Rare Bengal weaving techniques on display

Swayambhar NARI, a Kolkata-based voluntary organisation from Shantiniketan from West Bengal brings to the city unique handicraft products to an exhibition currently underway at YWCA, West Marredpally

Designer and artist mats are the highlight. The light weight mats woven from golden grass are unique. Used in pooja tooms and also for sleeping, they are painstakingly woven by artisans. It takes six months for two artisans to make one mat. They are so unique that whatever the design you want it can be done even with your own photograph. They are available for a grab at Rs 2500/-and can go up to Rs 25000/- informs Saiket Banerjee.

Another star attraction are Khesh Sarees, made using a unique technique of weaving old sarees by tearing them into thin strips informs Surangama Bhadra, Founder Secretary of Swayambhar Nari. Even before reduce, reuse and recycle became the environmental watchwords, Birbhum, the district that Santiniketan falls under, had a tradition of recycled textiles. While Birbhum shares with many other areas of both West Bengal and Bangladesh the tradition of the “kantha” or the quilt made by layering old sarees, the tradition of “khesh” is quite unique to Birbhum and adjoining areas, she said.

The Khesh technique is weaving of old sarees by tearing them into thin strips. Surangama started Swayambahr Nari in 1988 essentially for women but over the years male craftsmen too have joined. It was started as a voluntary group for providing marketing facilities to craftsmen. Today, it has more than 1,000 members. The organisation runs two craft schools at Midnapore and Birbhum, Shantiniketan besides schools in rural areas for the craftsperson’s' children. It advices craftsperson’s on design matters.

The exhibition also showcases different types of handicrafts from Shantineketan – Hand Embroidery Sarees, Batique items, Dress materials, Jewellery, Block Printing, Kurta, Madur (mat), Jute Chappals, Jute Bags, Men’s & Women’s Silk & Cotton Kurtas, Dress Materials, Cotton, Silk & Tassar printed sarees and Dokra. When: 10am to 8pm till 12th September.