The thousand-year-old upcycling handicraft was traditionally a canvas for ordinary women to tell their stories and express their fears and hopes. Now it's hugely popular again, writes Kalpana Sunder.

Kantha, an old ingenious art form originating in Bengal, is slowly emerging again from the edge of extinction. It is said to be over 1000 years old and has been mentioned in Vedic and pre-Vedic ...

Nearly 100 years later, the “secret pain” that Bengali poet Jasimuddin wrote of in 1929 is still being stitched into nakshi kantha. This style of hand embroidery, traditionally on old saris, has been ...

The Europeans may have lauded masterpieces of tapestry, but the iconic 'Nakshi Kantha' is a canvas indigenous to Bengal that holds a similar power to visually arrest any observer that lays their eyes ...

With #vocalforlocal in the buzz these days, it's great to witness the revival of handloom crafts to not only represent Indian craftsmanship on the global platform but also draw support to millions of ...

Kantha, an ancient embroidery style popular in the subcontinent's eastern region including Bengal, had a modest beginning as a domestic, functional handicraft. Often a contemporary fashion choice, the ...

Kantha embroidery artist Pritikana Goswami, who was among four Padma awardees from West Bengal, hopes the coveted award will inspire many more women to take up the traditional art form. The ...

A single woman’s journey to earn a dignified livelihood has today evolved into a revival of the traditional Kantha embroidery that has led to empowerment of rural women in West Bengal Driven by a ...

At first glance, you may feel like looking at a thrifted jacket or a misfit patchwork dress. Once you look closely, you will see the stitches do not repeat. Instead, the embroidery breaks the pattern.