Sikki: The Golden Grass Art of Odisha

Along the marshy lowlands of coastal Odisha grows a slender, golden-hued grass that most passersby would overlook. To the artisans of the region, though, it is the raw material for one of India's most distinctive natural crafts: Sikki, popularly known as golden grass art.

A Craft Born From the Wetlands

Sikki grass grows wild in the swampy, waterlogged patches of Odisha, shooting up five to six feet tall before it is harvested, dried, and prized for the natural golden sheen it takes on once cured. Unlike many crafts that rely on elaborate tools or imported materials, Sikki asks for almost nothing beyond the grass itself — a pair of scissors, a measuring tape, and a needle are usually all an artisan needs to begin.

Turning Grass Into Gold

The process starts long before any weaving happens. Harvested sikki stems are split into two even strands, often by hand, then dried until they take on their signature golden color. From there, artisans coil the grass around a soft jute or cloth core, binding each round tightly with a needle in a technique closer to basket coiling than traditional loom weaving. Layer by careful layer, flat coasters, trays, temple-shaped boxes, baskets, and of course table mats slowly take shape. Natural dyes are sometimes worked in to create borders and patterns, but the grass's own warm gold is usually left to speak for itself.

The Women Who Keep the Tradition Alive

Sikki craft has long been the domain of rural women, many of whom take it up as supplementary income alongside farm work. Passed down through generations within families, the skill requires patience more than strength — a single tray or mat can take days of steady, meditative coiling. Government design programs and craft cooperatives have helped bring contemporary shapes and color palettes into what was once a purely utilitarian tradition, opening doors to urban and export markets without displacing the women who have always been at its heart.

Why We Love Sikki at SanskaraPY

Every strand of sikki grass is biodegradable, renewable, and entirely free of synthetic processing — which makes it a craft that was sustainable long before sustainability became a buzzword. When you bring home a SanskaraPY golden grass placemat or tray, you're holding a small piece of Odisha's wetlands and the quiet, patient skill of the women who shaped it, coil by golden coil.