The stitched quilt
Kantha began as old saris layered and run-stitched into quilts. Around Bolpur and Santiniketan the running stitch became pictures, and nakshi kantha is now the region’s signature.
A district of West Bengal
Birbhumবীরভূম
Red laterite country: Tagore’s Santiniketan, the Saturday haat at Sonajhuri, kantha and batik leather.
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Stories from Birbhum
Santiniketan leather
Vegetable-tanned goat leather, embossed and dyed in batik patterns, taught at Sriniketan in the 1930s and sold ever since as bags, purses and sandals.
Sonajhuri haat
On Saturdays the sal forest at Khoai fills with Baul singers and craftspeople laying out kantha, dokra and jewellery on the ground.
Traditional to Birbhum
Tell us which one you want. A person at our Kolkata desk finds it and confirms the price within 24 hours.
Nakshi kanthaEmbroidered quilts, stoles and saris.- Santiniketan leatherBatik-dyed bags and purses.
Dariyapur dokraLost-wax brass from the village near Bolpur.- Finds from Sonajhuri haatTell us what you saw; we go on Saturday.
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