Homemakers Sigappi, Nisha, Hina and Rupal came up with an idea to provide an outlet to women who engage in art and craft at home. Sigappi got the idea from a visit to Canada where she happened to visit a flea market.
“I saw how elderly women put up stalls to sell their homemade products.” Back home in India, Sigappi and her friends decided to do something similar and came up with the ‘Potpourri Bazaar,’ where women could sell their handiwork. The friends called themselves SNHR Buddies and got down to business.
The first sale happened in August at the R.S. Puram Ladies Club grounds where stalls were leased to them at an inexpensive Rs. 650 each. The idea is to make the process of exhibiting their stuff inexpensive as usually stall rents are quite expensive. This was an incentive to many of the women for whom this was a first time.
Pickles, hair-oil, handmade bags, cakes, block-printed fabrics, handicrafts…the exhibition was a hit, especially with the stall-owners. “Some women were nervous, but decided to give it a shot and we were really happy about that,” says Nisha. Since the rent was just Rs. 650, many women felt it was wroth risking the amount.
Nisha hopes to encourage students who learn art and craft to come forward to participate in their Bazaar.
Use your talent
“Youngsters go to a lot of art classes. They learn Tanjore painting, quilling and so on…but what do they do with their works of art? They can come and sell them in our Bazaar,” she says. The team is also planning to set up stalls where people can sell stuff that is in good condition and otherwise just gathering dust at home, at half the price.
Their second exhibition will have up to 40 stalls, says Rupal, who is a good cook. “I’m planning to sell waffles this time,” she says. “A lady is bringing rava idlis and kozhukattais,” adds Nisha.
For the organisers too the event management was a huge learning experience. According to Hina they learned to use Facebook for the first time. “It’s through Facebook that a lot of people came to know of us. Within a few days of announcing our second sale online, we had a lot of people coming forward to book stalls,” says Nisha.
The next Potpourri Bazaar will he held today at the Purandaradasa Hall, R.S. Puram, from 10.30 a.m. to 7.30 p.m. There will be over 40 stalls of handmade products, clothes, accessories, home-décor, food items and more. For details, call 94875-11150. You can also email them at fleamarket.
potpourri.cbe@gmail.com
