Kantha Stitch Saree

Kantha sarees come from West Bengal in the east of India. One of the oldest forms of embroidery practiced in Bangladesh and West Bengal, Kantha embroidery is an art practiced by rural women of Bengal to adorn women’s shawls and covers for mirrors, pillow covers and storage boxes and most importantly to embellish sarees made out of various textures and fabrics, the most popular of them being Kantha silk sarees. 

 

Though Kantha embroidery consists of simple running stitches, it is rather laborious and time consuming. Born from pure imagination of rural women who adorn these Kantha sarees, Kantha embroidery portrays beautiful motifs and designs as it draws inspiration from day to day activities resulting in a close mesh of design in the form of beautiful flowers, birds and animal motifs or human figurines or even simple geometric patterns.

 

The colored silken threads that run through the saree forming these lovely patterns are a treat to view. Eventually as Kantha embroidery gained cultural and religious significance, Kantha sarees gained popularity in religious ceremonies and pujas and auspicious occasions like wedding and child birth.