Quilt conscious

The humble quilt, a family necessity, has for centuries been an expression of creativity. A coffee-table book looks at the quilting tradition of India

The tradition of quilting began across the world, and in India, with a combination of qualities inherent in rural woman — a concern for recycling, a tendency towards parsimony and the need for creative expression. In Bengal, women’s cotton saris were saved once they tore or faded. Four or five layers would be joined together with multiple lines of running stitches. Smaller pieces of cloth were similarly put together as coverings for the newly born or a narrow mattress.

As always happens with women in rural households, leisure hours are never wasted. Women relax from performing routine and tedious chores by keeping their fingers busy — embroidering, quilting, basket-making and other such handwork that produces objects of utility. Quilts are always the most practical home furnishing that can be used by the entire family. While a lowly mud hut may contain little, hospitality could be offered and measured through the number of quilts available for guests. Women’s creativity in Bengal, both West and East (now Bangladesh), blossomed into an extremely expressive tradition of women’s narratives, incorporating flowers, animals, human figures and even events and scenes into the landscape. Narratives became a part of their own social commentary, sometimes showing humorous aspects of their colonial masters or else displaying their hopes and dreams.  They would hardly know that their homely efforts have today become collector’s items or are displayed in museums and commented upon by discerning interpreters of history through folk art.