Museum of Passion: Balaposh-The scented quilt
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By Shahana Naqvi, Copy Edited By Adam Rizvi, The India Observer, TIO:
Introduction:
On a recent visit to the now-concluded World Book Fair, held at Pragati Maidan, Delhi, in February 2025, I took a team of 11 teachers from various subjects to add a variety of books to our library collection. The colorful display of books felt like being in a candy store, full of colors and temptations.
While cataloging the books, my eyes fell upon a small booklet from INTACH (bought by a fellow colleague). It was about heritage at risk, covering India’s natural, built, material, and living heritage. Flipping through the pages, I chanced upon a rare handmade textile art—a scented quilt called Balaposh, which was believed to be at risk of losing its craft.
Balaposh
The word “bala” comes from Urdu/Persian, meaning “higher” or “superior,” while “posh” means “elegant,” “expensive,” or “high-quality covering garment.”
Balaposh is a traditional, handcrafted, perfumed silk quilt that originated in the Murshidabad region of West Bengal, India, in the 18th century.
A painting of Murshidabad by the river (Photo credit: Rare Book Society of India)
Murshidabad reached the zenith of prosperity and became the biggest center of trade and commerce in North India under the Nawabs of Bengal.
Nawab Shuja-ud-Din Muhammad Khan, the second Nawab of Bengal and ruler of Bengal, Bihar, and Orissa, found the traditional quilts and wraps of animal hair and wool too heavy for Bengal winters. He wanted something different—a quilt that was not prickly or heavy but as soft as wool, as warm as a lap, and as gentle as a flower to wrap himself in.
This challenge was taken up by a local artisan named Atir Khan, who vowed to create an exclusive piece unlike the traditional kantha, razai, and dohar.
Between 1727 and 1739, Balaposh was finally created, making its mark as one of the most exquisite and expensive crafts of Bengal. Initially, this craft served only members of royalty, nobles, and the aristocracy and was considered a status symbol, sought after by the crème de la crème of Bengali society.
Materials Used
Balaposh is made using cotton, silk, mulmul fabrics, and fragrance-infused essential oils, which give it its signature softness, silkiness, and aroma.
Silk
Fine silk fabric, especially mulberry silk or Bangalore silk, is used in making a Balaposh. These quilts are crafted with a soft, plain, silky surface with no visible quilting.
Cotton
Only pure, unadulterated cotton, free from impurities or synthetic additives, is used. Artisans handpick the best-quality cotton fibers in their natural state, refining them over time.
The cotton undergoes 20 to 25 cleaning cycles, making it fluffier and lighter. This process takes five to six days. Balaposh is made with carded cotton, which is prepared by spinning it into thread or yarn.
Carding is a crucial textile-making process that removes debris, short fibers, and impurities while aligning the fibers. The master craftsman meticulously spreads the cotton by hand, ensuring even distribution.
The Process
Layering
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A fine silk fabric is first laid on the floor.
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A second layer of carded cotton, perfumed with essential oils (ittar), is added.
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A third layer of mulmul fabric and a fourth layer of silk are subsequently overlaid, covering the cotton completely.
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A fifth silk layer is added.
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The quilt is stitched using broad silk ribbons of contrasting colors along all four edges. The edges are stitched in a way that allows the middle layers to breathe.
This time-consuming craft typically takes one to two months to complete.
Aromatic Duvet
Before completing the sewing, craftsmen slip tiny attar-soaked muslin pieces into all four corners of the lightweight quilt. Cotton tufts infused with ‘Ittar’ are carefully placed between two sheets of muslin fabric, sandwiched between two mulberry silk covers, and meticulously stitched along the edges.
Attar, derived from flowers, herbs, roots, spices, and barks, is a natural and organic alternative to synthetic scents, emitting a soft, long-lasting fragrance.
Among the variety of attars used:
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Firdaus attar is in high demand.
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Photo credit : Kannauj Attar Rooh-Gulab attar is used on special occasions.
These fragrances remain enclosed within the soft layers of the Balaposh quilt for decades.
During the final touch-up, women of the household traditionally apply attar to the finished quilt by hand before folding and securely packing it in a box.
Distinguishing Features
The unique features of a Balaposh quilt include:
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Fine cotton filling that does not become lumpy with use or age.
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Cotton layers are held together only by stitches along the edges (no visible running or darning stitches).
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Beautifully stitched taut borders prevent the cotton or wool layers from shifting, even after a century of use.
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Due to its light weight and simple stitching, the quilt can also be used as a shawl, jacket, or bedcover.
Unlike commercially available quilts, Balaposh production—from layering and stitching to packaging and marketing—remains technically distinct.
Heritage at Risk
The 300-year-old Murshidabad Balaposh quilt, once a symbol of status and aristocracy, has declined due to the lack of royal and governmental patronage.
With commercial, machine-made quilts available at affordable prices, the exquisite fragrant Balaposh has lost its sheen.
Master Craftsman
Until 2015, the craft of making Balaposh quilts was a closely guarded family secret, passed down through Atir Khan’s descendants.
Award-winning master craftsman Shekhawat Hussain Khan from Murshidabad, the great-grandson of Atir Khan, worked tirelessly to preserve this legacy. He passed on the intricate details of Balaposh-making to his son and daughter, who continue to uphold the tradition.
They are now the only family of craftsmen striving to save this art from extinction.
Balaposh Today
Balaposh quilts have been exhibited at:
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London Design Festival
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Festival of India (2015)
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“Balaposh: A Fragrant Inheritance” (film installation by Neishaa Gharat and Vineet Vohra at London Design Fair, 2018)
The craft is also mentioned in Dr. Ritu Sethi’s book “Handmade for the 21st Century: Safeguarding Traditional Indian Textiles” (published by UNESCO in 2022).
Organizations like The Bengal Store and Crafts Council of West Bengal have tried to showcase and revive Balaposh, but these efforts are just a drop in the ocean. Without visionaries, sponsors, and agencies, this rare Bengali craft remains at risk of disappearing.
Finding an authentic Balaposh quilt led me to Biswa Bangla, which shared pictures of the rare quilts priced at 29,000 and 15,000 Indian rupees, proving they remain exclusive to patrons and connoisseurs of handicrafts.
Aroma of a Lifetime
My extremely talented mother (Amma) once gifted me a delicate handcrafted Razai (duvet) after my marriage, which can be used in mild winters. The cotton was carefully spread by her experienced hands. For the edges, she made use of katran (leftover pieces) from my grandmother’s silk gharara and a purple-hued silk cloth to cover the handmade quilt.
It remains neatly packed in an antique wooden storage box. I never used it, as it reminds me of a precious heirloom—so exquisite and so rare—created with the pure, unconditional love of my mother. It has become even more priceless and rare because Amma suffered a deadly paralysis attack two years ago, leaving her confined to bed.
The beautiful handmade quilt and its presence continue to remind me of her talent, her love, and her wisdom.
I hope it will continue to spread the scent of my mother’s pure love to the coming generations, just like the soft fragrance of the Balaposh of Bengal, which refuses to fade away with time and still thrives in people’s hearts and minds. I hope it will endure for a long time to come because…
Also Read more from this Author: Museum of Passion: Nakhl Gardani (Muharram Ritual of Iran)
Curated and Compiled by Humra Kidwai
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