photos: niaz zaman & amiya kanti chakma To retain or revive traditional weaving, the right incentive must be given as well as the realisation created that indigenous weaving is not only a functional product but also a work of art and the preservation of a unique culture. Backstrap weaving was carried out extensively in the…

The nakshi kantha is a type of embroidered quilt made from thread and old cloth that is known for its ornate and colourful designs. It is also one of the oldest folk art traditions in Bangladesh. To celebrate “Crafts,” we have chosen to reprint an article from the very first issue of Jamini that looks…

Shila Basak, Banglar Nakshi Kantha. Cover design Krishnendu Chaki, Embroidery Suryabarta, Santiniketan. Ananda Publishers, 2002, Rupees 1000, pp 326. Shila Basak’s Banglar Nakshi Kantha has fulfilled the need of those who have bought a kantha and would like to know more about it or have bought a book on kanthas and would like to have…

What do you do, O mother of the bride, Sitting on your bed? Your daughter’s groom approaches fast, A flowered turban on his head. O let him come, as fast as he will, What have I to fear? For his sake, at the threshold, I have spread the marriage kantha, dear. – Bengali marriage song…