Women in large numbers are making a beeline to the Moghul Exhibition Hall to have a look at a variety of handloom sarees and dress material that are on offer. Artisans from across the State and some from other states have put on display some of the finest varieties produced by them.
The cynosure of all eyes is the silver zari work on pure silk sarees. The beauty of the saree is that it can be worn on any side as the finish of ‘Zamdani' work specialised in Uppada and Venkatagiri is so fine that nobody can make out the difference between the front and back of the pallu.
Explaining the technique used, the Kalabharathi Handicrafts and Handloom Artisans Welfare Association coordinator J. Satyanarayana said that 45 different thread spindles are simultaneously handled for making a continuous design pattern without breaking the thread anywhere. Each silk thread is given a 52-touch silver coating for providing the right flexibility while weaving or during the use of the saree.
“It is a lifetime asset and even if they sell the remnants after life of the silk cloth was over, they can recover good amount of silver by burning the zari,” he said.
Leather covered paper mache models of animals coming from Jodhpur in Rajasthan are the other attractions at the Moghul Hall at Madhu Chowk. Mysore rosewood inlay work makes for a good showpiece, with Malaysian wood and other white synthetic material used to give an embossed look. These labour-intensive panels take about 25 to 30 days to make.
Fine and thin panels of Kadamba wood have been given a shape of Japanese fans making them a great attraction for those who use it as a fan or keep it as a show piece. Kerala print sarees, Hyderabad patch works, Bengal cotton sarees are the other attractions.
Khadi shirts from Meerut, material from Ponduru and Chebrolu are available in a variety of design and colours for men. It also has a good collection of Pochampalli tie and dye dress materials and bed-sheets. The exhibition with its next destination as Siddipet has come to the city for the first time and hopes to provide the artisans a good platform to sell their ware to the consumers directly at reasonable prices. It will come to an end on Tuesday (November 8).
