Description
About Artisan: Ardhendu Shekhar Das specialises in the craft of golden grass weaving. Belonging to Midnapur District of West Bengal, Das continues to take forward a more than 70 year old legacy of his forefathers, creating eco-friendly and natural grass mats.
On completing his education, he started working with his father, Anil Chandra Das almost 20 years ago.
A State Awardee known for his craft, his father created employment opportunuties for almost 50 artisans from his village, which is now overseen by Ardhendu himself.
About Craft: The craft originated in West Bengal and is centuries old, which gained significant popularity in Mughal period. The raw material used to make madur mats is madurkathi grass which is a type of sedge grass known locally as madurkathi, it grows on marshy, swampy land or prone to flooding. Madurkathi have also been used to make a variety of decorative and functional items, including door curtains, sleeping mats, tiffin-carriers, and handbags.
