Colourful handcrafted products vie for attention at the Odisha Grameen Mela which brings together rural artisans from the eastern part of India. The display includes grass mats, silver filigree jewellery, jute chappals, papier-mâché toys, office organisers and textiles. The mela is all about the use of traditional craft skills to create contemporary lifestyle products. Biswajit Saha from Dhaka presents the fabled Dhakai muslin Jamdaani sari. The jute-muslin saris make a classic statement with their delicate stripes. The pallus are embellished with huge jute and gold kairis. Also part of Saha’s collection, are the less expensive Tangails. Gift products abound at the mela. Purna Chandra Sahu’s evocative collection of antique brass artefacts includes bullock cart ploughs rice and oil measures in interesting shapes, coin boxes with jaali work and betel cutters. His Saura paintings on canvas are another attraction. Purna Chandra Mohapatra from Puri gives silver filigree jewellery a contemporary twist. The range includes pendants, bangles, brooches and hair pins, besides mother-of-pearl jewellery and kumkum boxes.
Among the eco-friendly craft objects on display are Madhukati grass runners, table and floor mats and wall hangings. Madhubani art attracts in the form of cloth and wall hangings, papier-mâché toys and artefacts. Rahul Sengupta’s jute chappals with kantha and zari work appeal. Trilochan Mahapatra’s Patachitra paintings stand out for their detailing.
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