Kouna: The Water Reed Found in Only Two Places on Earth — and One Is in Manipur

My name is N.G. Chandrakanth. I am from Manipur, and I work with the NGO Eastern Women and Child Development, where I have been for five years.

We weave with kouna grass — a water reed found in only two places in the entire world: Manipur and Thailand. For generations, this skill has been part of our Meitei community. Weaving is done on the community's off days, and one handmade item takes about half a day to finish.

Traditionally, we wove mats for Puja purposes — in our community, almost every household has a kouna mat for religious use. Now we weave according to what people need. A 5.5 ft mat is priced at around ₹1,800.

Transportation is our biggest challenge — Manipur is landlocked, and getting products out is difficult. But selling has become easier: every month, for about 15 days, we get to showcase our work at exhibitions in Delhi and other cities.

My message to the nation: look at Japan as a model — a country that celebrates and promotes its own culture. Let us be proud of what every state makes, and showcase India's craft diversity to the world.