It's a colourful and unusual slew of crafts on offer at two Pongal exhibitions on in the city. Superbly crafted five-ft long leather puppets of Hanuman in saffron green and blue catch the eye at Lepakshi's Heritage Collection Exhibition. They could make for compelling wall-murals as groups or single pieces, lit up from behind. Butterflies and birds, lamp shades and wall-hangings are other leather art on view, each typically ‘dotted' and painted in vegetable colours. Narsapur lace bed- and table-linen, dresses, skirts and trendy tops from Andhra are on view. Choose from Banjara's embroidered bags and wall-hangings, and metallic and wood sculpture and terracotta.
In jewel tones
Gurjari's Arts and Crafts Exhibition has exquisite terracotta jewellery hand-crafted and painted in jewel tones. Pretty peacock pendants, ‘jhumkas', bracelets and more make for perfect festive accessories.
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Odisha's ‘Saurah' tribal paintings on tussar and silk are stunning. In black and white, with occasional dramatic touches of colour, ‘Saurah' art has a typical medley of silhouetted tribal dancers, animals, vignettes of tribal life etc. Jute products, embroidered clutches, torans, artefacts with dhokra work, and jewellery make for interesting gift ideas.
Both the exhibitions have lots of tempting textiles — block-prints on cotton, Maheshwaris and Chanderis, Odisha's ikats, tie-and-dye from Gujarat, and much more.
Lepakshi's ‘Heritage Collection' is on view at Vijaya Raja Thirumani Mandapam, V.R. Maaligai, 58, 1st Avenue Road, Shastri Nagar, till January 12. The Gurjari Craft Mela is on Sri Sankara Hall, TTK Road, till January 30.
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