Art forms do Bihar proud in UK

PATNA: ''Sujani'' and ''Khatwa'' as Bihari art forms won wide appreciation during a recent exhibition at ''Stitching women''s lives'' organised at the October Gallery in London by Adithi, an NGO which works for empowerment of rural women and the girl child.
''Sujani'' is the word that Bihari women use for a running stitch embroidery on layered cloth.Women traditionally make ''Sujani'' at home, layering worn-out old saris. ''Khatwa'' is a narrative applique on cloth.
The handicrafts with socio-cultural message including that on Aids and dowry were so much appreciated that they received several business and exhibition offers from across the globe. Important among them is the exhibition of the products in Chicago in September next year and a business offer from an Australian firm.
According to the founder director of Adithi, Viji Srinivasan, the net profit from the sale of the exhibits was over Rs 22 lakh. Apart from the income which will be generated by 33 pieces of ''Sujanis'' sold to Joss Graham, Oriental Textiles and Works of Art, the price for which has not been decided, she said.
Srinivasan said that the most important thing is that the income-generation from the sale of ''Sujanis'' was about Rs 12 lakh which was equal to the total sale during the last financial year. The collection from the sale of ''Khatwa'' was over Rs 8.5 lakh which is four times more than last year''s. She said that this was important because it will act as a moral booster for the women involved in it.
Srinivasan said that some of the ''Sujanis'' were sold at about Rs 1.15 lakh which goes on to prove how much this art form was appreciated by the people there. She said that one of the most interesting things was that even the leaf-plates (petals) were sold at two pounds each, which was not expected.
In order to promote these art forms in the west, two workshops were also organised in which large number of women and children took part. Although the children there did not know how to put thread in the needle, but evinced grest interest, she said, adding that even handicapped children show-ed keen interest in learning the craft.