Henna or Mehndi has a very long history with centuries of migration and cultural interaction. Many different traditions began in multiple different cultures over the past 5000 years and it has now become part of our modern history as well.
Henna has a rich and beautiful history including evidence that it was originally used in ancient Egypt to stain the fingers and toes of the Pharaohs prior to mummification. The most common association with henna tattooing is it's use within the Indian culture used as a ceremonial art form for wedding ceremonies. Along with it's beautiful and eye catching cosmetic uses, henna is also known for it's natural healing properties for health problems such as headaches, liver disorders, skin diseases and more.
The art form of mehndi differs from region to region, as it is a tradition that has been a part of so many cultures over the past 5000 years to present. Arabic designs tend to be more floral in their patterns while Indian designs are made of a delicate blending of fine lines creating striking pattern which covers a larger area of the skin such as the hands and feet. You will see this Indian tradition most often used as part of a wedding ceremony.
Africans and Native/South American Indians have used henna tattooing as well but their designs tend to be larger geometric designs as opposed to the more often seen delicate designs of India. The modern henna tattooing that has now become part of many cultures worldwide which didn't originally use this form of body art can be quite diverse. Some people choose to wear a traditional Indian design while others use henna tattooing as a replacement for a modern tattoo design. Henna tattoos have become a very popular way to express ones individuality without the pain and permanency of an actual tattoo.
Aside from the tattooing side of henna, it is also very often used as a hair dye. Henna hair dye is a safe and natural way to change your hair color as opposed to the typical chemical hair dyes that so many people use.
Monday, August 18, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Meenakari
Meenakari jewellery is a very famous form of jewellery in India. Preferred by numerous Indian families as traditional jewellery, Meenakari is very different from other types of jewellery.
The art of Meena work came to India with the arrival of the Mughals. During the 16th century, the Maharaja of Rajasthan, Raja Man Singh introduced the Meenakari jewellery to Rajasthan. Due to its rapid increase in popularity, Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan became the hub of Meena work jewellery.
Meenakari is essentially enameling or decorating the metallic surface of jewellery with colors. Considered to be one of the most technical forms of jewellery, the art of doing Meena work requires perseverance and an eye for detail. Enameling was basically done on gold, but these days it is being done on metals like silver and copper. Meenakari involves a long procedure in which the first step involves fixing the jewellery on which Meenakari is to be done, on a stick of lac. Engravings are done on the jewellery which forms shallow depressions in which color is filled.The enamel dust of a particular required color is then poured into those engravings and is heated in high temperature. The heat melts the color to an extent that it gets disseminated uniformly within the engravings. This process is repeated until all colors are set in the desired position. The colors are filled in accordance to their resistance to heat. White is the most heat resistant and is applied first and the last color or least heat resistant is the red color. After the jewelry piece cools down, it is polished with agate for luster.
In India, the most famous centers for Meenakari are Jaipur, Delhi, Banaras and Udaipur.
The art of Meena work came to India with the arrival of the Mughals. During the 16th century, the Maharaja of Rajasthan, Raja Man Singh introduced the Meenakari jewellery to Rajasthan. Due to its rapid increase in popularity, Jaipur, the capital city of Rajasthan became the hub of Meena work jewellery.
Meenakari is essentially enameling or decorating the metallic surface of jewellery with colors. Considered to be one of the most technical forms of jewellery, the art of doing Meena work requires perseverance and an eye for detail. Enameling was basically done on gold, but these days it is being done on metals like silver and copper. Meenakari involves a long procedure in which the first step involves fixing the jewellery on which Meenakari is to be done, on a stick of lac. Engravings are done on the jewellery which forms shallow depressions in which color is filled.The enamel dust of a particular required color is then poured into those engravings and is heated in high temperature. The heat melts the color to an extent that it gets disseminated uniformly within the engravings. This process is repeated until all colors are set in the desired position. The colors are filled in accordance to their resistance to heat. White is the most heat resistant and is applied first and the last color or least heat resistant is the red color. After the jewelry piece cools down, it is polished with agate for luster.
In India, the most famous centers for Meenakari are Jaipur, Delhi, Banaras and Udaipur.
The Indian carpet Industry
India, like many other countries, has always used wool as the basic material of the carpet. Other materials commonly used are silk and cotton. Silk carpets are particularly high quality pieces.
