Nakshi Kantha

(নকশীকাথা)

Overview
A centuries-old Bengali art tradition known as Nakshi
Kantha (নকশীকাথা), a type of embroidered quilt, is
prevalent in Bangladesh and the Indian states of West
Bengal, Tripura, and parts of Assam. It is a unique design
created by many styles of common spaces. The image of
life lived in rural Bengal has been portrayed on the body of
Kantha in the seams of sewing. Thread and used fabric are
the main components.

The name "Nakshi Kantha," that is derived from the

Bengali word "naksha," which denotes creative patterns,
was given to the vibrant patterns and motifs that are
stitched. Early kanthas featured white backgrounds that
were embroidered in red, blue, and black; subsequently,
yellow, green, and other colors were added. The primary
stitch used for this is the running stitch known as "kantha
stitch." Kantha was traditionally prepared for use by the family. Today, with the nakshi kantha's
resurgence, they are created commercially.
History, tradition, emotions, sentiments,
religious beliefs, culture, tastes, space, time,
economy, nature, and environment are all
significantly influenced by and diverse in
Nakshi Kantha. It is a potential Bengal's
resource. Currently, nakshi kantha is highly
sought for both domestically and abroad. By
developing a market for these goods, the
district's underprivileged impoverished women
workers have been paid fairly for their labor
and the perception of the rural economy has
transformed. More than 3 lakh individuals are
being directly and indirectly employed as a
result of this; 90% of them are women. Today,
"Nakshi Kantha" is regarded as a traditional type of folk art and is used to create haute-couture
garments by renowned designers.

History of Nakshi Kantha

Bengal:
Beginning of 19th Century
Hindu women utilized both human and animal forms to
recount tales of the Gods and Goddesses and their
Vahanas throughout the 19th century. Bengali women
were free to rely on both their rich native environments
and recent histories. They first introduced Nakshi
Kantha arts as a result of these gossip. They saw the
person as the artisan and the fabric as the artist.

Mid-19th Century
Nakshi Kantha's color schemes and patterns started to
alter to fit use on modern clothing. After the publication
of JASIMUDDIN's poem Naksi Kanthar Math, the name Nakshi Kantha gained a lot of
popularity among educated people (1929). All kanthas, both plain and embroidered, are referred
to as kanthas in West Bengal. The kantha is also referred to differently in East Bengali dialects as
kheta or kentha. The kantha is also referred to as sujni in areas of West Bengal and Bihar.

Bangladesh:

The history of Nakshi Kantha has the hallmark of Bengali tradition going back thousands of
years. It is impossible to pinpoint the precise date at when the practice of embroidering different
motifs on kanthas began. In general, Bakshiganj, Dewanganj, Madarganj, Islampur, Melandah,
and upazila of Jamalpur produce the majority of this Nakshi Kantha. However, Jamalpur Sadar
Upazila is where the majority of the organizations in this business are located.

In the Jamalpur district, this handcraft did not gain popularity in a single day. The very old
heritage of handicrafts has been forgotten
in the beautiful modern world. In rural
Bengal, ladies used to get together and
complete each task while engaging in a
variety of talks and tales. And all those
needleworks were combined with all the
feelings of love, dreams, goals, and parting
agony. Bengali ladies would scrape the
nakshi kantha with needles as they awaited
better days.

Location:
According to research, Jamalpur district was where the Nakshi Kantha initially started in
Bangladesh. This Jamalpur district is frequently referred to as the "City of Handicrafts" and
‘Nakshi Kantha’ as Jamalpur District Branding.  The value of Jamalpur's Nakshi items is rising
both domestically and internationally. In the town of Jamalpur district, there are a lot of small
and large shops for this business.
Nakshi kanthas are produced in this region for distribution across Bangladesh, although the
wider Mymensingh, Jamalpur, Bogra, Rajshahi, Faridpur, and Jessore, Chittagong regions are
now the most well-known.

Nakshi Kantha in Bangladesh – Jessore, Faridpur, Mymensingh and Jamalpur have similar styles
when it comes to stitching. The kanthas made in the Faridpur, Jashore, and Khulna regions are
much thinner and smaller; whereas the kanthas from Rajshahi, Bogra, and Kushtia are very large,
and the threadwork is coarse. Geometric designs are commonly seen in kanthas from this area.

Process

Kanthas were traditionally made from old sarees, lungis, and dhotis. At least five to sixty-nine
sarees were needed to make a standard-size kantha.   New cotton cloths are used in place of the
outdated fabrics today.

When making a kantha, layers are initially

stretched out on the ground after the sarees
have been stitched to the desired size. No
folds or creases are left in the fabrics once
they have been smoothed. With weights on
the edges, the fabric is held level on the floor
during the procedure. The kantha is then held
together by two or three rows of long running
stitches on each of the four borders. The
kantha can now be folded and stitched at its
leisure, which produces a rippled effect.

