Nakshi Kantha in Bangladesh | Buy Online | AjkerDeal.com
While it's drizzling outside, accompanied by a cold breeze, the most important thing comes to a Bengali's mind before going to bed is kantha, whether it is designed or without design.
The Nakshi Kantha is known in every household in Bangladesh. Every newborn has his/her own 'Kantha' (quilt), even if it is not the 'Nakshi' variation, but made by one close relative with love and affection as the entire family welcomes the newest member of the family.
What is Nakshi Kantha ?
Nakshi Kantha, also known as Nakshi Katha, is the popular hand embroidery art form of Bangladesh. Nakshi kantha is a centuries-old Bengali art practice found in Bangladesh as well as the Indian states of West Bengal. Traditionally, old sarees and thread were used to make a Kantha, but in order to accommodate the growing market demand, new clothes have replaced them.
Meaning of Nakshi Kantha
The Bengali word 'naksha' is the source of the word 'nakshi. The Bengali word for quilt is Kantha, and 'Naksha' implies design, pattern, or embroidery. Nobody knows when the Nakshi Kantha tradition began, but it has existed probably for hundreds of years.
The name of an immortal story is 'Nakshi Kantha Math'.
Nakshi Kantha is an important part of Bangla literature. Many songs and poetry have been composed about Nakshi Kantha. The world famous epic ‘Nakshi Kanthar Math’ by Bengali folk culture's treasured poet, Jasimuddin is a great piece of Bangla literature.
'Nakshi Kanthar Math' (1920s) is an engrossing poetry of a tragic narrative, the narrative speaks of a rural woman waiting for her love to return as with each stitched pattern and design, she creates a Nakshi Kantha, which she uses to stitch her sorrows away.
Inside and outside of the kantha
The lovely Nakshi Kantha upholds rural Bengali customs. A witness to the story is Nakshi Katha. The story is told from the perspective of a person who has gone through a lot of difficulties. Women in the villages used to spend their free time wearing no spelt Kantha, but now they are the source of income. There is currently a demand in the country for products such as Nakshi Katha, as well as demand from outside the country.
A multiracial and multi-religious expression is a Nakshi Kantha.The patterns adorning a kantha will take you back as they depict chronological narratives of chariot processions, wedding rituals, and nocturnal blossoms. Stitches on a kantha usually follow the centrepieces in a rhythmic patterns of conch shells, lotuses, brazen suns and wheels and the choice depends on the story the maker is trying to tell.
Making a Nakshi Kantha
The world of Nakshi Kantha was mainly feminine. Men rarely participate in it. Everything was done by the women themselves, from selecting the fabric to deciding on the sorts of thread to use, creating designs using charcoal and pencil, and finally stitching. Making a Nakshi Kantha is a labor-intensive and time-consuming procedure; a large quilt with elaborate patterns can take up to 15 days to complete.
The fabric is folded four times and two times in total. After then, the ends are pinched together. The fabric is then smoothed to remove any creases. After that, the pins are removed and the ends of the material are sewed together.
This craft is especially well-known in the Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Faridpur, and Jessore districts. Even though production is no longer limited to these localities, the finest 'Kanthas' are still manufactured here. Kumarkandi village at Faridpur is known to be the home of Nakshi Kantha.
Every district has its own flair when it comes to creating the masterwork that is a Nakshi Kantha, which can be seen in the kanthas' borders. Women of Mymensingh commonly adorn their kanthas with endless diamond rings that resemble twisted waves, whereas makers in Faridpur leave their territorial mark with a continual string of leaves or inverted fishes on the edges, among more designs of course. Rangpur, Jessore, and Rajshahi are other districts known for their own types of kanthas.
Sizes of Nakshi Kantha :
Nakshi Kanthas are usually divided into three sizes: long, medium, and short. Long Kanthas are used as bed quilts, whereas short Kanthas are utilized as handkerchiefs. These embroidered handkerchiefs are given as a gesture of memory by wives to their spouses and loved ones. When a newlywed girl gets pregnant, her mother stitches a Nakshi Kantha in the medium size for her upcoming grandchildren. Mother also sews the same type of Kantha.
Economic and cultural value
A Nakshi Kantha is an art of Bengal that speaks of tales witnessed and lived. It's an animated articulation of rural Bengal's traditions, challenges, and ways of life.
Nakshi Kantha was loved by all, from the middle class to the poor, because it could be remade by adding old cloth to the texture. However, in modern culture, its economic usefulness to the aristocracy has been redefined.
For the purpose of necessity, it was common in Bengal's aristocratic society to create nakshi kantha on demand. The idea of turning Nakshi Kantha into a cottage industry has been suggested as a result of this appeal.
Because nakshi kantha was once purely a passion and a need, no one could be found to be a professional craftsman. Kantha was lost as a result of these changes, as well as socioeconomic developments. The priceless nakshi kantha designs, which have been around for centuries, were also in jeopardy. However, recently the government and various non-government organizations are trying to take this nakshi kantha weaving to the level of cottage industry in different parts of Bangladesh.
However, with the passage of time, a masterpiece has been created in the Nakshi Kantha landscaping, which has increased its value.
A culture doesn’t live by itself. It is our responsibility to keep it alive for as long as possible. Our new generation is largely unaware of our long-standing history. It is our responsibility to introduce them with Nakshi Kantha. We all should use Nakshi Kantha to introduce the generation with it.
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