Makeshift raft is quite common in rural Bengal.
Lets look into the type/variety-
Plantain raft / Kalar Bhaela: widely used in rural areas. Lifespan: few days. Mainly used at the time of flood.
Sholar Bhaela (Pith Raft): Sholar Bahela is not so common but used in Jhargram area of West Medinipur district. Used mainly in fishing. Longevity is two to four years. Shola (scientific name: Aeschymene aspera)
Kharer Bhaela: Temporary raft last for only few hours made of bundle of straw. Mainly used in fishing.
Gharar Bhaela: Widely used in East Medinipur and Howrah district to collect Lotus flower and water chestnut (Panifal)
Dhap: Layers of Kachuripana (hyacinth), a kind of aquatic flora, keeping one above other formed a kind of raft termed as Dhap.
