Balaposh is a traditional Bengali quilt known for its soft construction, silk covering and scented cotton filling. (AI generated image)Balaposh is a notable case study in how textile craft blends ease, material knowledge, and touch. itokri, a handicraft textiles store, recently shared the history of Balaposh on Instagram, noting, “For almost three hundred years, only one family knew how it was made. The method passed only from parent to child, within the family, and nowhere else.”The story behind BalaposhThe story, as shared on social media, goes like this: It began with the Nawab of Bengal, Shuja ud-din Muhammad Khan, in 18th-century Murshidabad, who found the heavy wool quilts of the time too much for a Bengal winter. He asked for a quilt as soft as wool, as warm as a lap, and as gentle as a flower.A craftsman named Atir Khan took up the challenge and worked at it for months. He sealed a thin layer of scented cotton between two sheets of Mulberry silk, and the Balaposh was born.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to.He is gone now, but he taught his son and daughter first. The maker’s family guarded the Balaposh’s construction for generations, turning a textile tradition into a rare inheritance of specialised knowledge. A quilt that keeps two secrets: the scent it holds, and the way it was made. View this post on Instagram A post shared by iTokri आई.टोकरी (@itokri)The scent and softness of Balaposh explainedThe Balaposh is more than a luxurious quilt.Sneha Yadav, Fashion Consultant, Brand & Image Strategist, NIFT Alumni, says, “This scented coverlet stands out due to its very gentle, airy build. That gentleness results from careful handling and combing of delicate cotton strands, laid flat among sheets of silk and, per old methods, muslin. The core stuffing is set up so it stays airy and avoids forming clumps over time.”“In contrast to normal quilts, an authentic Balaposh presents a sleek top side lacking the tight, obvious stitching lines usually employed to hold the fill,” she adds.Story continues below this ad The craft of making Balaposh has been associated with specialised textile knowledge passed down through generations. (Image source: Freepik)How to identify a true BalaposhIdentifying a true Balaposh requires checking beyond touch or smell, because each factor can be copied.“Shoppers must check the silk grade, how flat the stuffing lies, clean edge work, and lack of obvious stitching over the top area,” Yadav explains, adding, “A sharp scent or fancy look by itself does not prove realness.”The best option is to buy from a trusted place that can describe the goods properly. A real Balaposh stands for more than bedding; it’s a special cloth tradition kept alive by years of craft know-how.DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. For more lifestyle news, click here to join our WhatsApp Channel and also follow us on InstagramTags:The Home Editwinter