Madur Art – A heritage of Bengal

Madurkathi or Madur art is an old practice of West Bengal in which floor mats are woven from a reed called Madur Kottir. Gauri Rani Jana & Gauri Bala Das from Sabang in West Bengal’s Paschim Medinipur district have been given the National Handicraft Award for their Madur artworks.

Atharva Veda the Mahabharata has the references of Madur Art. In Bengal the mat-waving tradition started in the Medieval Period. Derived its name from the Persian word “Masnad“, which means throne, the finest quality mats are called “Masland“. Using in a silk weft, they were made in Maslandpur (close to Tamluk,Medinipur), under the patronage of the Mughal Royals. Under the Jaigirdars act of 1744, Nawab Alibardi Khan made the supply of masland obligatory. Kasijora and Narajol were the most important mat markets of that time.

The simplest one, Ekh-rokha(one layered) madur are made of bamboo-frame loom, using cotton thread as the warp and single reeds as the weft. A double-reed weft, and greater skill is required to produce complex du-rokha(two layered) mats. Superior quality madurkathi is used in the making of masland . Highly skilled professionals weave the mats in special technique called “Saris”. Some of the most well known masland mat designs are flowers, honeycomb patterns (mouchak), rhomboidal motifs (barfi), and jharna. To color the mats the artists use seeds for red pigment, Rang gach (annatto) tree & haritaki fruit. Before weaving the dyed mat sticks are sun-dried. There are also decorative mats called nakshi pati & cold touch mats called Sitalpati, mosty made in different areas of northern Cooch Behar. Made from murta plant Sitalpati is one of the UNESCO Intangible Culture heritage.