In the beginning of the carpet making century, only natural dyes were used to color the wool. Madder, as well as other wild vegetables, was the most important element of this dying process. Other natural elements used to make dyes are tumeric root (light yellow), pomegranate skins (darker yellow), rhubarb (dark red and copper red), grass or "kusa (green), and kikar tree leaves (brown). These natural dyes were usually prepared in the carpet maker's own home.
Presently, India and most other countries producing rugs, generally use synthetic dyes. These synthetic dyes come from manufacturers or professional dyers. This is very unfortunate. It is impossible to create carpets that emulate those of yesterday, with the use of synthetic dyes. Patterns to these knotted Indian carpets are essentially the most important aspect of the carpet itself. For 2,500 years the only patterns that were used were floral, arabesques and rhomboids and animal patterns. Although these patterns are still present today, we do see elements of western influence in some designs.
However, what seems to be the pattern to follow in India is the traditional Oriental style. India's carpet industry, unlike the past is like any other industry trying to make it in the marketplace. As a result, India has adopted many popular designs that may not be indigenous to India, such as the Chinese patterns as well as Persian designs. Indian carpet makers have adapted the talim, (a roll of paper marked with a code indicating the number of knots to be woven in their respective colors), as their way to make their products. The master weaver will read the colors of the talim outloud and the carpet knotters will follow his directions. The talim is made up of the following colors: green, white, pink, yellow and garnet. The number of knots to be woven is then indicated by the sign next to the color .
Most Indian carpets are unique to the region from which they come from. The five major carpet producing regions in India are: Kashmir, The Punjab, Agra, Jaipir and the region of Benares . It is very common for Mughal time to use animal or jungle patterns. Artists would take their subjects from Mughal miniatures. Alongside real animals are beasts drawn from the Mughal mythology. Their were certain animals that had great significance and were made to be a part of some of the Indian designs. The elephant, which was considered a very strong animal was an animal used in the designs of certain carpets. Other animals with great significance were horses, serpents, eagles and rabbits .Flowers and birds are the most popular of all Indian carpet designs.
The people of India, as well as people from other countries, will always admire the charm and exotic coloring of the beautiful floral and bird patterns. This all began in the 1620's when a passion for these flower designs overtook the Mughal court. This is said to have been brought on by a visit from Jahangir to the region of Kashmir. Jahangir had an enormous love for nature. An artist that was visiting with him painted over a hundred flower patterns to make the emperor happy. This style caught on with the people and later became the most popular design of Indian carpets .
It is very hard to say how far back the history of Indian carpet making extends. We are certain that these Indian carpets were being used in the fourteenth century, when a Moroccan named Ibn Battuta, a traveller through India, described these carpets in great detail. However, there is no evidence of these carpets until the Mughal period.
Like anything else, carpet making is a business that has much competition in the marketplace. For this reason, carpet makers from India are forced to create patterns and designs that will appeal to the consumer. They need to do this at the lowest cost possible. This means a lesser quality that is not unique to the country or region from which they come from. Unfortunately, we will not be able to find the quality carpets that were once unique to India so long ago, in any retail environment.
In the beginning of the carpet making century, only natural dyes were used to color the wool. Madder, as well as other wild vegetables, was the most important element of this dying process. Other natural elements used to make dyes are tumeric root (light yellow), pomegranate skins (darker yellow), rhubarb (dark red and copper red), grass or "kusa (green), and kikar tree leaves (brown). These natural dyes were usually prepared in the carpet maker's own home.
Presently, India and most other countries producing rugs, generally use synthetic dyes. These synthetic dyes come from manufacturers or professional dyers. This is very unfortunate. It is impossible to create carpets that emulate those of yesterday, with the use of synthetic dyes. Patterns to these knotted Indian carpets are essentially the most important aspect of the carpet itself. For 2,500 years the only patterns that were used were floral, arabesques and rhomboids and animal patterns. Although these patterns are still present today, we do see elements of western influence in some designs.
However, what seems to be the pattern to follow in India is the traditional Oriental style. India's carpet industry, unlike the past is like any other industry trying to make it in the marketplace. As a result, India has adopted many popular designs that may not be indigenous to India, such as the Chinese patterns as well as Persian designs. Indian carpet makers have adapted the talim, (a roll of paper marked with a code indicating the number of knots to be woven in their respective colors), as their way to make their products. The master weaver will read the colors of the talim outloud and the carpet knotters will follow his directions. The talim is made up of the following colors: green, white, pink, yellow and garnet. The number of knots to be woven is then indicated by the sign next to the color .
