KANTHA
The Ancient Upcycling Technique
History:
With roots dating back over a thousand years, Kantha, an upcycling handicraft, served as a canvas for ordinary women to narrate their stories and express themselves. Originating in pre-Vedic times (prior to 1500 BC) in ancient India, Kantha was initially a utilitarian form of embroidery. However, it uniquely portrayed and celebrated life events, symbolizing a family's hopes and aspirations, from weddings to happiness, family, and fertility. Elaborate Kantha pieces, often gifted during weddings, carried the hopes, wishes, and family histories of mothers and grandmothers.
Kantha, also spelled kanta or qanta, is an embroidery craft prevalent in Eastern regions of India, especially West Bengal, Tripura, and Odisha. The name Kantha may derive from "kontha," the Sanskrit word for rags, as mentioned in the 500-year-old book Chaitanya Charitamrita by Bengali poet Krishnadasa Kaviraja.
In the 1940s, a revival led by Pratima Devi, the daughter-in-law of Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, aimed to empower rural women through Kantha.
Practice:
Kantha encompasses both the style of running stitch and the finished cloth. The design is traced onto layered cloth held together with basting stitches, filled with colored threads, and completed with yarn stitches for a rippled effect. Traditionally, poor village women created Lep Kantha by sewing layers of old cloth, primarily saris, using the sari's own thread. Meticulous artistry transformed worn-out rags into durable and beautiful creations. Finished Kantha pieces exhibited a slightly wrinkled appearance due to multiple lines of running stitches, and the original Kantha was double-faced, with an identical design on both sides. Over time, nakshi kantha, featuring more intricate patterns, emerged.
Motif:
Kantha motifs include human and animal figures, floral symbols, with lotus often at the center. Fishes, birds, kalka, mandala, and mythological stories are also depicted. Threads in blue, green, yellow, red, and black are commonly used. Kantha embroidery, a combination of thrift and aesthetics, remains mostly handcrafted and unique, devoid of formal rules. Each piece reflects the creator's individual composition, technique, and color scheme, belonging to specific communities.
In contemporary times, the notable change lies in using newly purchased materials rather than worn-out cloth. Women from economically deprived sections, embroidering for livelihood, now play a significant role in continuing the tradition of Kantha.
References:
https://www.wanderingsilk.org/kantha-history-and-meaning
https://www.unnatisilks.com/pages/kantha-motifs-indian-crafts#
