Since childhood, we have all been fed on a staple diet of folklores and fairy tales. Once upon a time…Magic slippers, dwarves, glass coffins, witches who live in the woods, evil stepmothers and princesses with swan wings, magic wand to transform everything, and so on.
‘A hundred yards of it can pass through the eye of the needle, so fine is its texture, and yet the point of the steel needle can’t pierce through it easily. It is so transparent and light that it looks as if one is in
The first time I met Sharbari Dutta, she was busy organising an exhibition of her clothes, and didn't have much time for a rookie reporter with little or no idea of the Indian fashion scene. But matters subsequently improved to the point where she called
He was a self-taught artist. Yet, he excelled in his art forms. Gaganendranath Tagore, Abanindranath’s brother, was one of the first modern painters of India, who brought in global art forms to Bengal. He was the first to learn Japanese brushwork from Kakuzo Okakura and
Burdwan district is rich with historical legacies. Natungram is an hour’s drive from Burdwan station. This small village, or more specifically, Agradwip region near Katwa railway station is the hub of wooden doll makers also known as ‘Sutradhars’ (narrator or storyteller). Carved out of a
Weavers of Phulia are well-known across the globe for their exceptional weaving design, texture and make of their sarees. So much so, that Hon’ble Chief Minister of West Bengal Mamata Banerjee also supports these weavers and showcases their products on world tours. Now they have
This is a story about the power of one. One man's struggle to keep alive a dying art. Depressingly familiar though that sentence may sound, 62-year-old Brindaban Chanda of West Bengal's Purba Medinipur district is also an embodiment of hope. Hope that his passion and
The humble grass that we trample every day can be turned into exclusive and exquisite export items! Well at least women artisans of Bengal’s tribal belt, from remote Bandwan to Jhargram, have proved so through their deft and artistic eye. From a simple grass sophisticated
One of the most popular dictionary definitions of a tote bag, or simply tote, is ‘a large and strong bag’, thus focusing on its sturdiness and utilitarian nature. However, there is nothing that says a tote bag cannot be fashionable or stylish, without losing any
Balagarh is a non-descript sleepy hamlet, situated 115 km North of Kolkata, by the river Hooghly. It is the heart of Bengal’s indigenous boat manufacture. The center where the boat makers and workshops still uphold a centuries-old tradition is centered around Sripur market. The craft