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Read MoreShital Pati: Bangladesh's Timeless Craft of Comfort and Sustainability
Shital Pati is a traditional handcrafted mat from Bangladesh, known for its cool and comfortable feel, especially in hot weather. This eco-friendly craft has been passed down through generations, gaining global recognition for its intricate designs and sustainable appeal.
Shital Pati: Bangladesh's Timeless Craft of Comfort and Sustainability
Since ancient times, the value of shital pati has spread across the world. Much like Dhakai muslin, the intricate craftsmanship of Sylate shital pati has mesmerized the entire world.
The shital pati from Tegaria village in Balaganj Upazila of Sylhet even found its place at the royal court of Queen Victoria.
The Mughal court also greatly appreciated this mat. The beautifully crafted made from rattan at Dasher Bazar in Moulvibazar district was a gift presented by Murshid Quli Khan to the Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.
What is It?
Shital Pati is a traditional floor mat in Bangladesh, commonly placed on the floor or bed. It has been a part of Bangladesh’s heritage for nearly a thousand years.
This mat is especially popular in Bangladesh, where the climate is predominantly warm for most of the year. It is widely used in both cities and villages as a way to combat the heat.
The key feature is that it cools the body upon contact, making it a perfect comfort during hot weather.
Shital Pati Industrial Area
In the village of Atghoria, located 5 kilometers south of Raiganj, the Murta plant, a type of reed, is cultivated. Locally, it is referred to as Paitta or Pati Pata, with the scientific name Sumana neantha dicotomas.
This plant grows naturally along roadsides, water bodies, and ponds.
However, Atghoria has been cultivating this plant for over 200 years. The village, located in the Thangra Union of Raiganj Upazila in Sirajganj, is renowned as an industrial hub for mat production.
Other areas known for producing high-quality Pati include Balaganj and Rajnagar in Sylhet, Swarupkathi in Barisal, Satir in Faridpur, Sonagazi in Noakhali, and Muktagacha in Mymensingh.
Murta Plant
The Murta plant is a valuable and essential raw material for making traditional Pati. This plant has slender, tubular stems with evergreen leaves.
It matures within two to three years and can grow up to 2.5 meters in length, without having any branches. Due to these characteristics, it is the only reliable source for production.
The word Murta also means pearl, symbolizing its high value in Mat making. From each plant, artisans can create 8 to 12 reed strips.
Using a unique technique, artisans wrap cloth around their middle and index fingers and carefully separate the finer, woven-quality reed strips from the outer bark.
Production
The thinner and finer the reed strips, the softer and smoother the Shital Pati will be. After the reed strips are made, they are bundled and soaked in rice paste for about 24 hours.
Process of making Pati is labor-intensive and time-consuming. Therefore, This tasks performed by both male and female family members together.
After soaking the reed strips in rice paste, they are boiled. Boiling mixture, which includes leaves from the Amra, Jarul, and Gerua trees along with rice paste, makes the reed soft, smooth, glossy, and durable.
The male members primarily handle the cultivation of Murta plants, harvesting them, making the reed strips, and selling the Mat. The women mainly focus on the production.
After boiling, the reed strips are rinsed, dried, and air-dried. Bundles of the boiled reed are dried under the sun and then left in the dew overnight. This enhances the reed’s color absorption.
Once dried, the reed strips are bundled again for dyeing.
Design
To create various designs on Shital Pati, the reed strips are dyed in different colors such as red, blue, yellow, and green. These dyed reed strips are then ready to be woven.
Make easier weaving, both colored and colorless reed strips are soaked in water before starting the weaving process. Long reed strips are interspersed with shorter strips and woven together.
In most cases, the designs depict rural life. The images of happiness, sorrow, joy, and celebrations come to life through the skilled hands of the weaver.
it is categorized into different types based on the design, weaving technique, and smoothness of the reed. Some of the names of these types are quite unique, such as ‘Siki,’ ‘Aduki,’ ‘Taka,’ ‘Nayan Tara,’ and ‘Asman Tara.’
Siki: The most finely crafted Shital Pati is called Siki. It is said that Siki is so smooth that even a snake cannot slither across it. Creating one takes between four to six months.
Aduki: This type is known for its intricate craftsmanship. There is a high demand for Aduki for general use, so its production is also more frequent. It takes around three to four months to create one Aduki.
Taka: is large and heavily designed. It takes more than six months to create one Taka, and they are so durable that they can be used easily for 20 to 25 years. Generally, weavers create Taka based on customer orders.
UNESCO Recognized World Heritage
The techniques for weaving fabric and Shital Pati are the same. A typical weaver takes about four to five days to weave a mat that is four feet by five feet in size.
Depending on the design and size, some Shital Pati can take anywhere from 15 to 20 days to weave.
it is both an art form and a craft. This traditional craft is developed by marginalized artisans using simple materials like leaves and generational knowledge passed down through the ages. This art is now recognized as a global folk heritage.
The handcraft weaving Shital Pati in Bangladesh is now a UNESCO recognized world heritage. The price varies depending on its size and design, ranging from 1,500 to 10,000 Taka.
Specially commissioned Shital Pati can be sold for even higher prices.
Finishing of Shital Pati
After the weaving is completed, the protruding reeds around the edges of the Shital Pati are soaked in water. Additional reeds are used to bind the edges as the final step. The quality of Shital Pati is reflected in its name.
This health-friendly mat provides a wonderfully cool and comfortable feeling when spread out. Made from plant materials, It’s both environmentally friendly and durable.
With proper care, a Pati can last anywhere from 15 to 20 years. At one time,it from Atgharia was even sold in Kolkata.
Though it now faces competition from plastic products in the market, Shital Pati still maintains its appeal as a high-quality, environmentally friendly product.
