Swapner Maslin by Bhaskar Das [Hardcover]

"The Muslin, which has been the Kohinoor of Bengal's heritage and trade world since before Christ's birth, rapidly fell into obscurity between the second and sixth decades of the nineteenth century. The swift extinction of such an extraordinary and long-standing textile craft is astonishing. Equally surprising is the fact that the cultivation of the cotton suitable for Muslin was possible only in a limited area of the Meghna River Char near Dhaka. The magic of transforming cotton into wearable fabric was also mastered by the people of the adjoining areas.

The artisans of rural Bengal, whose cottage industry flooded the world's market, could not fathom the extent of trade that built up around it. This trade was so extensive that wars were fought between countries for its control, and various legislative bodies crafted different tools for its commercial regulation. The uncontrolled application of these tools led to the end of Muslin. The tragic end of a centuries-old craft is undoubtedly sorrowful to us. Understanding the causes of the rise, development, and fall of Muslin demands thorough attention. This book is a small attempt to step onto that map."