Mojris, lac bangles and mouth fresheners. Three things that instantly remind you of Rajasthan. And, the All India Handicrafts and Handloom Fair organised by Rajasthani Handloom Apex Society at Jayams Hall has all these and more. The focus is on the desert State, but there are offerings from the rest of the country too.
Sculptures of Ganesha and Nataraja welcome you. Made of brass and wood, they have come all the way from Thirukovil. Elsewhere are mirror-worked wall hangings, miniature camels and elephants and small key chains created by the deft hands of Rajasthani artisans.
Miniature rose wood mantaps from Mysore are a nice touch to the puja room. Wooden cutlery from Saharanpur, roti rollers, wooden bowls and herb grinders made of natural wood can add style to your kitchen. Try the wooden head massager and you can see yourself chuckling away at the ticklish but relaxing sensation it offers.
In the garments section is a collection of churidar material, dupattas and saris from Kolkata, Bhagalpur and Sambhalpur. Sandeep Singh’s stall offers different varieties of silk such as tussar, kosa and khadi from Bhagalpur in Bihar. The silk dupattas with light golden borders will add colour to any ordinary-looking kurta.
Kurtas and saris with batik prints catch your eyes with their bold patterns and earthy hues. The crochet work on kurtas sourced from Himachal Pradesh and Rajasthan is beautiful — not a single thread is out of place. Kolkata-based Madan Singh’s speciality is Kantha silk saris. These hand-stitched beauties feature block prints and come in cotton and silk. The Sambhalpuri saris feature grand patterns such as the chakra of the Konark sun temple. The men can check out the khadi kurtas and cotton shirts.
The elaborate leather mojris will make you feel like a royal. They come with fascinating prints too. The accessories require special mention too. Chunky, colourful bead jewellery with pendants made of brass are eye-catchers. Silver-colour jewellery with intricate metal work around sparkling stones are show stealers. Check out the Rajasthani lac bangles too, which come embedded with mirrors and beads.
Do pay a visit to Chittranjan Das’s mouth fresheners stall. Bite into the flavours of Rajasthan — tamarind, ginger and pomegranate. There can’t be a better way to end a meal.
The expo is on till June 30 from 10. a.m. to 9 p.m.
