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Crafts of West Bengal Ethnic Arts & Crafts Handicrafts of Tamilnadu

Exploring the Art of Sholapith: India’s Intricate Pith Craft from Various Regions

Spread India's Glorious Cultural & Spiritual Heritage

ॐ श्री गुरुभ्यो नमः ॐ श्री शिवानन्दाय नमः ॐ श्री चिदानन्दाय नमःॐ श्री दुर्गायै नमः 

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Sholapith or Shola Pith (also referred to as Indian cork) is a dried milky-white spongy plant matter, which can be pressed and shaped into delicate and beautiful objects of art.  

Pith craft of Tamil Nadu and West Bengal | The Encyclopedia of Crafts in  WCC-Asia Pacific Region (EC-APR)
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Durga

Shola grows wild in marshy waterlogged areas. The biological name of Shola is Aeschynomene aspera . It belongs to the bean family. It is an herbaceous plant, which grows particularly in the marshy areas of Bengal, Assam, Orissa and the Deccan.  

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 Crafts

Traditionally Sholapith products were used in decorating Hindu idols and in creating the crowns of brides and grooms in a traditional Bengali Wedding of India.

In more recent times, Sholapith handicrafts have found wider application in home décor, as artistic objects.   Almost similar to thermocol, which is artificially produced, Sholapith is much superior to thermocol in terms of malleability, texture, lustre and sponginess.

Sholapith - Indian handicraft - Tale of 2 Backpackers
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Craft

West Bengal

In the East Indian State of West Bengal this craft is mainly practised in the districts of Bardhaman, Murshidabad, Birbhum, Nadia, Hooghly , Malda & 24 Parganas district.  

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Sholapith Handicraft items, Size : 13”/9.5”/4.5”, INR 2.10 k / Piece by  Mohammed traders from Murshidabad West Bengal | ID - 3530348
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Elephant

About 5,000 artisans are involved in this craft today. Craftsmen spend several months on a piece to meticulously carve out the details.

Buy DollsofIndia Goddess Saraswati - Sholapith Sculpture - 12 x 7.75 x 3.5  inches (GC08) Online at Low Prices in India - Amazon.in
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Saraswathi

In Murshidabad the Shola crafts are flowery designs, decorative headwear of gods and goddesses, garlands, exquisite figurines like faces of gods and goddesses, elephant howdahs, peacock boats, palanquins and so on.

sholapith-dolls-of-india - Mango Lady Diaries
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Durga

Craftsmen in Tamilnadu are famous for structurals in pith products.   Pith flowers are made in Karnataka and Maharasthra as well.

Pith Work from Tamil Nadu | by Direct Create Community | Medium
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Temple miniature
D'source Design Gallery on Pith Work - Thanjavur - Miniature works of  Temples and Idols | D'source Digital Online Learning Environment for  Design: Courses, Resources, Case Studies, Galleries, Videos
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Temple miniature
File:Miniature temple (37399603641).jpg - Wikimedia Commons
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Temple miniature
Madurai Meenakshi amman temple - miniature | Miniatures, Madurai, Temple
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Temple miniature

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Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) boat
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) boat
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) elephant
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) boat
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Durga
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Durga
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Palki

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Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Radha Krishna
Sholapith ( Shola Pith )Durga
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) boat
Pith Jasmine Flower Gajra Flowers Band Hair Braid Veni Bharathanatyam  Kuchipudi
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) Jasmine flowers

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Pith Jasmine Flower Gajra Flowers Band Hair Braid Bharathanatyam Kuchipudi
Sholapith ( Shola Pith ) flowers

Spread India's Glorious Cultural & Spiritual Heritage

By Mala Chandrashekhar

Introducing Blogger Mala Chandrashekhar - a specialist academically trained in modern Western sciences, yet deeply enamored with India's timeless ethnic arts, crafts, and textiles. Her heart beats for the rich and glorious cultural and spiritual heritage of India, and she has dedicated her entire blog to spreading the immortal glories of ancient India worldwide. Through her simple yet impactful blog posts, Mala aims to reach every nook and corner of the globe, sharing India's beauty and wisdom with the world.

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