Sholapith

In more recent times, sholapith handicrafts have found a wider application in home décor such as Hindu gods and artistic objects.

It was popular among Westerners in India, Pakistan, Egypt, Sudan, Iraq, Transjordan, Palestine, Sri Lanka, and other tropical and subtropical British colonies until the late 1960s.

The Shola-style helmet has recently gained popularity among traffic police in cities such as Chennai during the summer as they insulate the wearer from the heat.

It is easily confused with other styles of "pith helmets" that were manufactured outside India and are usually made from cork or other materials.

Both styles of hats feature puggrees, air vents, khaki or white covers and green inner brim liners.

Some Shola-style pith helmets feature a thin leather belt that runs from under the puggaree across the top.

Shola pith helmets are still sold in Indian, Pakistani and Nepali polo-equipment stores, though they are seldom used in matches.

Ghosh, Kundan 2015 Sholapith craft of West Bengal, International Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies, Vol.3, No.

A piece of Aeschynomene sp stem. The very thin, reddish brown layer around the stem is the bark. The whitish interior is the wood. The central, dark hollow tube contained the pith which disappeared with the ageing of the plant.
An example of sholapith craftwork.
An "Aden" or "Cawnpore" style of pith helmet. They were manufactured in India until about 1938.
An Indian-made 'Bombay Bowler' shola-style pith helmet from the Second World War era.