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The kantha or, as it is increasingly referred to as the nakshi kantha, is an important aspect of Bengali women's domestic arts and crafts. Kanthas are made in most parts of Bangladesh as well as in West Bengal. The kantha has taken many forms: from simple quilts made at home for personal, domestic, or ritual use to elaborate story-telling wall hangings for public view. Kanthas are used for traditional garments, such as saris and shawls, as well as for Western garments, such as jackets and stoles. Made initially from old garments like cotton saris, lungis, and dhotis, the kantha is now made with new cloth, either cotton or silk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses how the sari helps people in Bangladesh fight cholera. Process by which cholera is spread among the country's citizens during the rainy season; Ways by which saris help filter the bacteria causing cholera; Process by which cholera vibrios act as pathogens of cholera.

The U.S. National Science Foundation has discovered a simple way of reducing the threat of cholera through the use of sari. When water is collected from rivers or ponds, the threat of cholera can be cut by filtering it through several layers of old sari. In a three-year trial in Bangladesh, the use of fine fabrics for filtering the water as collected was shown to reduce infection. By using at least four layers of discarded sari fabric, the cholera bacteria Vibrio Cholerae was reduced by as much as 99 percent.

Reports on the effects of filtering pond and river water through the worn sari cloth on the reduction of cholera cases in Bangladesh. Effectivity of the sari filtering system in removing other germs from the water; Identification of fewer digestive problems after the system was implemented; Comparison of the process from the traditional way of filtration.