bamboo artists, craftsmen, farmers, environmentalists, policy makers, designing experts, students and people's representatives on to a common platform.

Bamboo installations and sculptures would be erected at various places of the village on the final day of the event. The programme is organised with the support of Department of Scheduled Tribes, NABARD, Forest department and the Fetzer Foundation of the design professionals. Students from 150 engineering colleges also would participate in the festival.