At Craft Bazaar, get handiwork from across India under one roof

COIMBATORE: Jasraj, a native of Rajasthan, began making terracotta pots at the age of 16. His father too is a potter but he used to make just clay pots. "I wanted to experiment and meet the present-day requirements," Jasraj said. He has travelled all the way from Jaisalmer in Rajasthan to the city to display his terracotta pots at the 10th Craft Bazaar being held at the Suguna Kalyana Mandapam here.The event has been organised by the Tamil Nadu Crafts Council to promote traditional art and handicrafts.
Another artist Remanth Kumar from Madhubani district in Bihar said the proud moment for him was when Prime Minister Modi gifted his paintings to his foreign counterparts.
From Kanyakumari to Nagaland, the Craft Bazaar has all the traditional art forms under one roof. The exhibition boasts of the traditional Indian paintings such as chuvan chitra (wall murals) from Waynad in Kerala, ceramic and pottery, sanjhi (paper cutting art) from Alwar in Rajasthan, iron bell chimes from Saharanpur, palmleave engravings from Odisha, jewellery form the streets of New Delhi's bazaars and marble carvings from Agra. Also, embroideries such as Phulkari, Chikankari, Appliqué work, Kasauti, Kantha, Toda, Kurch, Crochet, Kashmiri, Sujani are on display.
From over 15 states in the country, nearly 100 stalls have been set up at the six-day Craft Bazaar that is open till August 4. "This year, we have tried to bring in newer stalls and unique craft from the villages across the country. Craftsmen from over 20 states have taken part in the exhibition. We just want to promote handicrafts and the art that our villages have to offer," said Radha Prasad, president of Tamil Nadu Crafts Council.
Presley Ngasainao, a native of Manipur, has brought the traditional cooking ware that is used by the Thangkhul tribe of her state. She says her family makes it at their home. "We crush weathered rock and serpentinite rock and then add water to it and make these vessels by heating them at 700 to 1,200 degree Celsius,"she said. Choppi from Dimapur in Nagaland makes flowers out of maize leaves, paddy and other vegetables. "I dry them, paint them and shape them into flowers," she said. Ram Kanya who does hand painting on wood known as Kawad Kraft at Chittorgarh says her entire family of 40 people are into this art. "We paint stories from the Ramayana and Mahabharata on wood," she said.
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