| Nakshi Shika embroidered
reticulate bag made of jute strings featuring folk art motifs. It is usually
made of jute. Shikas are found in almost every house of the rural
areas of Bangladesh. This shika is fastened with the beam or ceiling
of the house and different things of the family, including food stuff,
are kept hanging there. The women are the makers of this form of art.
Though shika is made for domestic uses, skills in art
and the sense of beauty of the artisan find expression through
it. Embroidery is done on the shika with the help of glass-beads,
cowries (shells used as a coin of the smallest denomination),
round clods etc. Its diversity of joints and decoration processes
are subjects of novelty. Different types of knots are used in
making a shika, eg Maura knot, Rasun knot, Pagdi
knot, Daman knot, Taha (Taka) knot, Badshi
knot, Jhunti knot, Supari knot etc. The decoration
that are added with these are siki (a quarter),
Taka, Hatir Kan (ear of the elephant), Dalim etc.
In some shikas, decoration of Astadal Padma and
Kadam Phul are also seen.
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Nakshi Sika |
The nakshi shika has different local names, eg jilapi,
Amirti, Aulakeshi, Kauyar Thyang, Ichar Thyang,
Jali, Bedi, Kautar Khopi etc. The shika has different
names according to the style of making. Thus the shika hanged at
two ends of a bamboo slip is named, 'Bhar' or 'Bak'.
The shika made for keeping Kantha (quilt) and pillows
is known as Gainja, Panjab, Fulchanga (or Fultangi) etc.
Fulchanga shika is made by knitting lahar or Jali
(nets) at four corners or wheels of a bamboo and on it books, the
holy quran,
caps etc are kept. For keeping the quilts and pillows, a type of shika
called jot made in braided hair net with four tiers, are also
used. The shika used for hanging a large number of pots together
is called the Hazari (thousand) shika. Moreover, there is
a type of shika known as Hat (seven) shika, in which seven
shikas are closely linked with one another. In it braided jute
is twisted to make space for keeping small pots. It is found in Bera of
Pabna district.
In the past shikas were made within the family and its
purchase and sale was not so noticeable. At present, with increasing demand
as well as appreciation of handicrafts these are being commercially made
and have also got good foreign markets. Now the houses of city dwellers
are often decorated with nakhshi shika.
[Momen Chowdhury]
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