Depending on how many layers of cloth were

used, some kathas are thick and some are
thin. Depending on the climate in that area,
the thickness varies. Traditionally, motifs or
border designs resembling saree borders were
embroidered using thread cut from colored
saree borders. At present, embroidery skeins are used for motifs and border patterns. Yarn used
for weaving is also used for kantha embroidery.

Process in Brief:

 Sarees are attained and layers are spread out on the ground.
 Cloths are smoothed and kept flat
 The edges are stitched
 Finally creates a rippled effect

End Products and Customers

Nakshi kantha art items include

 Nakshi Kantha
 Bed cover
 Kamiz
 Cushion cover
 Saree
 Punjabi
 T-shirt,
 Tops, skirt
 Purse
 TV cover
 Swaddling clothes for babies.
 lep kanthas (winter quilts)
 Archilata kantha (covers for mirrors or toilet accessories)
 The gilaf (an envelope-shaped kantha to cover the QURAN)
 The jainamaz (prayer rug).
 Bed cover Kamiz Purse

Saree Punjabi Jainamaz

Cushion Cover

Women in rural Bangla send Nakshi Kantha as a gift for newborns, making those a very practical
gift in modern times as well. Nowadays, this Nakshi Kantha items are also found in various
ecommerce websites such as Daraz, Ajkerdeal and large showrooms like Aarong. Social media
has become a boon for small entrepreneurs making Nakshi Kantha, as it allows easier access to
customers from across the country.

Aarong Display Daraz Display

Such is the case for Najma Akter, an

entrepreneur from Jamalpur, said:-

“My business was stagnating due to a lack of

customers, but I was able to tackle the issue by
selling nakshi Kanthas using Facebook. I now
have customers across the country. My monthly
sales are around Tk 30,000, and of it, Tk 20,000
come from online platforms.”
Najma Akter: A successful women
entrepreneur selling trough online

Nakshi Kantha are currently being exported in

more than 20 countries, including in India,
USA, Canada, UK, Germany, Japan, Saudi
Arabia, UAE, Australia and Netherlands.
The makers are also receiving large volume of
orders after displaying their products in
local and international fairs.
International Fair
Major Players

The following Kantha are the major players in the market:

1. Lohori kantha

The term is originated from Sanskrit, as in Adi

Shankara's religious lyrical writings in Sanskrit,
"Soundarya Lahari" or "Shivananda Lahari." It has
the same meaning in Persian, "lehr," which is
"wave." In Rajshahi, this kind of kantha is especially
well-liked. These kanthas are further subdivided into
diamond, soja, and Kautar khupi.

2. Lik or anarasi Kantha

The Chapainawabganj and Jessore regions are host

to the Lik or Anarasi kind of kantha. The varieties
include lik lohori, lik loh tan, lik tile, and lik
jhumka.

3. Cross-stitch or carpet

During the British Empire's rule over India, the

English introduced this variety of kantha. The
cross-stitch is the stitch used in this kantha.

4. Sujni kantha

Only in the Rajshahi region can you get this kind of

kantha. The undulating floral and vine motif is a
popular choice.
Government Initiatives

The Nakshi Katha sector is growing due to the upward trend in local and foreign markets, with
the help of government initiatives such as training and low interest loans. With the capital issue
facing nakshi kantha merchants in mind, the National Bank has offered patronage. Activities for
SME loans have begun among the traders.

The government has also taken the

steps on March 12, 2019 approving
the ‘Sheikh Hasina Nakshipalli,
Jamalpur (1st phase) Project’
involving BDT 722 crore in a bid to
enhance the civic facilities of the
Nakshi entrepreneurs, handloom and
handicraft workers there. “Sheikh
Hasina Nakshi Palli" in Jamalpur has
appeared as a dream factory for several thousand women entrepreneurs as the imminent cottage
village will offer raw materials at reasonable prices and easy access to national and international
markets. This project in still on progress and will enable to sell products directly at fair prices to
a bigger market. Once completed, the 300-acre hub would accommodate almost 1,200
entrepreneurs.

Conclusion

The Nakshi kantha trend still exists today, but in a slightly different way.   In addition to being
created for personal enjoyment, nakshi kantha is also produced on a commercial scale. The tale
inside Nakshi Kantha is a thousand times more emotional, tragic, brilliant, and significant than
its external beauty, which is equally diverse. Bengali women depend on it to survive, and beauty
is a diversified representation of a variegated existence. Here, love and nature are inextricably
linked. In order to prevent it from disappearing from Bengal's cultural legacy, national action is
required.