Sheetal pati (cool mat)

The story

Long before fans and air conditioners, families across Bengal slept through the summer on a sheetal pati, literally a "cool mat". It is woven from murta, a slender green cane-like plant (Schumannianthus dichotomus) that grows in wet, low-lying ground around ponds, canals and the haor wetlands. The mat's smooth, polished strips do not hold body heat, so it stays pleasantly cool even on sticky monsoon nights. It was also a traditional gift: a finely patterned nakshi pati was a common part of a bride's trousseau.

Greater Sylhet is the heart of the craft. Villages in Balaganj, in Rajnagar and elsewhere in Moulvibazar, and across Sunamganj have woven pati for generations, and in 2017 UNESCO added the traditional art of sheetal pati weaving of Sylhet to its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. There are other pockets of weavers too, the best known in the Kathalia area of Jhalokati in the south. In 2023 the mat was registered under the name Bangladesh Sheetal Pati as a geographical indication, on an application by BSCIC.

The work is shared within families. Men and women cut and prepare the murta, the stems are split lengthwise into fine strips, and the strips are softened, usually by soaking and boiling, before weaving. Some strips are dyed so that motifs such as birds, fish, boats and borders can be worked into the mat. Women do most of the weaving, entirely by hand, and a large patterned piece can take many days.

How to spot the real Sheetal pati (cool mat)

Genuine murta has a natural glassy sheen on the outer side of each strip and a slightly duller inner side. Run your hand across it: real pati feels smooth, cool and a little springy, and you can see the natural fibre lines in each strip. Colour varies from pale straw to greenish gold, with dyed patterns in red, brown or black. Plastic "pati" mats are the common substitute; they look evenly shiny, every strip is exactly the same width, they warm up under your body within minutes and often smell of plastic. A fine sheetal pati has thin, tightly packed strips, while a coarse everyday mat uses wider ones. Both are genuine; the fine one simply costs more.

Buying tips

Price depends on size, the fineness of the strips, how dense the weave is and how much patterned work it carries. Ask the seller for the exact size, a close-up photo of the surface and of the edge binding, and where the mat was woven. A GI mention in a listing is not proof by itself, so ask about the weaving village. For a gift or a special piece, nakshi pati with figures is worth the extra.

On Midmart each shop sets its own delivery charge, so mats bought from different sellers arrive separately and are charged separately. Midmart never takes payment or arranges delivery; the seller agrees both with you directly. Ask how the mat will be packed. A pati should be rolled, not folded, in transit, and it should be kept dry.

Keeping it fresh

Store a sheetal pati rolled loosely, in a dry, airy place. Damp is its main enemy: in the rainy season a mat left rolled and humid can grow mould, so unroll it now and then and let it air in the shade. Wipe it with a soft, slightly damp cloth instead of washing it, and dry it fully before rolling it again. Do not leave it in harsh sun for long or put heavy furniture on it, as the strips can crack.

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Dazzle Luxe New Sylhet

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