Most Indian carpets are unique to the region from which they come from. The five major carpet producing regions in India are: Kashmir, The Punjab, Agra, Jaipir and the region of Benares . It is very common for Mughal time to use animal or jungle patterns. Artists would take their subjects from Mughal miniatures. Alongside real animals are beasts drawn from the Mughal mythology. Their were certain animals that had great significance and were made to be a part of some of the Indian designs. The elephant, which was considered a very strong animal was an animal used in the designs of certain carpets. Other animals with great significance were horses, serpents, eagles and rabbits .Flowers and birds are the most popular of all Indian carpet designs.
The people of India, as well as people from other countries, will always admire the charm and exotic coloring of the beautiful floral and bird patterns. This all began in the 1620's when a passion for these flower designs overtook the Mughal court. This is said to have been brought on by a visit from Jahangir to the region of Kashmir. Jahangir had an enormous love for nature. An artist that was visiting with him painted over a hundred flower patterns to make the emperor happy. This style caught on with the people and later became the most popular design of Indian carpets .
It is very hard to say how far back the history of Indian carpet making extends. We are certain that these Indian carpets were being used in the fourteenth century, when a Moroccan named Ibn Battuta, a traveller through India, described these carpets in great detail. However, there is no evidence of these carpets until the Mughal period.
Like anything else, carpet making is a business that has much competition in the marketplace. For this reason, carpet makers from India are forced to create patterns and designs that will appeal to the consumer. They need to do this at the lowest cost possible. This means a lesser quality that is not unique to the country or region from which they come from. Unfortunately, we will not be able to find the quality carpets that were once unique to India so long ago, in any retail environment.
Stone Carving in India
The stone-carving tradition in India is one of the richest in the world. Guilds of masons and stone carvers have existed here since the 7th century B.C. The skills were handed down as family lore from father to son, a practise prevalent in some parts of the country even today.
The classical tradition of stone carving was closely linked with architecture. All major temples of India-be it Puri, Konark, Khajuraho, Kailash Temple, or the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram-illustrate the rich tradition of Indian stone carvings.
The geologically old land of Rajasthan, rich in different kinds of hard rocks like granites, marbles, quartzite, slates, and other metamorphic rocks, has been a stone-carver's paradise. Right from the medieval times, the ready availability of high-quality stone (the use of brick was almost unknown) made it easy for the Rajasthani builder to construct strong and beautiful forts, palaces, and temples. The sculptures found in the ancient and medieval temples of Bharatpur, Baroli, Ramgarh, Nagda, Ajmer, Chittor, Mandore, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Udaipur speak highly of the artistic skills of the Rajasthani stonecutters. Apart from temple carvings, the stone carvers of Rajasthan are noted for their jali (latticework) carvings. Most ancient palatial buildings of Rajasthan sport jali work on their doors and windows. The jali screens, sculpted from both sandstone and marble, were frequently used in the windows of the zenanas (women's quarters) enabling the women in purdah to view the events of the courts without being seen. The screens also offered protection from the elements while allowing the passage of fresh air through the intricate geometric patterns.
Rajasthan continues to be one of major centres of stone carving in the country. The capital city Jaipur is the centre of marble carving in Rajasthan. Here one can see artisans creating marble images of the deities as well as domestic utensils such as bowls for grinding spices and kneading dough. At Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner, one comes across some very fine examples of the intricate jali work done on screens and panels of the royal palaces.
The fine quality of marble and sandstone extracted from the numerous quarries in the state had given rise to a tradition of stonemasons and sculptors. The quarries at Makrana are quite famous, for it is from these quarries that the marble used in the Taj Mahal was mined. Also built using marble from Makrana mines were the exquisite Dilwara Jain temples at Mt Abu. Rupbas (near Agra) and Karauli still produce the red sandstone that was used by the Mughals to build their forts and palaces at Agra, Delhi, and Fatehpur Sikri. In east Rajasthan, Kota produces grey stone for floor making, Barmer produces yellow marble for delicate carvings, and Ajmer produces granites.
The soft chromatic stone mined from the quarries of Dungarpur are used by the stone carvers of the state for carving images of the deities. The stone becomes black when oiled. As the subject matter of these images is divine, the sculptors are required to work according to the guidelines laid down in the Shilpa Shastra, an ancient Hindu treatise on sculpture and architecture.
