:: Nakhshi Kanthas

Nakshi Kantha, the famous embroidered quilt of Bangladesh, is one of the oldest and certainly, one of the most beautiful of traditional arts produced by women. Using old saris, lungis and other articles of clothing, housewives joined several lawyers of cloth, usually having white on top. They used long running stitches to keep the layers together, having spread out their work in the sun-baked courtyard. With light yellow thread, the artist stitched her design in images. She then filled in her design with small running stitches using the colored threads pulled from the sari borders.

Most traditional kanthas are laid out with a central lotus representing the world, unity strength, and life and in each corner, is tree of life, a paisley or a stylized flower. Village kanthas abound in fertility symbols: trees, flowers, animals, fish.
 Women stitched things which they hoped would grace their own lives and those of their families: jewellery, winnowing fan, farm equipment, household tools and livestock. Myths were great favorites .In the past, Muslim women specialized in geometrical and floral designs in their kanthas, while others portrayed myths, religious and secular, folk heroes and village tables

Kumudini’s main work in handicraft is with kantha. Because so many women have lost contact with nakshi katha ,few feel free and confident enough to stitch original designs. To begin the work, Kumudini provides the design already printed on the cloth, with the thread needed to complete the work. Gradually,  as confidence builds, less design is given and the women are required to draw their own designs. Though at least98% of the women come from nil or low income families, they are rich in appreciating the beauty of their tradition.
In tradition to the traditional use of nakhshi  kantha ,Kumudini provides pieces suitable for framing . Contemporary adaptations are used in handbags, briefcases  and belts, often
In combination with leather .Kantha embroidery has been used beautifully in ready wear and in household articles like table linen, cushion cover and a host of other articles.
In place of old cloth, which is difficult to find in the quality and quantity required ,Kumudini artisan use soft hand-woven unbleached cloth with locally spun rayon thread  for the designs. Some are colored with chemical dyes, while increasingly larger amounts are colored with subtle
Natural  dyes using plant roots, sawdust,  bark fruit, leaves and flowers. Thus it is that three great traditions on the verge of annihilation :handloom. kantha and natural dyes, have been revived  and combined to create  crafts of exquisite beauty. Since 1981 when the project began, to the present ,about 8,000 women have taken up nakhshi kantha and tapestry work, earning  a steady supplementary income. Since this is done at home, the household peace is 
maintained ,as the women work in their spare time. Other members of the family also learn and help. Already some landless widows have purchased  land, while others have poultry and livestock .From the beginning the women understand that since embroidery can be a temporary trend ,they must prepare for an  alternate means of income, investing while they can. Education and improved health  care are also high in their priorities. With the demand for fine quality work, a minimum of 20,000 women will be needed to carry on the work and so to share in this development opportunity.

Kumudini’s products being fine handwork, each is very time consuming .No two pieces are exactly the same. When ordering, buyers must remember to give sufficient time for production, especially of large Nakhshi Kanthas; some of them can take over a year to complete.