Bangla Book Store

[Reuquen Lanier]

TheBengal Store is a one-stop online and offline store celebrating crafts, textiles, chemical-free food produced from the 23 districts of Bengal. We are here to celebrate Art, Crafts, Textiles and agro-products of Bengal.

The Biswa Bangla store in Central Delhi brings the authentic art, culture and craft of West Bengal to the capital, The three-floored emporium features an amazing collection of fabrics, home decor, wooden artefacts and other merchandise handcrafted by the artisans of this eastern state of India.

The ground floor of the store showcases and sells a rare collection of saris, terracotta curios and Dokra work pieces, In the basement, you can find an assortment of jute wallets, cloth bags, leather goods and Gamchas (traditional thin cotton towels). As a food lover, you would also love their luscious confections like amla candies, Nalen Gur (liquid jaggery), Kasundi (Bengali mustard sauce) and authentic Sundarban honey.

Neishaa Gharat is not an unknown face in the British Indian circle. Her design house 'House of Gharats' that features Indian traditional craftsmanship & fabrics, designed with contemporary style, is a part of many boutiques in London and soon to be launched in Paris, Bucharest, Florence and New York. And as her new inititiave, Neishaa is overseeing the upcoming Bengal government's Biswa Bangla store in London, in either of the key areas like Piccadilly, Covent Garden or Bond Street.

Neishaa, who is half Manglorian and half Gujarati, married to a Marathi doctor, started her designer journey in Mumbai, but it was Kolkata and her love for Kali Ma (Goddess Kali) and Kalighat that changed her life.

It was 2005 when I was on a soul searching journey and landed in Kolkata for a certain project. I ran my own design house in Mumbai at that point, and I really wanted a quiet weekend away. As it happened, on a spiritual discovery I went to Kalighat for a 'darshan' and during the 'aarti' I had an out of the world experience. A glow around Ma's murti and everything silenced around me. I felt a connection with the Goddess- a pull I have never experienced before.

The journey that began spiritually, soon became her passion. Incorporating Kalighat patachitra (painting) in her dresses and scarves- gave them a unique look- a contemporary edge. The largest collection of Kalighat patachitra is in Victoria and Albert Museum. The British Raj brought along quite a bit, principally as cheap souvenir.

In September 2015 autumn, during London Design festival 2015, Neishaa showcased arts, crafts and fabrics of Bengal in collaboration with Biswa Bangla. These included revival products like Kantha, Jamdani, Patachitra, Masks, Balaposh quilts & Indo- Portugese shawl. Other Biswa Bangla products also included fragrances and tableware. Live demonstrations from artisans included a Shola mask maker, a Kantha embroiderer, a Muslin weaver and a Patachitra artist. Experiences & interactions both with the products and artisans generated a keen interest in the arts and crafts of Bengal and the products.

Speaking about her consultancy role with Biswa Bangla, Neishaa said, My work with Biswa Bangla started when West Bengal's Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee visited the UK last year July. Ms Banerjee wants to put Bengal in the world tourism map. And why not? UNESCO welcomed the Rural Craft Hub of Bengal at a special event in Paris, last July. And it is a well deserved recognition.

"After the success of London Design Festival a range of UK wide events are planned to promote and showcase the artisans and craftspeople. London Craft Week, Art in Action - Oxford, screening of the Balaposh film documentary at festivals and cultural centres etc are some of them."

Coming to power in 2011, Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has lived up to one of her election promises - that of developing micro, small and medium enterprises and Biswa Bangla is an initiative to promote the state's dying arts and crafts.

After establishing her brainchild in West Bengal and the country, the store is now being launched abroad- in London and also believed to be in China. Mr. Rajiva Sinha, Principal Secretary, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Textiles, Government of West Bengal, India is doing his utmost to get everything up and running. With seven operational stores, the venture already has a turnover of 1.5mn (Rs 15 crores) in the first year. Over the next two years, revenue is expected to increase six-fold to about 10mn (Rs 100 crore). Some Indian states have evinced interest in the business model of Biswa Bangla and are looking at adopting it. The Rajasthan government has reportedly sent a team from consultancy firm EY to Kolkata to study Biswa Bangla's operations. The principal secretary of Uttar Pradesh's Khadi & Village Industries has apparently also visited Kolkata to see the model and the Odisha government has made some preliminary enquiries.

Biswa Bangla has more than 5,000 products, including a collection of 24 kinds of dolls from various parts of the state. The range is also being expanded with the addition of Bonoloukhi ghee from Shantiniketan and other products that have heritage value.

Other products revived is -Carmichael Rumal, a handkerchief made of Murshidabad silk. Thomas Gibson Carmichael, who was governor of Bengal between 1912 and 1917, is said to have been so impressed by these handkerchiefs that he started exporting them.

Recognizing the needs of visitors, the area surrounding Bangla Sahib Gurudwara offers luggage storage facilities, enabling a hassle-free spiritual experience. These services ensure that pilgrims and tourists can immerse themselves in the tranquility of the gurudwara without the concern of managing their belongings.

The gurudwara, with its golden dome and white marble structure, stands as a beacon of hope and faith. Inside, the melodious sounds of Gurbani (Sikh hymns) resonate, creating a profound sense of peace. The main hall houses the sacred Sikh scripture, Guru Granth Sahib, and is a focal point for devotion and prayer.

A defining feature of Bangla Sahib Gurudwara is the Langar, a community kitchen that serves free meals to thousands of people daily, regardless of their background or beliefs. The practice of Langar embodies the Sikh principles of selfless service and community unity, offering a unique and humbling experience for all visitors.

In fact, for advance luggage store bookings, you are only allowed six months to pre-book your luggage space and not more than that. If you plan to make your trip interesting, read more about travel tips for Delhi.

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