The religious themes are carved in stone all over the state. One can see the lifelike images being skilfully sculptured in different varieties of stone across the state. In Jaipur, white marble is used for carving out statues of gods and goddesses as well as animal and human figures.
The classical tradition of stone carving was closely linked with architecture. All major temples of India-be it Puri, Konark, Khajuraho, Kailash Temple, or the Shore Temple at Mahabalipuram-illustrate the rich tradition of Indian stone carvings.
The geologically old land of Rajasthan, rich in different kinds of hard rocks like granites, marbles, quartzite, slates, and other metamorphic rocks, has been a stone-carver's paradise. Right from the medieval times, the ready availability of high-quality stone (the use of brick was almost unknown) made it easy for the Rajasthani builder to construct strong and beautiful forts, palaces, and temples. The sculptures found in the ancient and medieval temples of Bharatpur, Baroli, Ramgarh, Nagda, Ajmer, Chittor, Mandore, Jaisalmer, Bikaner, and Udaipur speak highly of the artistic skills of the Rajasthani stonecutters. Apart from temple carvings, the stone carvers of Rajasthan are noted for their jali (latticework) carvings. Most ancient palatial buildings of Rajasthan sport jali work on their doors and windows. The jali screens, sculpted from both sandstone and marble, were frequently used in the windows of the zenanas (women's quarters) enabling the women in purdah to view the events of the courts without being seen. The screens also offered protection from the elements while allowing the passage of fresh air through the intricate geometric patterns.
Rajasthan continues to be one of major centres of stone carving in the country. The capital city Jaipur is the centre of marble carving in Rajasthan. Here one can see artisans creating marble images of the deities as well as domestic utensils such as bowls for grinding spices and kneading dough. At Ajmer, Udaipur, Jodhpur and Bikaner, one comes across some very fine examples of the intricate jali work done on screens and panels of the royal palaces.
The fine quality of marble and sandstone extracted from the numerous quarries in the state had given rise to a tradition of stonemasons and sculptors. The quarries at Makrana are quite famous, for it is from these quarries that the marble used in the Taj Mahal was mined. Also built using marble from Makrana mines were the exquisite Dilwara Jain temples at Mt Abu. Rupbas (near Agra) and Karauli still produce the red sandstone that was used by the Mughals to build their forts and palaces at Agra, Delhi, and Fatehpur Sikri. In east Rajasthan, Kota produces grey stone for floor making, Barmer produces yellow marble for delicate carvings, and Ajmer produces granites.
The soft chromatic stone mined from the quarries of Dungarpur are used by the stone carvers of the state for carving images of the deities. The stone becomes black when oiled. As the subject matter of these images is divine, the sculptors are required to work according to the guidelines laid down in the Shilpa Shastra, an ancient Hindu treatise on sculpture and architecture.
The religious themes are carved in stone all over the state. One can see the lifelike images being skilfully sculptured in different varieties of stone across the state. In Jaipur, white marble is used for carving out statues of gods and goddesses as well as animal and human figures.
Bandhni- The unique art of tying
Tie and dye is one of the most widely appreciated and accepted of all the traditional methods of printing textiles in India. Each pattern and motif in Bandhni has its special significance.
Some of the traditional patterns are ; the barah baag which when opened looks like a garden of flowers - a set of 12 (barah) beds of flowers. There was also a design called bavan (52) baag, but no one makes it now because it takes too much time and labor. Ambadal, a network of branches and leaves interwoven with a variety of birds, represents the branches of a mango tree. Chokidal is a pattern of squares with elephants and other animals. And then there is kambaliya - a design with a dotted pattern in the center and a different design along the border. The basant bahar represents the flowers of spring, the mor zad - a peacock pattern, etc. All these designs are traditional. Any new design that a craftsman of modern times creates is called fancy.
The origin of this art form cannot be clearly traced to any particular area or time. According to some references it first developed in Jaipur in the form of leheriya. But it is widely believed that it was brought to Kutch from Sindh by Muslim Khatris who are still the largest community involved in the craft. Bandhni was introduced in Jamnagar when the city was founded 400 years ago. This city has now become one of the principal centers of bandhni, creating new pattern and experimenting with modern colors.The earliest reference to bandhni is in Bana Bhatt's Harshacharita, where he describes a royal wedding, "the old matrons were skilled in many sorts of textile patterning, some of which were in the process of being tied (bandhya mana)". This material was used to make the skirts for women.A bandhni garment was considered auspicious for the bride. One also finds the maids in the Ajanta wall paintings wearing blouses of tie and dye patterns.
