Question

What raw material is used by the basket makers of Andugula?
A) White date palm leaves
B) Banana leaves
C) Coconut leaves
D) Sugarcane leaves

Answer 1

Hint: Polaiah creates baskets. He is from Andugula village in Mahabubnagar's Kalavakurthi Mandal. He is approximately 35 years old. He is a member of the Yerukala tribe. For generations, Polaiah's family has been weaving baskets. His wife, Bagyamma, is also a basket maker. They have three children as well.

Complete answer:
About 30 years ago, Polaiah's father, along with 25 other families, moved to the city when the demand for baskets in their native hamlet dropped. He sells baskets on Chaderghat's streets. The spines of wild date palm (eetha chettu) leaves are used by Polaish. He shaves the leaves off with a knife and then hangs them to dry in the sun. Wild date palm leaves, the raw material, are transported in bundles from Andugula, their home village.

In Andugula, his relatives collect the spines from bushes near their villages and sell them to basket makers like polaiah. Andugula is around 60 kilometres from Hyderabad. Each date palm spice bundle costs Rs.120. For two months, Polish and other basket makers normally bring ten bundles. From a single bundle, Polaish's family creates 25 baskets. They'd get roughly 250 baskets from ten bundles of spines.

A basket takes 30 minutes to make. He weaves baskets from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with rest and meal breaks in between. They'd get roughly 250 baskets from ten bundles of spines. A basket takes 30 minutes to make. He weaves baskets from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with rest and meal breaks in between.

White date palm leaves are used by the basket makers of Andugula. Therefore the correct answer is option ‘A’.

Note: Basket crafting is a forest-based craft that involves the use of wild date palm leaves, cane, and bamboo. Forests have been depleted as a result of excessive exploitation for large companies. This has an impact on those who have historically relied on the forest for their livelihood. Furthermore, the demand for such products has significantly decreased.