Tapestry of Stories
Abstract One of the oldest and commonest embroideries is the run stitch which was used to makes Kanthas or hand-made quilts. Indigenous to Bangladesh, it gradually spread to India and then attained worldwide popularity. This art of weaving Kanthas is deeply rooted in socio-cultural and religious beliefs. Weaved by women, these pieces of art have a story told by the women, a story of the women and a story for the women. The article tries to encapsulate these nuances and describe how the traditional craft has been modernized to suit international standards. Prologue It was midnight when the little boy was nudged awake. It was time to flee. He rushed back to pack the ‘ kantha ’ his grandmother had stitched for him when he was born. Hugging it tight, he boarded the boat which would ferry him to a new chapter in India. Rabeya Bibi sat cuddling the quilted ‘ Kantha ’. It was a wedding gift, beautifully crafted by her mother-in-law. If one looked at it closely, they would notice