Today women and girls can be seen sitting in their homes with pieces of malmal (fine muslin), handloom or silk cloth. This cloth is first bleached and then folded into two or four layers depending on the thickness of the cloth. A rangara or designer marks the layout of the pattern on the material using wooden blocks dipped in geru, a burnt sienna color mixed with water. The craftsmen then begin to tie the cloth, which is not to be dyed. The folds of the material within the small motif are lifted and tied together. The material with the first set of ties is dyed yellow. There is also a process, mostly followed in Rajasthan of dyeing parts of the material by hand - lipai technique. The material is again tied and dyed into red or green. If the border has to be darker all the lighter parts are tied and covered with plastics foil and the edges are dyed with the required colors. Repeated tying and dyeing produces elaborate designs.
The raw materials required for bandhni are - muslin, handloom or silk cloth, ordinary thread for tying, starch and colors for dyeing. Traditionally vegetable dyes were used but today chemical dyes are becoming very popular. The tools required are also very basic - wooden blocks for marking designs and the simple implements for dyeing.
Some of the major centres of tie and die Jamnagar and Ahmedabad. The finest bandhni work of Rajasthan comes from Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Pali, Udaipur and Nathdwara. Rajasthan is well known for its leheriya pattern - literally meaning waves. The process of making bandhni (tie and dye) varies in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Even the patterns, designs and craftsmanship vary in both the regions. The craftsmen from Rajasthan are easily recognized because they grow a nail on their little finger to facilitate the lifting of cloth for tying or wear a small metal ring with a point. The Gujarati craftsmen prefer to work without these aids. The flow is much better when one works with one's bare hands as it assures no damage to the cloth.
The colors commonly used in bandhni are - red, a symbol of marriage, saffron, a color worn by yogi who has renounced the world, yellow, which stands for spring and black and maroon, used for mourning.
Some of the traditional patterns are ; the barah baag which when opened looks like a garden of flowers - a set of 12 (barah) beds of flowers. There was also a design called bavan (52) baag, but no one makes it now because it takes too much time and labor. Ambadal, a network of branches and leaves interwoven with a variety of birds, represents the branches of a mango tree. Chokidal is a pattern of squares with elephants and other animals. And then there is kambaliya - a design with a dotted pattern in the center and a different design along the border. The basant bahar represents the flowers of spring, the mor zad - a peacock pattern, etc. All these designs are traditional. Any new design that a craftsman of modern times creates is called fancy.
The origin of this art form cannot be clearly traced to any particular area or time. According to some references it first developed in Jaipur in the form of leheriya. But it is widely believed that it was brought to Kutch from Sindh by Muslim Khatris who are still the largest community involved in the craft. Bandhni was introduced in Jamnagar when the city was founded 400 years ago. This city has now become one of the principal centers of bandhni, creating new pattern and experimenting with modern colors.The earliest reference to bandhni is in Bana Bhatt's Harshacharita, where he describes a royal wedding, "the old matrons were skilled in many sorts of textile patterning, some of which were in the process of being tied (bandhya mana)". This material was used to make the skirts for women.A bandhni garment was considered auspicious for the bride. One also finds the maids in the Ajanta wall paintings wearing blouses of tie and dye patterns.
Today women and girls can be seen sitting in their homes with pieces of malmal (fine muslin), handloom or silk cloth. This cloth is first bleached and then folded into two or four layers depending on the thickness of the cloth. A rangara or designer marks the layout of the pattern on the material using wooden blocks dipped in geru, a burnt sienna color mixed with water. The craftsmen then begin to tie the cloth, which is not to be dyed. The folds of the material within the small motif are lifted and tied together. The material with the first set of ties is dyed yellow. There is also a process, mostly followed in Rajasthan of dyeing parts of the material by hand - lipai technique. The material is again tied and dyed into red or green. If the border has to be darker all the lighter parts are tied and covered with plastics foil and the edges are dyed with the required colors. Repeated tying and dyeing produces elaborate designs.
The raw materials required for bandhni are - muslin, handloom or silk cloth, ordinary thread for tying, starch and colors for dyeing. Traditionally vegetable dyes were used but today chemical dyes are becoming very popular. The tools required are also very basic - wooden blocks for marking designs and the simple implements for dyeing.
