 in Syangja is vanishing due to modern alternatives and changing lifestyles.){kind=link}
The age-old tradition of weaving gundri (straw mats) in Syangja is vanishing due to modern alternatives and changing lifestyles. Once a common practice during the harvest season, weaving gundri from paddy straw has been replaced by the use of plastic mats and rugs.
Sita Subedi, a resident of Waling-8, explained, “Plastic mats are easily available in the market, and people have started using them. The younger generation is unwilling to continue this labor-intensive craft.” She added that the lack of long straw, due to reduced farming and hybrid crop varieties, has further contributed to the decline.
While gundri weaving is still practiced sporadically in rural areas, the influence of urban lifestyles and convenience-driven choices is gradually phasing out this tradition. Elderly artisans fear that without proper transfer of skills to the younger generation, the craft may soon become extinct.
Traditionally, gundri was crafted using paddy straw, jute threads, and bamboo reeds. The process involved manually weaving the materials on handmade looms, requiring meticulous effort and time. These mats were also essential for religious rituals and ancestral ceremonies.
Experts warn that the disappearance of such traditional skills highlights the growing gap between generations and the loss of cultural heritage in rural Nepal.
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