# Light Through a Dried Gourd: How Bastar's Tumba Art Turned a Vegetable Into a Craft Brand

> In Bastar, dried gourds are carved into glowing decorative pieces called Tumba Art, which sell for between 200 and 1000 rupees. Demand is rising even as the number of artisans who make it keeps shrinking.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Success Stories · **Published:** 2026-06-13 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/success-stories/sukhi-lauki-se-nikalati-hai-roshani-bastara-ke-tunba-arta-ne-kaise-banai-apani-a-382 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** Bastar Tumba Art, Gourd craft, Chhattisgarh handicraft, Jagdalpur, Artisan livelihood, Handmade decor, Indumati Ravna

## A Gourd That Lights Up the Room
Bastar, in Chhattisgarh, is known for its metal craft and woodwork — but there is another, quieter skill here that transforms a dried bottle gourd into a piece of art. It is called Tumba Art. Fine patterns are etched onto the surface of the gourd, and a light is fitted inside it. When switched on, the glow that filters out through the carving turns an ordinary room into something strikingly beautiful.

## Strong Demand, Shrinking Hands
Because these pieces look so attractive and add to the décor of homes and rooms, they enjoy steady demand in the market. A finished Tumba Art sells for anywhere between 200 and 1000 rupees. For now it is easily found in Bastar and is also sold online, and the craft has become a source of livelihood for several artisans. The irony is that even as demand grows, the number of people who still know how to make it keeps falling.

## The Slow Work Behind Every Piece
Indumati Ravna, one of the artisans behind this craft, says she works on Tumba Art alongside her wooden woodcraft. The gourd is the foundation of it all — she either grows the gourds herself or buys them from the market, and then dries them thoroughly.

Once a gourd is completely dry, all the pulp inside is scooped out and the surface is rubbed down to a smooth finish. Iron tools are then heated and used to carve different designs onto the gourd, with a separate tool for each kind of pattern. Special carving is done at the spots where the light needs to escape. Etching the full design onto a single Tumba Art takes about a day.

## From a Jagdalpur Shop to Wider Markets
Indumati's shop is in Jagdalpur, where most buyers for now are local people. Beyond that, the administration helps carry her products to markets outside the region. She has long been doing woodcraft, she says, while Tumba Art is something she took up only recently — and so far she has not trained anyone else in it.

## What this means for you
- **Across India:** If you look for handmade, eco-friendly home décor, Tumba Art is an affordable option priced between 200 and 1000 rupees and is now available online too.
- **In Bastar (Chhattisgarh):** The craft is a real source of income for local artisans, and with the administration helping push their products into outside markets, it could open up more earning opportunities in the region.

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