THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Onam mood is up in the air and, as always, craft fairs are arriving in the city, one after the other. One among the regulars, the Gujarat Emporium, has kept its date with the city. The exhibition-cum-sale of handicrafts and handcrafted textiles has already begun at Jawahar Balbhavan. Well, if you haven’t missed out on any of the exhibitions organised by Gujarat Emporium, you might know what to expect at this fair. Gujarati textile items, bags, ‘dupattas’, jewellery, gents and kids wear, bedsheets, bangles, paintings and furnishings are available. What you might not find at this year’s sale are the puppets - the colourful Raja-Rani pairs, especially. “However, we have brought some new artisans and new products this time,” says K Arunachalam, manager, Gujarat Emporium. Zarina Pathan is a part of NGO Pragati Mahila Sewa Mandal of Ahmedabad and she has come to the fair with the traditional Gujarati jewellery made in black and white metal. You might have seen Gujarati women all decked up in these jewellery, especially during the Navrathri festival, she notes. In fact, Zarina would even sell you a whole set - which includes earrings, necklace, ornament to be worn along the hairline, a pair of armlets (‘bajuband’), waistband and anklets. “We make most of the items using our hand, during which our hands get wounded. Menfolk help with the jewellery-making which is done using machine,” says Zarina, who has brought jewellery items priced at Rs 50 and above. A black metal necklace alone would cost Rs 300, a pendant tied on to a black thread is priced at Rs 90 and ‘jhumkas’ would cost Rs 100. A special item with her is the party wear set - comprising of a necklace and matching earrings - priced at Rs 200 onwards. Toe-rings, bangles and ‘hasli’ set - two each for hands and a neckpiece - are also kept for sale. Another NGO from Ahmedabad, Mahima (Mahima Mahila Hastkala Utpadak and Sahakari Mandali Ltd), has come at the fair with some beautiful readymade stuff for women. Kurtas, long and short, and nighties spread out at the stall are different from the usual stuff you find at most fairs. ‘’We have used vegetable dyes only,’’ says Sangeetha, who works with the NGO. Another lady who is wooing customers at the fair is Radha Balar. She has got a beautiful array of Gujarati ‘torans’ and ‘jhoomars’, ie the items which are used as decorative pieces in houses. You find door hangings, cute hangings for cars and even keychains. Each piece is beautifully handcrafted. While the ‘torans’ (door hangings) cost Rs 150 to 700, the keychains are priced at Rs 20 onwards. The ‘jhoomars’ come in the price range of Rs 120 to 300. Another special arrival this time are bangles, ear studs and ‘jhumkas’ with beautiful ‘Meenakari’ work done on them. Traditional Orissa sarees and salwar materials, the Orissa palm leaf paintings, terracotta jewellery, jewellery bags, Kashmiri tops for both young and grown-up girls, cotton sarees and the traditional Gujarati fabric with block, batik, Kutch, vegetable and bandini prints etc are spread out. The fair will conclude on September 8. There is a 20 per cent rebate on handloom and 10 per cent rebate on handicraft items. Time: 10 am to 8 pm.
Comments
0 comment