Showcase of tradition

The village handicrafts and handlooms exhibition currently underway in the city offers a rich insight into the country���s arts and culture.
The Gramshree Mela exhibition-cum-sale is a veritable showcase of the arts and crafts of India with their fine craftsmanship and ingenuity of design. The intriguing handicrafts, the amazing array of artefacts and the multi-coloured handlooms entice the visitors.For art lovers, there are antique chests, furniture and decoratives from Saharanpur, candle-holders, dry-fruit boxes, and wall hangings made from white metal, wooden inlays from Rajasthan, terracotta designs from Delhi with their spectacular display of decorative pots and idols. Immaculate Pattachitra paintings from Orissa, Madhubani paintings from Bihar and the miniature paintings from Rajasthan arrest your attention.
The sale also showcases beautiful saris and dress material, made from vegetable dyes and mostly handmade. Lucknow chikan, the preferred summerwear in many parts of the country, has some beautiful patterns for ladies and gents. There are also Rajasthani handblock printed cotton saris, Bhagalpuri saris, Banarasi silk saris, West Bengal cotton saris, and Pochampalli handlooms with Ekatpatola designs. Handlooms from Kashmir include Jamavaar, Kani and Pashmina shawls.
If you are looking for some carpets to adorn your living room, then you can opt for the woollen carpets from Badoi or the Mirzapur woollen punja daris.
Filigree doma chain and filigree pendants created from fine strands of silver are examples of meticulous artistic mastery of the metal. Hyderabadi pearls are another thing to fall for. Also on display are chic leather bags, wallets, smart travel and laptop bags from Shantiniketan. There is also a range of accessories made of jute. The crockery section flaunts Khurja crockery from UP. There is lots and much more.
Sanjay Gupta, the organiser, says, ���The sale showcases the work of various artisans and NGOs without the intervention of middle-men, making the items quite affordable.��� The exhibition-cum-sale is open till March 8 at Golibar Maidan, Shankar Seth Road, from 11 am to 10 pm.