Medley of traditional handicrafts

AN ATTRACTIVE variety of hand crafted gifts, artefacts and furniture items make a colourful splash at Khadi Gramodyog Bhavan's All India Handicrafts Exhibition which opened at Sri Sankara Hall, TTK Road, on June 28. From Saharanpur screens and rosewood dining tables sets from Mysore, to puja items, Kondapalli toys and marble artefacts, the exhibition showcases the exuberance and charm of Indian crafts.

The choice of items is appealing. Pretty carved sandalwood boxes and figures of gods and goddesses from Mysore rub shoulders with carved white wood jaali work look-alikes from Haryana. Sheesham wood trays, boxes and organisers display a certain charm while the rosewood counterparts interesting gifts items.One can choose from pretty rosewood pencil boxes and trays to animal forms and mandaps. There is also a plethora of puja items from Varanasi - lovely copper `arati' thalis, diyas, brass `jaali' boxes that have an antique look, `kamandals' and much else. From Nachiarkoil come kuthuvilakkus in various sizes, while for those looking for bronze icons, Swamimalai's bronzes enthral, as always. Craft items with a difference are Shantiniketan's etched leather bags, evening bags and purses.

Also available are terracotta figures of gods and goddesses from West Bengal, Kondapalli toys and sandalwood `logs' powder and `agarbathis.' Another unusual item is miniature trimetal figures of gods and goddess with a silver finish from Bangalore.

For the more flamboyant, the Khadi Gramodyog exhibition literally dazzles with Jaipur's white metal mandaps, icons and artefacts. Also an display are Saligramam stones from Nepal and unusual `shankhs' from South Africa!

The All-India Handicrafts exhibition concludes on July 5.

PUSHPA CHARI

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