Some of the major centres of tie and die Jamnagar and Ahmedabad. The finest bandhni work of Rajasthan comes from Bikaner, Jaipur, Jodhpur, Barmer, Pali, Udaipur and Nathdwara. Rajasthan is well known for its leheriya pattern - literally meaning waves. The process of making bandhni (tie and dye) varies in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Even the patterns, designs and craftsmanship vary in both the regions. The craftsmen from Rajasthan are easily recognized because they grow a nail on their little finger to facilitate the lifting of cloth for tying or wear a small metal ring with a point. The Gujarati craftsmen prefer to work without these aids. The flow is much better when one works with one's bare hands as it assures no damage to the cloth.
The colors commonly used in bandhni are - red, a symbol of marriage, saffron, a color worn by yogi who has renounced the world, yellow, which stands for spring and black and maroon, used for mourning.
KANTHA EMBROIDERY
Kantha is beautiful traditional quilting stitch. Actually the stitch is simple running stitch. It is the way it has been used that makes it extra ordinary. The cloth was given layers that were kept together by the stitches. The cloth had multiple uses. It could be used to sleep on or as a light blanket. Kantha for the Bengali folk means embroidered quilt. Kantha is said to be dorukha meaning turning the worn out and old textiles and fabrics to things of beauty.
History of Kantha : Kantha evolved out of necessity to drape or protect against cold. Kontha on Sanskrit means rags. It can rightly be called the recycling art. The precious silks and muslins when became worn-out, women instead of throwing them away, piled them in layers and stitched.Another legend relates kantha origin to lord Buddha and his disciples. It is said that they used to cover themselves with the thrown away rags patched and stitched together.The oldest reference to Kantha is in Sri Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita" by Krishnadas Kaviraj Which was written some 500 years back. Kantha was said to be a lady's self expression. The real kantha narrates a story, the emotions and the life of the artist.
Process and Stitches of Kantha : The process involves laying the worn clothes in layers and stitching them together. Though the stitch used is variations of running stitch, the motifs can range from being simple to very intricate. It is a typical example of how a simple stitch can create elaborate motifs. Usually the motifs are gods and goddesses, flowers, animals or geometric patterns that means it can be anything the worker can relate to. There are seven different types of kantha based on how it is made and the end use.
History of Kantha : Kantha evolved out of necessity to drape or protect against cold. Kontha on Sanskrit means rags. It can rightly be called the recycling art. The precious silks and muslins when became worn-out, women instead of throwing them away, piled them in layers and stitched.Another legend relates kantha origin to lord Buddha and his disciples. It is said that they used to cover themselves with the thrown away rags patched and stitched together.The oldest reference to Kantha is in Sri Sri Chaitanya Charitamrita" by Krishnadas Kaviraj Which was written some 500 years back. Kantha was said to be a lady's self expression. The real kantha narrates a story, the emotions and the life of the artist.
Process and Stitches of Kantha : The process involves laying the worn clothes in layers and stitching them together. Though the stitch used is variations of running stitch, the motifs can range from being simple to very intricate. It is a typical example of how a simple stitch can create elaborate motifs. Usually the motifs are gods and goddesses, flowers, animals or geometric patterns that means it can be anything the worker can relate to. There are seven different types of kantha based on how it is made and the end use.
- Archilata kantha are small, covers for mirrors or toilet accessories with wide, colorful borders
- Baiton kantha are square wraps used for covering books and other valuables. They have elaborate borders
- Durjani/thalia these are quilted wallets made out of rectangular kantha pieces
- Lep kantha are rectangular wraps heavily padded to make warm quilts. The whole piece is stitched in a wavy pattern. Simple embroidery is done on the finished quilt.
- Oaar kantha are pillow covers in simple designs. A decorative border is sewn afterwards.
- Sujani kantha are decorative quilted kantha used as blankets or spreads during religious rituals or other occasions. This started in 18th century in Bihar.
- Rumal kantha are used as absorbent wipes or plate coverings. They also feature a central lotus with ornamented borders.The various patterns are called jaal, jhod, jhinga phool, dhan chori, golak dhaga and many others all created by different placements of the running stitch.
Abhinav Bindra's success in winning nothing but the gold Medal in the Olympics is yet another reminder that nothing is impossible for an Indian if he sets his sights on it. Hand work, grit and determination always and always pays off. We as Indians (and individuals) should look up to him and try to motivate ourselves to acheive greater heights in whatver we are doing so that the name of India comes out more and more in these kind of arenas which the entire world is watching.
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