Date:04/02/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/02/04/stories/2007020415950200.htm

Karnataka - Bangalore

A little bit of India on offer

Special Correspondent

Jewellery made by Charakha craftsmen. — Photo: Murali Kumar K.

BANGALORE: In the midst of our fascination with technology, there is always that special place for beautiful things made by hands.

Next week, along with Aero India 2007, Bangaloreans can look forward to crafts made by hands honed by generations of inherited skill.

Crafts groups from all over the country are coming together with their ware, ranging from textiles to metal to wood to grass and jute.

There is kantha work and embossed leather, cane and bamboo, iron crafts, jewellery to team up with striking scarves, stoles and saris, fabrics with tribal motifs, stone and metal accessories, studio pottery, dokra artefacts, wooden and papier-mâché products and even musical instruments.

The craftspersons are being brought by Sasha (Sarba Shanti Ayog), a non-profit marketing outlet for artisans, which is a founder-member of the Fair Trade Forum.

It works with some 150 crafts groups all over the country, including Karnataka.

The exhibition, in which crafts groups such as Artisan Association, Crafts Services, Ochre, Jantar Sanstha, Amitav Basak, Karu Udyan, Sathi, Anwesha, Mayabazar and Parampara are participating, is on from February 8 to 14 at the Chitrakala Parishat premises.