Mat Weavers of West Midnapore

A woman dries paddy on the side of the road.

Many of the village streets are earthen tracks leading into the fields or bamboo groves.

The main road or the street is a multi-purpose one on which paddy is dried, children ride their bicycles to school, grass for mats are laid out, and sometimes even clothes are stretched out to dry.

Grass and a woven mat drying on the road.

Grass cultivation next to the paddy fields.

The roots of the plucked grass are buried back into the soil after the stem of the grass is broken off. Some parts of the root are also used to make incense.

The main street also facilitates many other activities – drying or dehusking grain and processing grass products.

The weaver’s home is often just a combination of organic materials like the mud floor with bamboo slats as partitions and a simple corrugated or thatched roof.

Many of the village streets are earthen tracks that lead into the fields.

Paddy fields spread across the village.

Farmers sow saplings in the paddy field. The main occupation for the local population is agriculture.

Supplementary activities like basket making fit into the seasonal rhythm.

A small mound of earth become a symbol of worship. It can also hold new plants, adding to the natural green beauty of a simple village home.

The earth, the rain and a bountiful harvest are the sources of sustenance for the farmer and the mat weaver.

The shrine in the home or out along the street combines local art with nature – the Tulsi or Holy Basil being an essential part of it.

Read more about Mat Weaving here:

- Weekly Village Market
- The Process