Shital Pati Weaving
শীতল পাটি
Cool, glossy mats woven from split murta cane, a craft recognised by UNESCO.
At a glance
- Where
- Sylhet district, Sylhet division
- Where to try
- Craft shops in Sylhet city; weaving villages in Balaganj
Shital pati, meaning 'cool mat', is woven from thin strips of murta, a reed-like plant that grows in wet areas of Sylhet. The strips are dyed and woven into mats with geometric patterns and sometimes motifs of birds and flowers, and they stay cool to sleep on in hot weather. The traditional art of shital pati weaving of Sylhet was inscribed on UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritage in 2017.
More from Sylhet
District guide →
Place Ratargul Swamp Forest
রাতারগুল জলাবনA freshwater swamp forest where you glide by boat between half-submerged trees in green, silent water.
Place Jaflong
জাফলংClear water flows over pebbles beneath the Meghalaya hills, with a suspension bridge visible across the border.
Place Bichanakandi
বিছনাকান্দিA wide bed of boulders where cold streams from the hills spread out in clear, shallow pools.
Place Lalakhal
লালাখালA river of startling blue-green water winding past tea gardens and forested hills.
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