QUILTING AND DARNING--KANTHA OF BENGAL

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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 KANTHA OF BENGAL
! The traditional folk art of Bengal is
famous as Kantha which means Patched
Cloth , and the special significance of
kantha is quilting.
! In the first type, the old and discarded
cotton saris or dothis were piled up on the
top of each other, quilted and
embroidered.
! And the other type was quilted by using
the discarded cotton bed spreads and the
pictorial embroidery was done with Tussar
silk threads.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 KANTHA OF BENGAL
ÿKantha stands as a model for skilled certainty. It is a domestic art because it
is worked on waste materials.

ÿThe size and thickness of kantha varied according to its type.

ÿKanthas were produced in Hugli, Patna, Jessore, Faridpur and other

parts of east and west Bengal.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 MATERIAL
! Most of the Bengali women wear white muslin saris.

Old and discarded dhoti or sarees material were used.

Edges of the fabric were folded and tacked together called kantha
patt.

Pieces were sewn together with running stitch.

Colored threads were pulled up from the border of the saree.

Traditional colors black, red, deep blue symbolising earth, sky and space.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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! The size and thickness of Kantha varied according to its type.
! The layers of pieces are sewn together by simple darning stitch in white
thread, drawn from the old sari borders.
! The design is first traced and the filling is done by coloured threads, taken
from the coloured borders of saris.
! The motifs used in kantha embroidery has a great influence of Portuguese
and European traditions.
! The original kantha is double faced where the design appeared identical on
either sides of the quilt.
! The great length of stitch is broken into tiny tackings which give almost a
dotted appearanc e on either sides of the quilt like " Do rukha# .
! Sometimes the embroidery is so finely done that it is very difficult to identify
the wrong side.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 DESIGNS
Four types-
ß From epic
ß Flora and fauna
ß Objects from daily life
ß Religious

The designs of kantha are taken from day to day life, depicting folk stories,
epics, mythological background, ritualistic motifs, luxurious vegetation
with roaming animals, deer running, dancing peacock, temples, hukkas,
jewelleries, various types of costumes and so on.
Some kanthas even represent the steeds of Gods like bull, swan lion,
elephant, peacock, mouse, cat, eagle, owl and swan.
Lotus, fish, kalka or mandal, satdal padma
Tantric motifs-vajra, thunder bolt, swastic along with spiral whirl are also
popular.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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The woman picked up the motifs from the epics and mythological scenes
and the nature. It represents their traditional beliefs, individual skills, art
and passions towards religion. It does depict the folk art. The ritual
designs are worked only on festive occasion to fulfil their vows. The special
characteristic of kanthas was, it never became a replica of other folk art
but remained unique by itself.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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 Core form: The embroidery was
originally the simple running stitch,
which later went on to include the
wavy stitch (lohori kantha),
pineapple (anarasi or lik kantha),
floral and vine motifs (sujni kantha)
and cross stitch.
Some popular motifs include floral
patterns, birds, leaves, animals,
everyday situations and geometric
shapes. Any work of Kantha usually
has a focul motif, which breaks out
into smaller patterns and designs.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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 Lotus is the most common and
important motif widely used in
Kantha. An all over pattern of
lotus may have the petals of red
alternating with black petals.
Black thread is used to give
either outline for the design or
sometimes filled with stitches of
the same colour.

Kalka is another important

motif, a cone or mango shaped,
embroidered in association with
spiral whirls, broad band of
circles, lotus or heart shaped of
foliages .

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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Detail of Shehnai (longhorn) players on a Kantha from Undivided Bengal, 2nd
half of the 19th century, Bonovitz Collection
9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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Detail, border motifs of Kantha
from Khulna District, 2nd half of Kantha with Krishna imagery, Undivided
the 19th century, Kramrisch Bengal, 19th century, Kramrisch
Collection, Philadelphia Museum Collection, PMA
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of Art PMA Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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 Detail of the corner of a
kantha, Faridpur District, 2nd
half of the 19th century,
Kramrisch Collection, PMA
9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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Kantha with steam
transportation, ghat,
mansion, and market,
Undivided Bengal, late 19th
to early 20th century,
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Bonovitz Collection
Kantha with auspicious objects, temple
cart, and animals, Undivided Bengal, late
Dr. Reena19th
Aggarwal, NIFT,20th
2010 century, Bonovitz
to early
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Collection
 STITCHES : The simple running stitich was earlier used to
join all the layers of cotton material together. Later, other
stitches like chain stitich, back stitch, satin and
herringbone were introduced.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Types of kantha
! There are seven types of kanthas used as wrappers in winter, for books,
valuables, mirrors, combs, wallets, pillows and bed spreads.
! Arshilata
! Bayton
! Durjani (Durfani)
! Lep kantha
! Oar (ooar)

