handicrafts of india

Sabai Grass (Eulaliopsis binata) is found in the Chota Nagpur Plateau region of West Bengal and Odisha. It has characteristic long leaves and its importance was first identified by the British who used it for military purposes. Since those areas face scarcity of water, the people, mostly women, took up rope making from Sabai grass as their profession. Then with the training provided by the Self Help Groups, artists switched to different types of craft making like furniture, baskets, coasters, wall hangings, etc using Sabai grass.

When it comes to the richness of art and culture, West Bengal stands out to be one of the most unique and diverse states. The foreign powers play a major role in the gradual changes that influenced the arts and crafts, providing an artistic diversity in the forms of dance, music, traditional handicrafts, painting, and carving. However, Bengal prides itself on the imprint which it carries beyond the foreign influences, ancient and modern.