Kauna Grass Craft from Manipur: Salem Pelendra Singh's Farm-to-Basket Story

My name is Salem Pelendra Singh, and I run a kauna craft unit in Manipur. We make heirlooms — bags, cushions, mats, lunch box covers, yoga mats, cushion covers, and baskets. The material we work with, we grow ourselves on our own farms. I learnt this craft from my family, and it has been in our hands for generations.

Our prices start at ₹250 and go up to ₹1,000, depending on the item. The things that sell best are lunch box covers, yoga mats, cushion covers, and baskets — products we supply to different parts of the country.

What makes kauna craft special is the material itself: kauna is a water reed found only in Manipur and Thailand. Every item we weave carries something of our land in it.