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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! Arshilata is used as cover or wrap for mirror, comb and other such toilet articles.
It is a narrow rectangular piece of eight inch wide and twelve inch length.
! It has a wide border and the central motif is taken from the scenes of Krishna
leela or Radha Krishna raas.
! The lotus, trees, creepers, spirals, inverted triangles, zig-zag lines, scrolls are also
some of the commonly used motifs.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Bayton
Bayton, a three feet square piece serves as a wrap for books and
other similar valuables. Bayton, is a wrap meant for tying up books
and other valuables.
It is stitched in the form of an envelope and the borders are
embroidered and small motifs are added on the rest of the bag.
It has a central motif, usually the lotus with hundred petals called
Satadala Padma . This motif with hundred petals is simply a figure,
which does not signify anything precisely.
Sometimes the figure of lord Ganesha and Goddess Saraswati with
their steeds are also observed.
Special motifs on Babton are worked with swan, as a book wrapper. In
other words the designs often are elaborate and this colourful
embroidery is made with yellow, green blue and red coloured
threads.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 BAYTON

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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Durjani (Durfani) is also known as Thalia. It is a
square piece kantha, covers the wallet, has a
central lotus motif with an elaborated border.
! Durjani is in actual fact , is a wallet with
simple Kantha work done on it with a thread
ending in a tassel for tying up the wallet
securely.
! The three corners of this piece are drawn
together inward to make the tips to touch at the
centre and are sewn together like an envelope.
! It has one open flap to which a string tussle or
a decorated thread is either stitched or
mechanically fixed, which can be wound and
tied up when rolled.
! The other motifs used are various types of
foliages , snakes and other objects take from the
natural surroundings.
9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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 Lep kantha

! Lep kantha is relatively a thick quilted wrap padder by more

number of sari layers, placed on top of each other, to provide
warmth during winter season.
! Lep is also popular as desired covering .
! Simple geometrical designs are worked with running stitch
using coloured threads.
! The entire Lep piece is been given a wavy rippled
appearance by working simple embroideries.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Oar (ooar)
Oar (ooar), the kantha serves as a pillow cover.
It is a rectangular piece whose size is about two feet by
one and a half feet.
Usually simple designs like trees, foliages, creepers, birds
or a liner design with longitudinal border constitutes the
ground base and decorative border is stitched around its
four sides.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Rumal is the smallest among all the kanthas, it is
handkerchief which is square in shape having a size of
about one square foot.
Lotus is the core and other motifs are embroidered
around it.
Sometimes plant and animal motifs are also embroidered
and has a well decorated border.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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!

Today, it is new cotton and silk that is preferred by those who want
to add a touch of sheen to their outfits.
Kantha shawls and stoles, kurtas for men and women are no doubt
getting their fair share of demand,

The embroidery is also being used for speciality upholstery and

furnishings as well as accessories like jewellery boxes and bags.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Kantha is currently very popular with people.
These days the kantha embroidery is used to adorn fresh new sarees and
fabric, instead of old rags.
kantha goods varying from saris to salwar-kameez, lehengas to scarves and
blouses and utility items such as bedcovers, furnishing fabrics are sold from
several outlets.
Kantha is one of the favorites of Indian designers. This art is not only confined
to India but also getting international exposures through Indian designers
outlets.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Monapali boutiques in Kolkata,
New Delhi and Ahmedabad,
which brought the art to the
fashion world way back in 1987,
is an ideal destination for
interesting pieces of Kantha with
sheer fabric and print in
traditional forms as well as
modern silhouettes.
Sabyasachi has experimented
with Kantha too.
Tarun Tahiliani, a well known
designer from India has opened
several outlets of his kantha
garments in London, Paris, Santa
Fe and Washington.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Bags
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 Bags
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 Kantha
shawls
and stoles,
kurtas for
men and
women

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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Trained from the
London School of
Fashion, Prriya Awasthy
launched her career in
Kolkata in 1990. Her
first label Rumours
showed her flair for
colour and design while
her first collection in
traditional Kantha work
was very successful.
Since then, she has
gone from strength to
strength,.

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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 Home furnishings

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 Some contemporary motifs

9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010

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9/15/2010 Dr. Reena Aggarwal, NIFT, 2010
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