Bargarh/Sonepur: Stoles with special Sambalpuri Bandha designs will don the shoulders of Indian hockey players, the bronze medal winner in Tokyo Olympics this year, a report said.
The stoles will be gifted to hockey players by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik at a felicitation programme organised by the state government, August 16, the report said.
In this function, hockey players will be felicitated with the stoles made with special Sambalpuri Bandha designs. This was stated here by Sambit Acharya, former president of Sambalpuri Bastralaya to media persons, here Saturday.
He said the stoles have been prepared as per an order placed by the state sports and youth services department with the Sambalpuri Bastralaya.
The state sports and youth services department, in a letter (6786 dated11.08.2021) had placed an indent for 65 silk stoles and 64 cotton stoles.
These stoles will be sent to the department for use in the felicitation of the Indian hockey team. Designer Makardhwaj Meher has drawn the stoles with a new design which is a combination of last year’s design and a logo of the hockey stick and Olympics, he said.
Prominent weaver Bhikari Meher, winner of Santh Kabir award of Barpali has dyed the silk stoles in the traditional Bandha style assisted by weaver Ganesh Meher.
Weavers Gopal Meher, Abhaya Meher of Khuntapali, Bhikari Meher of Barapali and Siba Shankar Meher of Sonepur have weaved the stoles.
Similarly, Jeetendra Meher of Banjidunguri, Birendra Meher, Sabita Meher, Ranjita Meher of Pada village have done the Bandha designs and colour work of cotton hockey stoles.
Giridhari Meher, Gunanidhi Meher of Pada village and Jhasaketan Meher of Bandhapali village have weaved the stoles. Seven weavers of Bargarh district have prepared 54 silk stoles and 64 cotton stoles within three days while 16 stoles have been made in Sonepur.
Sisir Kumar Nag, managing director of Sambalpuri Bastralaya, marketing officers Hemant Kumar Mishra, Chandrabhanu Meher, Ramachandra Meher, Dutia Meher and Ghanashyam Meher supervised the preparations of the stoles by the designers and weavers.
Notably, Sambalpuri Bandha art has carved a niche for itself in the whole world.
The success of the design is attributed to Padma Shri Krutarth Acharya who worked tirelessly during his lifetime to put the design and the fabric in the world map.
PNN