Nakshi Kantha is a folk form of quilting old dhotis, sarees and other old clothes and embroidering them with coloured threads drawn from saree borders. The embroidered patterns depict elaborate and intricate floral, animal, human and other household motifs along with social and cultural scenes from Bengal in the 19 century. Kanthas serve primarily as […]
Craft Keyword: West Bengal
Batik/Wax-Resist Dyeing on Cloth of West Bengal
The process of batik allows the imagination of the printer to come into play. Wax is used as a resist on those parts of the fabric which will be dyed a shade different from the base colour. The base is dyed a dark colour and the fabric is washed in boiling water and soap after […]
Baul Singers of West Bengal
Baul singers are a sect of minstrels living in the rural areas of West Bengal and Bangladesh. They believe in achieving spiritual liberation through their music and poetry. Bauls keep on travelling from place to place to earn a living through their oral tradition and refuse the conventional ideology of life. Their music is about […]
Gohona Bori of West Bengal
For the Bengali people, arts and crafts holds a special place. Then it’s no surprise to find this passion to be visible in their food also. Gohona Bori of West Bengal is a fine example of this. For the people of Bengali origin, the bori signifies small pieces of spiced or unspiced sun dried, urad […]
Beaten Silver Work of West Bengal
The craft of beaten silver work started in Bhabanipur, West Bengal during the colonial days. The cluster would cater to the demands for intricate and exotic silverware of the kings of different states, dignitaries like viceroys and the governors. However, after independence and the abolition of the Zamindari system, the glory of the craft started […]
Jute Jewellery of West Bengal
Jute is a natural fiber. Today it finds many uses in contemporary products like bags, shoes and even jewelry. Jute is called as golden fiber. Jute is cultivated all over India and a source of livelihood for many. Women are major contributors in the value chain of jute products from farmers to product makers. Jute […]
Musical Instruments and Sound Objects of West Bengal
West Bengal has a rich musical heritage. With music comes a variety of musical instruments. Rural as well as urban community see music as an integral part of their life. Music is a part of day to day life for a farmer who is padding husks, in a marriage ceremony and any day to day […]
Polo Balls of Deulpur, West Bengal
Deulpur is the only place in the world to supply wooden polo balls to faraway nations of the world. Earlier it was common for them to produce 300,000 polo balls a year of which two third were exported. However, now the market has been taken over by the new plastic polo balls. This change in […]
Rod Puppetry of West Bengal
West Bengal has a rich tradition of rod puppetry, which is locally famous as putul nach (dancing dolls). The Bengali puppeteers believe that rods are stronger as compared to strings and lend greater support and freedom in giving the required animation as well as manipulation. Only a handful of people practice this art form in […]
Jamdani Weaving of West Bengal
Originally made in karpas cotton cultivated on the banks of Brahmaputra, Contemporary Jamdani is worked on cotton, mulberry silk and cotton-silk. The vibrant rich colours of Jamdani are made through a tapestry technique. Small shuttles of coloured silk or cotton yarns are passed through the weft. Each individual motif was woven separately. The thread of […]