
Promodini Moharana
Appliqué artisan
Artisan
2025
Promodini Moharana is a 54-year-old appliqué artisan based in Bhakarsahi, Banamalipur, Khordha district, Odisha. She learned the craft through family-based transmission and long-term engagement within the domestic workspace, where making is integrated into everyday life and shared labour. Her practice reflects continuity within a generational craft tradition sustained through observation, repetition, and collective participation rather than formal instruction. Working primarily with textiles, thread, and hand stitching techniques, she contributes to the production of domestic appliqué objects such as decorative hangings, screen coverings, and padded household textiles. Within her practice, craft functions not only as livelihood but also as a form of continuity embedded within the rhythms of home and community life. Her work circulates through local markets, Utkalika, and regional exhibitions and fairs, forming part of a broader craft economy connected to Khordha district. At the same time, her practice remains shaped by challenges including fluctuating material costs, market competition, and changing aspirations among younger generations. Her sustained engagement reflects the important role women play in maintaining continuity within household-based craft systems.
Promodini Moharana, appliqué artisan from Bhakarsahi, Banamalipur, Khordha district, Odisha, creating traditional handcrafted textile décor and household appliqué products.