Mengujuma (Nagaland), Aug 7 : A bamboo wood artisan in Nagaland''s Mengujuma village has turned his work into pieces of art.

Mego Seyie, 30, lives in one of the most backward villages in Nagaland''s Kohima district.

Seyie, who comes from a farming background, took to this profession after completing his tenth grade.

Residents generally shy away from this craft as it is labour intensive and the profits are meager.

However, Seyie''s interest in this art made him enroll at Angami Christian Literature Society (ACLS) to learn the finer tricks of the trade. It was under the able guidance of N. Savino that Mego became a trained hand.

"I was interested in these small tit bits from the very beginning. However, my desire took shape with the help of ACLS. It once called a workshop to train people. I attended it and I was sent to Dimapur under the tutelage of N. Savino," said Seyie.

ACLS presented a simple chiseling machine after seeing his dedication to the trade. With this chiseling machine and a few basic tools, he churns out plates, trays, baskets, candle stands, pen stands and plethora of other decorative items.

His interest and dedication has seen products being featured in number of exhibitions in Sikkim, Kerala, Kolkata and other places as well.

This master craftsman is not happy to keep this unique craft only to himself, but is willing to pass it on to other youth who are truly interested in the craft.

With Look-East Policy bringing the South Asian markets closer to North East, it is hoped that entrepreneurs like Seyie will be able to find bigger markets for their products. (ANI)