The women of Mithila are known for their impressive craft skills. From the early centuries they have
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The women of Mithila region of India are known for their impressive Art & craft skills. From the early centuries they have been making beautiful Sikki Craft apart from the very famous Mithila Painting, Godna Painting, Papier mache, Sujani Embroidery, Appliqué works etc. Sikki is a type of grass of golden colour which is grown in the wet and marshy area around rivers and ponds in Mithila.
In early ages when there were not so many sources of entertainment in the villages in Mithila, women used to make different artistic crafts and paintings for their entertainment as well as to make some valuable utility products for their household uses .
Initially women used to make utilitarian products (different types of baskets) human figures (mainly Gods & Goddesses to worship), and 2D figures of birds and animals. Sikki is predominantly a women’s craft. Young girls learn to make Sikki craft from their grandmothers or mothers because it is a very old craft of this area and a majority of the old-aged ladies know how to make sikki craft. Girls and bride-to-be take these Sikki products to their husband’s home after marriage as a part of their dowry. A young bride is judged for her imagination and skill by the various crafted articles she carries. Sikki containers and boxes filled with dry-fruits are also gifted to daughters at the time of marriage.
Sikki grass is grown in the wet and marshy area around the rivers and pounds in Mithila. It is grown in the area of heavy rainfall. This golden grass is usually collected by Harijans in the rainy season. The dry grass is then sold by them at the Haat or local market by the foot. The munj (another grass) and khar are other important raw materials for the making of sikki grass products. Munj is much cheaper and more abundant, so it is used to give basic shape and strength in sikki products. At first munj is coiled and then it is covered with sikki grass. Other raw materials are colours for dyeing of sikki grass. These colours are easily available in the local market.The last and most valuable raw material is water, which is used to soak the sikki grass and make it more pliable as it is coiled around the munj. The main tool used by the Maithili women is a 5-6 inches long needle-shaped iron object with a rounded head for grip is called Takua. They also use a very thin knife (choori) for splitting and scissors (kaichi) for cutting the sikki. At times they also use their teeth for splitting sikki grass. To make the sikki grass usable, it is first cut from its base and then dried for some days. Since the flowering part of the stem of sikki is not used for crafts making, it is discarded and the remaining portion of the sikki is sliced and shaved with the help of a knife or by teeth.
