Rural Craft

Hubkulia Tantubay Samabay Mahila Samity

Supported by the Department of MSME&T, Government of West Bengal and

West Bengal Khadi & Village Industries Board

KanthaNanoor

Birbhum

Of Rural Craft Hubs Handicrafts of Bengal embody our rich heritage of aesthetics,

creativity and artistry. The craft sector provides low cost, green livelihood opportunities to more than 5.5 lakh men and women. The sector represents economic lifeline of the vulnerable sections of the society, with women accounting for around 50% of the crafts persons and a significant number belonging to the scheduled castes, tribes and religious minorities. In today's globalised world, the growing retail industry, fashion and luxury markets, demand for green production, potential for e-commerce have created new opportunities for developing a vibrant craft economy thereby providing increased income opportunities to the craft communities like the Patuas, potters, weavers, wood carvers, Dokra makers etc. Besides its high potential for employment, the craft sector is economically important from the point of low capital investment, high ratio of value addition, and high potential for export and foreign exchange earnings for the country. The Government of West Bengal thus aims to unleash the potential of the sector in terms of employment, enterprises, export and growth.

The Department of MSME&T, Government of West Bengal in collaboration with UNESCO, New Delhi is developing 10 rural craft hubs in the state. The vision is to develop the villages with families traditionally skilled in craft traditions like Sitalpati, Madurkathi, Terracotta, Patachitra, Dokra, Wooden and Chau masks, Wooden and Clay doll making and Kantha as vibrant craft hubs connected to national and international market.

West Bengal

Jalpaiguri Alipurduar

Kantha remains priceless, as much in its ethnicity and traditional appeal as in its contemporary allure. Kantha is a type of embroidery popular in Bengal and is used to create unique and luxurious products by the nimble �ngers of female artisans. More than pro�table employment, the embroidery sessions become an opportunity to socialize and a welcome break from the drudgery of monotonous chores. Extremely intensive work, done painstakingly, is carried out to produce the marvelous end product. A real Kantha is able to narrate a story. �e knowledge of the cra� has been passed on for generations, from mothers to daughters and so on.

Traditionally, the cra� was practiced by rural women of all classes, the rich landlord's wife making her own elaborate embroidered quilt in her leisure time, and the farmer's wife making her own thri�y, comforter, but they all were equal in beauty and skill. �e artisans, today make diverse range of products which includes sarees, shawls, stole, bed cover, cushion cover, bags etc.

�e entire cloth is covered with running stitches, employing beautiful motifs of �owers, animals, birds and geometrical shapes, as well as themes from everyday activities. Kantha is a form of personal expression, an art-cra� that was made spontaneously or even whimsically at times. �e origin of Kantha traces its history to a period not less than a thousand years. Some symbols such as the tree of life, the swirling cosmos, and the sun are taken from the primitive art.

Kantha coloured kalka dupattaKantha Stitch on Faux TussarCode: AS015 RCH: Kantha, Nanoor

Kantha black and white kalka dupattaKantha Stitch on Faux Tussar

Code: AS016RCH: Kantha, Nanoor

Kantha crane dupattaKantha Stitch on Faux TussarCode: AS017 RCH: Kantha, Nanoor

Kantha alpana dupattaKantha Stitch on silk

Code: AS018 RCH: Kantha, Nanoor

Kantha fish dupattaKantha Stitch on Faux TussarCode: AS019 RCH: Kantha, Nanoor

Kantha Floral square dupattaKantha Stitch on Faux Tussar

Code: AS020 RCH: Kantha, Nanoor

Kantha bi-coloured hibiscus stoleKantha stitch on Bangalaore silkS: 74 x 22 inchCode: AS 013 RCH: Nanoor

Kantha linked flower dupattaKantha Stitch on Tussar

S: 74 x 22 inchCode: AS 012 RCH: Nanoor

Kantha yellow hibiscus stoleKantha Stitch on tussarS: 74 x 22 inchCode: AS 010RCH: Nanoor

