The soft grass mat happens to be the culture-specific item of the Khond tribe, a native populace predominantly residing in the state of Odisha, India. Moreover, the Khonds are by nature a sustainable culture and put up good rapport with the surrounding ecosystem, thereby using the natural raw materials in creating functional wares for daily life with such mat as one of them. This mat is ultimately the type that is woven using soft and tender stems of grass that usually grow along the respective sides of streams and waterways in thick forested regions. The grass is harvested on its season; it is sun-dried, and then weaves together with a fiber obtained from its bark. All these attributes make the use of bark fiber quite natural for the binding of the mat. In addition to that, this makes the mat strong but flexible and durable. The world of the weaving is simple but brings efficiency, passed down over generations of Khond artisans, and mostly referred to as a craft done by women in the household.
Comes into use for various domestic purposes, soft grass mat is useful as a sitting or sleeping mat, a covering on the floor, or even as a bar for drying grains, spices, or forest produce. This light and rollable mat is also easy to carry and store. And such mats find their place as a necessary item in the tribal household, commonly used during community gatherings and rituals along with daily chores. The soft grass mat speaks volumes about the Khond tribe's understanding of the environment and its resources along with their promise for green living. It is an embodiment of utility, tradition, and sustainability in tribal craft.