Kasida

Kasida a folk embroidery of Bengal. Embroidery refers to as painting done with a needle and suggests strength and unification. Embroidery was introduced into India from Arab countries for large-scale production for trade in the 9th century AD. References suggest that Emperor Harsa wore embroidered fine muslin costumes in the 7th century AD.
Bengal is famous for enchanting Kasida needlecraft. It originated in Dhaka, essentially as a pursuit of womenfolk of the peasant class or as domestic leisure activity for subsidiary income. Taylor and Coomaraswamy have pointed out that fine satin stitches were employed with wheat-coloured untwisted muga silk on white cotton muslin for Kasida production.
Among noteworthy Kasida productions are turbans, handkerchiefs and scarves. Heavy and elaborate embroidered turbans (pagdis) were used as headgear. Rumals (handkerchiefs), 36´´ square with borders on all sides had richly embroidered trifoliate leaf pattern on plain and check varieties of cloth. They commanded a good market among pilgrims going to Mokka. Chadars (scarves) had the vibrant elegance of floral forms on their body and were bordered with exquisite circular motifs.
Arab merchants of Basra exported Kasida products in large quantities to Persia, Makka, Jedda, Iraq, Egypt, Morocco, Tunis and Malta. Pagdis, in particular were a great demand in Turkey among the soldiers of the sultan.
In the whole range of Indian embroideries Kasida have earned an abiding reputation for its craftsmanship and refinement of artistic designs and its products have earned aesthetic appreciation. Indeed, Kasida reflects the dexterous embroiders' matchless skills, richness of vision and sensitivity. They formulated their own distinctive designs from nature.
This excellent art, which once flourished in Dhaka, fell into decay, and eventually disappeared. But recently Kasida production has been revived in North 24 Parganas, Nadia in West Bengal and in different parts of Bangladesh. Present day coarser and simpler varieties of pagdis, containing rows of jhumka-phul, and circular bobby or pata butis of different widths are made for the use of the young and the old. [Atul Chandra Bhowmick]