weaving

The north-eastern state of Meghalaya houses a variety of beautiful handicrafts. Some of the things produced are winnowing fans, cane mats, stools, caps etc.The three tribal communities of Meghalaya - Khasi, Garo, and Jaintia - together produce these crafts, each a little different in style and product. Artistic baskets known as meghum khoks are made in the Garo Hills. Wood crafts, however, are not used for trade - they are a motif of decorative and artistic value. 

The various kinds of baskets made are open weave carrying, closed weave carrying, small storage, large storage etc. Other products are also made such as rain shield, headgear, mud shovel, bamboo combs, bamboo pipes etc. These crafts are integral to the tourism sector and heritage of Meghalaya and continue to be made to this day.

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.