Korocraft's Golden Grass Hand Made Fan Bring a Touch of Nature's Beauty

Odisha, located on the eastern coast of India, is a state rich in heritage, art, and culture. Known for its intricate handicrafts and skilled artisans, Odisha is home to many unique art forms that showcase the region's creativity. One such art is the making of decorative hand fans called 'Koroi' in the local language, crafted out of natural grass by the artisans of the Korocraft workshop.

Korocraft was established with the aim of reviving and promoting Odisha's traditional Koroi handicraft. The fans are intricately woven out of golden grass called Gorai grass that is locally and sustainably sourced. The process involves first cleaning and splitting the golden fibers by hand to make them pliable. The artisans then weave and shape them into an beautiful fan with decorative patterns and designs. It takes skill and patience to create these natural golden fans that are lightweight, eco-friendly and help provide livelihoods to local artisans.

In recent years, Korocraft has helped revive interest in this unique handicraft while also innovating with new designs and products like decorative trays, coasters, lampshades and more. The handwoven texture and golden sheen of natural grass makes these fans aesthetically appealing. Let's learn more about Odisha's Koroi art and Korocraft's efforts to keep this heritage alive.

History and Origins

The tradition of grass hand fan making in Odisha has a long and storied history. These beautifully crafted fans originated many centuries ago in rural villages across the state, where artisans used readily available grasses and reeds to create functional yet decorative fans for cooling and airflow. 

Over the generations, fan making became an integral part of Odisha's handicraft culture. The availability of grasses like seetha grass, murhana grass and date palm leaves allowed the art to thrive. Artisans incorporated native flora and fauna into the traditional designs and styles. 

By the 18th century, Odisha's grass hand fans gained fame for their quality and craftsmanship. Royal families and aristocrats prized the fans for their beauty as well as utility. The intricate motifs and carvings elevated the fans into works of art. From temple towns like Puri to farming villages, Odisha's grass hand fan making endures as a time-honored tradition linking past and present.

Raw Materials

Another type of grass used is Sabai grass (Eulaliopsis binata), a tall perennial grass that grows abundantly across Eastern India. It has slim, long leaves with smooth surfaces that create a beautiful rippling effect when woven into fans. The grass can be dyed different colors to achieve diverse designs.

Korocraft sources these grasses sustainably from Odisha's forests and grasslands. The abundance of these raw materials within the region enables artisans to craft exquisite hand fans using local, eco-friendly resources. The natural properties of these grasses make them ideal for weaving flexible fans that retain their beauty over many years with proper care and use.

The Fan Making Process

The process of making the beautiful Korocraft grass hand fans involves several meticulous steps. It starts with procuring the special golden grass used to make the fans. The grass needs to be harvested at just the right time when it reaches maturity. 

The grass stems are then trimmed to size and split lengthwise with a small knife to make them flexible. The artisans spend hours splitting each grass stem by hand to get perfectly flat, thin strips.

These grass strips are woven together on a wooden base to create the fan ribs. It takes great skill to weave the grass strips evenly and smoothly into the desired fan shape. The artisans use a wooden template and their hands to shape each fan rib. 

Once the ribs are ready, a second layer of grass strips is woven across the ribs to make a flat fan surface. The artisans carefully tuck the grass strips in a special interlocking weave. Then they trim any excess grass from the edges to make a neat circular fan shape.

The finishing steps involve trimming the edges further for a smooth rim. Decorative tassels made of grass strands are attached to the end of each rib. Finally, the artisans apply a natural lacquer coating on the fans which gives them a glossy finish and enhanced durability.

Every step is done meticulously by hand using simple tools like knives, blades, needles and a wooden base. The admirable skill of the artisans is what makes these beautiful, lightweight grass fans come to life.