The ongoing Handloom Expo, organised by Pushpanajali Khadi Gramudyog Sansthan, Uttar Pradesh, at S.R.T. Hall, Thillai Nagar, has got a broad range of handicrafts, handloom textiles, hand-embroidered dress material, and jewellery to entice both the summer browser and the serious bargain hunter.
Among the most eye-catching handicrafts on display are wooden stools and magazine holders from Jodhpur whose embossed designs are delicately painted by hand. Painted brass vases and other showpieces are available, starting at Rs. 600, and going up to Rs. 9,500. Pretty sheesham wood ‘chowkis’ (short-legged stools) topped with decorated brass sheets are another unusual offering.
Crockery from Khurja, Uttar Pradesh, is an attractive option for those looking to refresh their collection or gift to others. Chunky tea mugs start at Rs. 100, and get costlier depending on how extensively they have been decorated. The stall has a vast collection of dinner plates and serving platters in trendy patterns that can be mixed and matched.
In the centre of the hall is a stall selling native mouth fresheners from Rajasthan, where customers can pick and pack by weight, among other things, supari (flavoured areca nut shavings), gulkand (sweet preserves of rose petals), sugar-coated saunf (fennel), caramelized ginger and gooseberry, and so on.
Khadi kurtas and shirts for men and delicate chikan work salwar kameezes for women are ideal for those looking to update their summer wardrobe. The cotton saris from Madurai are priced from Rs. 400 onward. From Kolkatta, West Bengal, a self-help group has prepared bags, unstitched blouse material, batik saris, and salwar-kameez sets, all decorated with Kantha embroidery, among the oldest known techniques that originated in India.
Around 50 women embroiderers have put together the stock for this expo, said Kaushik Kundu, representing the stall. “Starting with coin purses for Rs. 30, our most expensive item is the block-printed sari for Rs. 2,000,” he said.
Bed-linen from Rajasthan, and soft furnishings such as cushion covers and curtain sets are to be seen at the exhibition.
The Handloom Expo is on until May 18 from 10 a.m. to 9.30 p.m. daily. Entry is free.
