Shola (Aeschynomene aspera L) is a freshwater crop of Bengal which grows naturally in stagnant water bodies like ponds and marshes. They grow profusely during monsoon as the plant requires 3 to 3.5 ft. deep stagnant water to develop. By the months of October-November, coinciding with the Bengali month “Bhadra” they are harvested before the plant bears fruit. These are dried and made ready for use by the month of “Ashwin”. The fibrous stems are dried in the sun which allows the fibers to fall off. The outer brown bark is scraped off, preferably in a single piece, by carefully running a sharp angular blade along the diameter of the stem. A complete synergy between the hand and mind alone leads to perfection in this process. Both the brown and the inner milky white spongy wood are molded into aesthetic items.

While making products, the cylindrical pieces of shola are cut into a flat four-cornered sheet. Alternately, they can also be cut on all sides into cubes. This part is done with much care using specialized artisanal blades as this determines how well the pieces will be put together and ensures that the final products are well knit. These pieces are then arranged based on the desired outline and snugly pasted with gum. Varied decorative, utilitarian, and aesthetic products are crafted out of these joint structures.

Shola craft is practiced in different parts of Bengal primarily in Murshidabad, South 24 Parganas, Sundarban, and Nadia districts. The shola plants are bought in bundles by the artisans. The artisans from Murshidabad used to make commission work for Nawabs in the Mughal and British era. Once the use of ivory was restricted by the Government of India they started using sandalwood instead. However, sandalwood proved to be an expensive alternative thus they shifted to shola which not only resembled ivory in its color but was also affordable, abundantly available, and eco-friendly. The craft creates sustainable work opportunities for women in the villages of these districts. The delicate craft is often mass-produced by women as the delicate craft demands the craftsmanship of their nimble fingers. Specific villages specialize in specific parts of the craft. It is mostly produced in an assembly chain setup.

A major market for the craft is Kumortoli in Kolkata, a region famous for making idols. Shola pith items used for adorning the idols are popularly called “daak’er saaj” which impart an ethereal glow to the decoration. Idols made from shola are also imported overseas due to their intricate beauty, longevity, and portability. Shola items like the ‘kodomphool’, ‘topor’, ‘gajra’ etc. form an essential part of Bengali rituals and ceremonies. Nowadays, shola is being replaced by its plastic counterpart, thermocol, in commercial sectors. However, the eco-friendly and flexible aspects of natural shola pith remain unmatched.

References: www.youtube/banglanatakdotcom/makingofsholacraft.com and www.youtube/sahapith/sholapiththedivinecraftofbengal.com