Hari Krishna Das from Puri, Odisha, traces intricate Pattachitra carvings on a palm leaf depicting the story of Lord Krishna. “Some of these scroll paintings, done by hand, take about a month to finish,” he says, before unscrolling a collage of ‘silk paintings’ on Odisha’s tribal life that he had crafted.
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At the ongoing Rajasthan Grameen Mela, an exhibition-cum-sale of handloom, jewellery and handicrafts by artisan from across the country, it’s a profusion of artistry on display. Going by the range of products, it is as if only the name is from Rajasthan. As with many such exhibitions that come to the city, the products have been sourced at random from all kinds of places.
If a range of fabrics — from Bhagalpur (Tussar) silk, Pashmina, Jaipur designer, Kalamkari, Kantha work, Baluchari saris, Lucknow Chikan kurtis, Meerut Khadi and so on — catch the eye, an array of Sambalpur wooden handicrafts turn heads too. “The products are sourced from various artisanal societies from over 10 States for this collection,” says Dinesh Sharma of Rajasthan Grameen Mela.
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At the Orissa handloom section, Bhakta Hari from Sambalpur neatly arranges stacks of Ikat and Ajrakh saris. “These saris are made at a society unit in our hometown. Most of the members are from our family,” says Hari. It’s their “family business” now.
Started on May 17, the exhibition also brings a variety of sofa covers bearing hand embroidery, hand-block printed bedsheets, Hakoba fabrics, Dhokra artworks, clay wares, Banjara bags made in Hyderabad and other artefacts in metal casting.
Jewellery items and ornamental trinkets are another attraction, with, perhaps, exquisite Jaipur ornaments in German silver and embedded with semi-precious stones being the pick of the lot. Well-crafted Channapatna toys comprising colourful tops, rattles and other show-pieces are also fascinating. “Such toys steer clear of plastic,” says S R Jeevan from Madurai, who’s adept at making jimikki kammal using silk threads. The exhibition features Balaramapuram handloom, various Ayurveda products and artisanal items from Kerala.
‘Rajasthan Grameen Mela’ will be on at VJT Hall, Palayam, till May 26. Timings: 10 am to 9.30 pm.