Kantha sunflower stoleKantha Stitch on Bangalore silk

S: 22 x 78 inch Code: AS 008RCH: Nanoor

Kantha ScarvesS: 30 x 24 inchCode: AS015RCH: Kantha

Dupatta on tussarS: 2.5 meter

Code: AS011 RCH: Kantha

Kantha ScarvesS: 39 x 39 inchCode: AS006 RCH: Kantha

Kantha ScarvesS: 30 x 24 inch

Code: AS007 RCH: Kantha

Kantha ScarvesS: 30 x 24 inchCode: AS008 RCH: Kantha

Kantha ScarvesS: 22 x 22 inch

Code: AS009 RCH: Kantha

S: 13 x10 inchCode: BU 011RCH: Kantha

Frilled Kantha Batua S: 13 x 10 inch

Code: BU 012RCH: Kantha

Kantha side bag

S: 13 x10 inchCode: BU 013RCH: Kantha

Kantha Batua with crochet border S: 13 x 10 inch

Code: BU 012RCH: Kantha

Kantha side bag

White Batua bagS: 9.5 x 5 inchCode: BU043 RCH: Kantha

S: 9.5 x 5 inchCode: BU041 RCH: Kantha

Kantha side bag

S: 9.5 x 5 inchCode: BU042 RCH: Kantha

Orange Batua bagS: 9.5 x 5 inchCode: BU040 RCH: Kantha

Yellow Batua bag

S: 13 x 9 inchCode: BU039 RCH: Kantha

White Sling bag

S: 13 x 10 inchCode: BU 013_B

RCH: Kantha

Kantha Batua with crochet border

S: 39 x 39 inchCode: HD 086RCH: Kantha

Kantha Baby QuiltsS: 39 x 39 inchCode: HD 050

RCH: Kantha

Kantha Baby Quilts

Sujni

Alpana sujni S: 5 x 7 MeterCode: HD074RCH: Kantha

Tali kanthaS: 5 x 7 MeterCode: HD077RCH: Kantha

Kadam kantha S: 5 x 7 FtCode: HD75RCH: Kantha

Pink flower kanhta S: 5 x 7 Ft

Code: HD076RCH: Kantha

Sujni KanthaS: 6 X 7 FtCode: HD079RCH: Kantha

Sujni KanthaS: 6 x 7 Ft

Code: HD080RCH: Kantha

Sujni KanthaS: 6 x 7 Ft Code: HD081RCH: Kantha

Sujni KanthaS: 6 x 7 Ft

Code: HD085RCH: Kantha

Sujni KanthaS: 6 x 7 FtCode: HD082RCH: Kantha

Sujni KanthaS: 6 x 7 Ft

Code: HD083RCH: Kantha

Jewellery

Kantha hexagonal neckpiece Kantha stitch on fabric with beadsCode: JN 001RCH: Kantha

Kantha bold double stringed N/P Kantha stitch on fabric

with wooden and camel bone beadsCode: JN 003RCH: Kantha

Kantha neckpiece with beads Code: JN 023RCH: Kantha

Kantha pendant set Kantha stitch on fabric

with acrylic and camel bone beadsCode: JN 005RCH: Kantha

Roung kantha ringKantha sticth on fabricwith beads and metal ringCode: JR 001RCH: Kantha

Kantha teardrop ring sticth on fabric

with beads and metal ringCode: JR 004RCH: Kantha

Kulia Tantubay Mahila Samabay SamityP.O: Nanoor,

District: Birbhum,Pin: 731215

Phone No: 8001781314e-mail : rch.kantha.nanoor@gmail.com

Artists’ Contacts

Afroja Begum

Afrunnisa Begum (Sercretary)

Amina Yasmin

Anhara Biwi

Chandnihar Bibi

Lavli Begum

Lutfa Bibi

Najiba Khatun

Tajkhira Begum

Trishna Mondal

+ 91 8798352715

+ 91 8001781314

+ 91 7407737627

+ 91 8967260020

+ 91 9153206573

+ 91 8642820926

+ 91 8389928751

+ 91 8670081686

+ 91 9474413141

+ 91 8609670101