... the craftsman uses the simplest of hand tools to make leather boxes and bags which are elaborately embossed and painted ...

The craft of leather embossing with hand painting is not native to West Bengal and was first introduced in Sriniketan in the 1940s. Today, this work is done only in West Bengal.

In the 1960s a group of 65 people were trained in this craft by a rural development organization as part of their income generation program. A co-operativeproduction unit was set up as a cooperative and the products they made gained popularity. The designs they used for the embossing were paisleys and florals made by art students from the nearby Shantiniketan University. But the unit declined because of a lack of proper marketing effort. Many units in Calcutta producing cheaper products had also taken up the craft.

In 1978, Sasha revived this unit with design and development work which soon lead to orders from overseas clients. The designs now being made emphasized the difference in quality of work being done here and that being done in the Calcutta units. Sasha concentrated on promoting this craft internationally and soon the unit was thriving again.

The whole process is done completely by hand. Right from the embossing to the construction of boxes and bags, every step uses the simplest hand tools. Painting of the leather is done by women usually. Craftsmen are trained by as apprentices from an early age and aquire the skills as they work.

In 1988, there was a slump in the international market and the group began to look for a market closer home. Shantiniketan grew to be a tourist center and with some publicity, this group began attracting these tourists to their shop. The bonus was that buyers could see the craftsmen at work when they came to buy things. Slowly this market grew and replaced their export market. Sasha also works with another unit which is more recent and has younger craftsmen.

To read more about the craft of hand painted embossed leather, please click here.