Madurkathi Mat Weaving
A reed that grows in the clay, split fine and woven so tight the mat rolls up like cloth.
The fine floor mats of the Medinipur region of West Bengal, woven from 'madur kathi', the slender reed Cyperus tegetum that grows in the area's clay soil. The best mats — 'masland' — are woven so tight and smooth on a horizontal frame loom with a cotton warp that they roll up like cloth and were once reserved for royalty and used as prayer mats.
Craft at a Glance
Origin
Sabang, West Bengal
Craft Type
Reed mat handloom weaving
Materials
Madur kathi reed (Cyperus tegetum), split and dried; cotton yarn for the warp; natural or chemical dyes for coloured reed; a wooden frame loom and beater.
Known For
Masland fine mats, cotton-warp frame-loom weaving, Sabang's reed-growing households
Time to Create
A day for a plain mat; up to a week or more for a fine bordered masland mat
Process Steps
Harvesting the reed
Mature madur kathi is cut, and the round stems are split lengthwise into two or four fine strands.
Drying and dyeing
The split reed is sun-dried until pale and stiff; some is dyed for coloured borders and motifs.
Setting the loom
A cotton warp is stretched on a horizontal frame loom — doubled for fine masland work.
Weaving
Reed strands are passed as weft one by one and beaten down firmly; coloured reed is introduced to weave borders and patterns.
Technique Glossary
Masland
The finest grade of madur mat, woven on a doubled cotton warp at a very close sett so it is supple enough to fold.
Ekhara / Dobhara
Single- and double-warp everyday grades of madur mat used across Bengal households.
Madur kathi
The reed Cyperus tegetum, grown as a field crop in the Medinipur clay belt specifically for mat weaving.
A Craft Through Time
Mughal era
Mats for the court
Fine masland mats from Medinipur are patronised by the Mughal administration and Bengal's landed gentry.
Traditional
A Bengal household staple
Coarser madur mats are woven and used for sitting, sleeping and prayer in homes across the region.
20th century
Sabang's specialisation
Sabang block becomes the dominant centre, with reed cultivation and weaving organised through cooperatives and SHGs.
2018
Geographical Indication
Madur Kathi is registered as a GI of West Bengal.
Did You Know?
The finest 'masland' madur mats are woven so densely that they can be folded and rolled like a textile, which is why they were historically used as portable prayer and sitting mats by the wealthy.
Every craft has a story. Every story begins with tradition.