Patachitra is a folk form where folk painters depict stories while songing and unfolding the scroll. Today this folk art has been revived through collective effort by Governmental and Non Governmental agencies.

‘Kantha’ is traditional needlework and embroidery of Bengali women. Women used to stitch together pieces of garment for use as bedspreads, mirror-wraps, and the like. Today this traditional stitch work  is used to make sarees, scarves, dress material, bed spread and cushion covers made of cotton and silk having unique color combinations and patterns.

Santiniketan in Birbhum  is  known for its artistic leather products. Various types of handbags, pouches, bags with leather batik, embossed design and painting  are made here. Santiniketani leather products, as these artistic leather products are popularly called, originated during the time of Rabindranath Tagore as part of his pioneering rural development work here.

In ancient times there was a practice of incorporating terracotta art upon temples and other architectures thus ,increasing the aesthetic beauty of the building. The artisans today work with different kinds of clay, which are shaped into various designs and then burnt in furnace. Terracotta is used in the production of utility items and also a number of modern items such as flower vase, home décor items, pot, table, jewellery and lampshades of varieties.

Mats(Madur) are of daily household use in India and the usage is traditional. Mat sticks(Madurkathi) are obtained by cultivation and are eco-friendly in nature.The Madurkathi is cut into various shapes, both small and big for useful purposes. Madurkathi weaving is a traditional craft in different areas of rural Bengal like Bhagwanpur, Patashpur, Ramnagar and Sabang

Sitalpati mats are an integral component of traditional Bengali lifestyle. Sital (cool) while Pati (floor mat). As the name suggests, these floor mats are popular for the comfort they offer in hot days of summer.  Sitalpati is made from a type of cane grown in cool and humid climates of Coochbehar and Assam. Weaving Sitalpai has been a traditional activity for more than 10,000 families in this area.

In the past decade Government of India took a number of initiatives to promote alternative livelihood in making jute diversified products. Jute raw material bank was set up at Siliguri. Coochbehar is a jute growing area. At Dinhata-I block there are around 300 men and women who make braided jute products, various types of jute mats and jute carpets

Lac

Lac cultivation and lac business started in Balarampur area of Purulia during British rule and was known for quality and volume production.  Lac cultivation was thriving in the villages of Balarampur and Baghmundi in the 90s. The area has an abundance of Palash, Kusum and Kul trees due to which lac cultivation was a major activity here. Now the cultivation is at a low due to the lack of availability of brood lac and deforestation. The farmers are not aware of the scientific process of cultivation of lac. The villagers mentioned that the local environment has changed due to the setting up of Sponge Iron factories in the vicinity, which has polluted the environment and affected cultivation.

Networking and Linkages Established

We have mobilized various stakeholders like fair trade organizations, retailers, associations of industries to partner with rural producers. Design development, workshops and visits to various markets and cultural fairs have led to improved awareness and exposure of market trends.

MOU partners
SASHA, Weavers Studio Centre for Arts, Project Sukanya, Marwari Traders-Udaipur, D K Enterprise

New partners
Caljute, Industree, Artisana, Fab India- SRC, Ballyfab, Metallogic, HSBC, Deutsche Bank

Technology providers like Weavers Service Centre
Facilitating Partners like SHEFAXIL