Bamboo Mat Weaving of the Paniya Tribe, Wayanad

The Paniya community, the largest tribal group in Wayanad, traditionally weave bamboo mats (known as paaya) used as sleeping mats, wall partitions, and grain drying surfaces. Weavers select mature three-year-old bamboo culms from forest clumps, splitting them into flat strips of uniform width using a special iron splitter. The strips are woven in a simple over-under pattern on a ground loom, with border patterns created by inserting dyed bamboo strips. The finished mat is treated with coconut oil to extend its life. Wayanad's Scheduled Tribes Cooperative Federation markets these mats through state emporiums, providing supplementary income for Paniya women who form the majority of weavers.