Through the Eye of a Needle

This book , “Through The Eye of A Needle” written by Gouri Basu, has rendered great service to the Kantha cause by documenting facts and figures in a simple narrative form. Kantha is perhaps the most creative of all embroidery styles in Eastern India, and is an indigenous household craft practised by rural women in Bengal. The origin of Kantha can be traced back to more than 1000 years, and some of its images go back to the pre and post Vedic periods. Some motifs such as the ‘tree of life’, the ‘swirling cosmos’, and the ‘sun’ are taken from primitive art. Kantha is used for religious ceremonies and pujas and this has invested Kantha with additional significance.This volume is to make Kantha, a preferred textile for the readers. Kantha is an important vehicle for the empowerment of impoverished rural women in Bengal. The unique skill and creativity displayed by Kantha crafts persons is actively fostered by SHE(Self Help Enterprise).