Jute Craft of Madhya Pradesh

The crafts from Madhya Pradesh reflect the craftsmanship and skills of artists. One of these enchanting crafts is the jute craft – a cheap and eco-friendly fibre, which has a coarse but beautiful texture. Jute is known for its versatility and it is used to weave various items like lamps, hammocks, floor coverings, wall coverings, baskets, bags, wall hangings, tableware, dolls, footwear, etc. Jute handicrafts are mainly practised in Bhopal, Raipur, Indore and Gwalior.

The making of jute fibre is a crucial process. It is extracted through the process of retting, which involves bundling jute stems together and immersing in low, running water for a few days. The resulting soggy strands of fibre are stripped off manually, which are washed in water and dried under the sun. Once the fibre is dried, that’s when the spinning of fibre into threads and strands take place. The jute fibres are braided, dyed and then created by interlacing and knotting.

Navodaya Kala Vikas Kendra, Bhopal supports the rural artisans by training them and creating work opportunities for them.