活动名称：木艺木趣国际研讨会暨展览会
时间地点：2011年10月20日，印度班加罗尔J N Tata多功能礼堂
演讲嘉宾：Neelam Manjunath
演讲题目：Saga of the poor man’s timber

摘要：Once upon a time, million of years ago, in prehistoric times, man discovered a giant grass in the wild forests - BAMBOO! It became the KALPAVRIKSHA for him. He built his house with it , protected it with Bamboo forts, used it as firewood, made weapons, cloths, musical instruments etc and after death was carried and buried with it. He developed a Bamboo Civilisation with indigenous technologies for various uses, like transportation ,handmade paper, water distribution pipes, medicines, housing etc.

Fast forward to 18th century, the Britisher‘s colonized half of the world. The world went through Industrial Movement and modernization took everything by a storm . Machines started being used for everything . Wood processing became easier and replaced Bamboo in many applications. Steel and cement was discovered. Man started using factory produced materials. The usage of Bamboo got reduced. Only poor people used it, since they could not afford the highly processed materials. As a result this KALPAVRIKSHA got labelled as – the Poor man‘s timber.

Further forward to 21st century. The world is gripped by the fear of Human civilization being wiped out because of Environmental degradation and Global warming . Conferences, seminars, workshops ,rallies across the world are talking about the ill effects of Industrialisation and urging the world to "Return back to Nature". And in this call for return, the so called Poor man‘s timber is being hailed as the WONDER MATERIAL by the Global community , especially for the building construction sector - the largest polluter in any country. A BAMBOO RENAISANCE IS TAKING PLACE !
The technology of construction with Bamboo is the greatest contribution that the South and the Eastern world can give to Sustainable Development.

I will be presenting three of our projects which underline the RETURN OF THIS WONDER MATERIAL as the most modern and fashionable material today namely - BAMBOO SYMPHONY, Bangalore; HOUSE OF FIVE ELEMENTS, Bangalore; and the POLICE BHAVAN, Bangalore.

Neelam Manjunath, Centre for Green Building Materials & Technology, No.7, Aditigreenscapes,, No.20, Venkateshpura, Sampigehalli Rd, Bangalore - 560064, INDIA.