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Handicrafts and artefacts

The Lepakshi Exhibition has everything you might need

PHOTO: K. GAJENDRAN

ONE FOR HOME Leather lampshades being sold at the Lepakshi exhibition

Handicrafts, wooden toys, brass figurines and pottery all jostle for space at the Lepakshi exhibition. This handicrafts mela has such an array of things that every two stalls, you're looking at stuff from a different part of the country.

At the entrance there is Khurja pottery spread out on the floor. This stall had mugs in twisted shapes, terracotta coloured tea pots, pickle and cookie containers and dinner sets in modern-art type of colours and patterns. Modern art here means squibbles, dots, lines and flowers in colours and combinations you won't see in your fancy home stores - but this why Khurja pottery is special.

The first room has a stall of artificial jewellery, two on wooden toys from Bangalore, one Bidri ware stall and a cloth stall selling only Khadi. In the first room itself, the stall selling export - quality curtains from Tamil Nadu is a good place to linger for a while. The curtains are thick, come on many colours and even have loops on the top with buttons. The Jaipur stall is shared by two. One sells lovely lac bangles and the other half keeps tid-bits, saunf and khatta-meetha dates, tamarind laddoos and candied amla. At Rs. 40 for 100gms, it's worth buying a few varieties for an after-dinner treat. The Aloe stall from Tirupathi has a few interesting products. There is aloe juice and aloe-vera gel. But there is also a special cream for cracked feet, gel for the hair, face packs, a slimming-digestive product and Noni juice.

The second room has many more stalls. In the last aisle, there is another stall selling curtains. This one stocks a few aprons too, that can be buckled around your neck. In the same aisle, there are a number of Kalamkari stalls that are worth stopping and taking a look at. Some of these stalls are selling Kalamkari printed cloth in than so you can mix and match to make a salwar-kameez or pick up only how much fabric you need. Saris from Narayanpet, Pochampalli, silver jewellery and dolls from Kondpally feature in this hall as well.

Once you are through with the room, walk around the corridor that has all the rosewood furniture and inlay work pieces. A stall selling kolhapuri chappals, and embroidered jhuttis is at the end of the corridor. Tucked in-between one wood artefacts stall and an artificial potted plants table is small little table that sells aromatherapy candles in scents like fresh melon, tangerine melon and odour eater, car fresheners and aromatherapy agarbattis (incense). The terracotta pottery towards the exit has some nice ware. The mini terracotta huts with links attached to the top, for hanging, can be used with a small lamp or candle lit inside it.

RENUKA VIJAY KUMAR

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