Tussars, uppadas, Kanchipurams, Bengal cottons...the list is long at the Weaves Cotton and Silk Spectrum exhibition 2012. From Jammu and Kashmir to Tamil Nadu, crafts and designs from all over India are showcased at Suguna Auditorium.
A small crowd gathers around the stall of Sheela Dutta from West Bengal. She has blouse pieces and kid’s wear in batik and ikat prints. She also has silk stoles and saris. And do not miss those batuas and file folders, with beautiful kantha work on them.
Shoma Dey from Kolkata’s tussar and raw silk are beautiful. All her saris are woven on traditonal charkas , she says. She shows a designer silk sari, with intricate and detailed cross stitch embroidery on its border.
Ikat treats
For the lovers of ikat , the Subha Lakshmi Handlooms from Orissa is the place. The shop has cotton and silk saris, dupattas and suit materials. The cotton saris in bright earthy hues are elegant and begin at a price range of Rs.750.
Moving northwards, it is the chikan saris from Lucknow that beckon. Wafa Sheikh has also brought with her suits and tops in soft pinks, violets, and azure greens with elaborate Chikan embroidery work on them, besides running material and kurtis. A pretty pink top, with crochet work on its sleeves, is a sure winner. It is winter, but that does not mean you have to stop looking elegant! Drop in at Oriental treasures from Jammu and Kashmir where they have the softest of Pashminas.
Ratna Chatterjee’s stall is quite irresistible. She has silk saris ranging from Rs.2, 600. The saris are mostly in rich creamy tussar silk with subtle gold zari on its border. Some fo the saris also come with Parsi and Phulkari work. They also have embellishments such as mirror work and zari on them.
Pretty bandhinis
For the college goers the bandhini dupattas at Santhosh Enterprises are really pretty. And they cost a reasonable Rs. 150. The stall also has graceful bandhani saris in raw silks and chiffons.
Andhra Pradesh is represented with its Pochampally and Uppada silks saris while it is tussar and jute tussar from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. The ready to tailor blouse pieces with kundan , Banarasi brocades and pearls are nothing short of works of art. For young girls, there are stalls that have kurtis in block prints, with trendy cuts. A lady leaves the exhibition laden with shopping, but she is still overheard sighing, “How I wish could buy all of them!”
The exhibition is on at Suguna Auditorium, Avanashi Road till December 31 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
