: Central Cottage Industries Corporation of India Ltd. (CCIC) is holding its first exhibition in the capital at the Jawahar Balbhavan.
The Union government undertaking is seeking to strengthen its presence in Kerala, the only southern State where it is yet to establish a permanent showroom.
“Even for week-long exhibitions, we have a much richer and diverse collection of items by craftsmen from north India, but many opted out this time due to the forthcoming Navarathri festival when they wanted to be home,” said M. Gururaj, manager of the emporium.
Even so, their collection consists of unusual pieces that go beyond the standard traditional handloom items, paintings, jewellery, and sculptures. For instance, a clock adorned with Dokra work (indigenous to Chhattisgarh) and Worli tribal art, is among the standouts at the exhibition. This wall-hanging clock cannot be strictly classified as traditional but the design centre of the Corporation in New Delhi strives to keep classical art relevant by coming up with different, contemporary creations, said Lekha, an organiser based in the Bangalore showroom.
Pieces of furniture are other exhibits. Woodwork includes side-tables inlaid with marble and painted glass. The section that has seen the most sales so far is terracotta because of the demand for earthen lamps for Navarathri. Silver jewellery made by craftsman in Jaipur, traditional wall-hangings from Orissa are some of the other items on display. The expo will end on October 5.