Sikki Grass · Woven Basket
Golden grass, coiled by hand
Round baskets with looped handles, coiled from Sikki — the golden grass of Mithila — by women artisans of Madhubani and Sitamarhi in north Bihar, in bright dyed colours and earthy browns.
Shop the Craft
View all
Sikki Grass Woven Basket pieces
Sikki Grass · Woven Basket
Sikki Grass · Woven Basket
Sikki Grass · Woven Basket
The History
Golden grass, coiled by hand
Sikki is a wild grass that grows in the ponds, river banks and marshy fields of Mithila. Once its flowering tips are cut away and the stalks are dried in the sun, it turns a soft gold — which is why it is called the golden grass of Bihar. Women split the stalks, dye some of them in bright colours and coil them, ring by ring, over a core of sturdier moonj grass.
Our open baskets carry two looped handles coiled from the same grass and stitched firmly into the rim. Every slanting stitch on the outside is pulled through by hand with a takua, the pointed needle Sikki makers use, so a single basket holds thousands of them. Use one for fruit, bread, a potted plant or a festive hamper.
Each basket is made to order, so colours can be matched and sizes vary slightly from one piece to the next.
Gifting, hampers & bulk orders
For orders of 10 baskets or more we can match colours to a theme and pack baskets as hamper bases for Diwali, weddings and corporate gifting. Tell us the quantity, colours and the date you need them, and we will send a quote.
✦
Where it comes from
Sikki work belongs to Mithila in north Bihar — chiefly the districts of Madhubani, Sitamarhi and Darbhanga, where the grass grows wild in ponds, river banks and marshy fields. For generations women here have coiled Sikki into boxes, baskets, toys and the pauti boxes that parents give their daughters at marriage. The craft is registered as a Geographical Indication, Sikki Grass Products of Bihar, and today it is a steady source of income for women’s self-help groups across the region.
- Coiled in Madhubani & Sitamarhi, Bihar
- Made by women artisans of Mithila
- GI: Sikki Grass Products of Bihar
✦
How it’s made
-
01
Harvest & dry
Sikki stalks are cut from marshy fields, the flowering tips removed, and dried in the sun until golden.
-
02
Split & dye
The stalks are split into fine strands; some are boiled in colour and dried again.
-
03
Coil & stitch
A bundle of moonj grass is coiled from the centre and wrapped and stitched with Sikki using a takua needle.
-
04
Shape & finish
The walls are raised, the handles coiled and stitched into the rim, and loose ends trimmed.
Caring for your basket
Dust with a soft brush or wipe with a dry cloth. Keep away from water and long damp spells; if the grass gets wet, dry it in the shade, not in direct sun. Line with a napkin for bread or loose food, and lift heavier baskets from the base rather than by one handle.
