Kantha - The embroidery art of West Bengal with global appeal

Kantha - a West Bengal art form

The eastern Indian state of West Bengal is known for its rich culture and variety of folk arts. Kantha, a running embroidery style is one of the most popular Indian folk arts. Kantha saree making is widely practiced by the rural women of West Bengal, among other items of daily use and adornment. This indigenous art form has now acquired a special place in the field of arts and crafts.

Origin of Kanta

Kantha proudly claims to be of age-old origin. Kantha is mentioned in Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita composed by Krishnadasa Kaviraj. The book is more than five hundred years old. Over time, this art form has evolved to cement its place in Bengali life and spread its appeal across the globe.

Kantha Hub

This indigenous craft is widely practiced in Bolpur and Shantiniketan, 180 km north of Kolkata, the capital of West Bengal. Kantha gradually became a powerful source of income for the tribals of the region.

Theme song

Kantha is a signature art form of West Bengal. Kantha embroidery can depict a work of a woman's imagination and sometimes even some rare moments in her life. Floral designs, birds, animals, scenes from everyday life and topical events, and geometric patterns are common subjects.

Kantha is basic

Kantha requires only two raw materials, a cotton or silk cloth and coloured thread. Traditionally, embroidery was done in red, blue and black on a white background. Gradually, other colours like yellow and green also arrived. Simple in design and theme, this traditional art form is mostly done on regular or old clothes, especially old sarees and dhotis. The closely woven, simple coloured stitches create many beautiful kantha patterns and themes. The stitching imparts a wrinkled finish to the fabric. The stitching runs along the border of the fabric.

Types of kantha

Archilata, Nakshi, Durjani, Sujani, Ora and Rumal are some of the forms of Kantha widely popular in Bengal and other parts of the world. Among these, Nakshi Kantha has got a lot of fame.

Kantha Handicrafts

Kantha embroidery is used on a variety of everyday items. Since the 19th century, kantha has been widely used for making light blankets, bed covers, cushion covers, quilts and bed spreads for newborns. Today Kantha has turned into a significant design explanation. The demand for Kantha stitched sarees and men's kurtas with dupattas is skyrocketing across the globe.