Looking for mats that are ecofriendly, longlasting, and easily washable. Your hunt stops right here. Made out of golden grass, these hand crafted mats from Orissa are simple yet elegant. High in aesthetic value, these will retain their charm over the years and are easy to maintain.
Size:Large12x12 inches, Small8x8 inches
Grass Art:Golden grass art is a traditional art that sprouted in the state of Orissa. This art was a traditional skill of the state's women, who would weave articles of household utility with golden grass. Golden grass, also known as "Kaincha" by the locals, is nothing but "Khus Khus" stems, or in other words the stems of Vetiveria zizanioides. It is collected by the women, who often have to swim through neckdeep water to amass it. Following collection is the removal of the flowering portion at the top of the stem. Whatever remains is carefully splintered into two pliable strips. They attain their glitter, the golden hue, in the next step : they are sundried. Occasionally, artisans dye the strips at this stage to amalgamate more colours with their work. Generally, though, the natural golden patina of the dried grass is adequate to make it bright, attractive, and arty. The grass is then finally given shape by weaving it into any artefact or utility object. The object's size and intricacy determine the production time of each handicraft item. This time range goes from a day to a month. In the traditional times, it was the household utility objects that were largely woven. With changing markets, much of variety has been introduced, in terms of products, by the artisans helping the art to survive.
Region : This art comes from Orissa, which is renowned for its rich culture and heritage, is located on the east coast of the Bay of Bengal in India. Also one of the richest states in tradition and art, it is the centre of Jain, Buddhist and Hindu religion. Orissa is equally well known for its grand temples and celebrated Odissi dance.
Social Impact : At Craftsvilla we are dedicated to supporting the artisans, who have preserved our rich and diverse heritage and culture and are now finding it difficult to sustain it. We support them by providing them employment and bringing to the world their priceless art in the form of our products. Often we have been able to revive a form of art dying out, due to lack of funds and provide a source of income to countless families. Taking this one step further we have also established a Craftsvilla fund in support of these artisans.
