Kantha Embroidery - Kolkata
Kolkata, the commercial capital of Eastern India, is the capital of the state of West Bengal. The city, which is known as the cultural capital as well as the city of palaces, was earlier known as Calcutta until it officially changed to Kolkata in 2001. The city is situated on the east bank of the Hooghly River and is connected with the rest of the country via the Howrah bridge. From the list of various traditional arts on handlooms and handicrafts, originated in the state, Kantha is one of the oldest forms of embroidery that persists among the masses. The name ‘Kantha’ is derived from the Sanskrit language meaning ‘rags’ that reflect the fact that Kantha embroidery is made up of discarded garments or clothes. Kantha embroidery, a household craft, is considered unique for its ability to convey a story with artistic expression. Hence rural households make use of it to create quilts for their families, as well as embroider personal fabrics and garments such as sarees, dhotis, and handkerchiefs.
The craft went through a major setback due to falling recognition in the early stage of the 20th century until it was revived by the Kala Bhavana Institute of Fine Arts in the 1940s. It was also received by Shamlu Dudeja in the 1980s when she founded Self Help Enterprise (SHE) that helped empower women through Kantha embroidery. What makes this embroidery stand out from others is its wide use of running stitches. The repetitive use of running stitches contributes to Kantha’s signature wavy effect with wrinkled sides. This traditional technique is mostly applied to garments like sarees, dupattas, churidars, Kurtis, etc., along with other utility products like bed covers, pillow covers, and other house furnishing items. In West Bengal, Kantha is also used in quilting to create light quilts popularized as Nakshi Kantha.
