Tamil Nadu - Chennai   

7-foot Hoysala-style panchaloka idol cynosure of all eyes

R. Sujatha

A special discount of 10 per cent is offered on all items

A FEAST FOR THE EYE: The 7-foot bronze Hoysala-style Chenna Kesavaperumal statue weighing 1,100 kg and costing Rs. 16 lakhs holds visitors spellbound at the handicrafts exhibition organised by Poompuhar at the C.P. Art Centre on Eldams Road at Alwarp et on Sunday. — Photo: M. Vedhan

CHENNAI: Poompuhar's handicrafts exhibition, inaugurated on Sunday, has craftsmen from Chennai and West Bengal displaying their wares. And the choice ranges from earthen tulsi plant holders and lamps to masks and wind chimes.

"Mud from Tamil Nadu is hard but the dark soil from the river in West Bengal is soft. It can be easily moulded," explains Chennai-based Tirunavukkarasu, a potter for 60 years.

The earthen items from Bengal are softer and lighter than those made here. The former break and shatter to smithereens while broken earthenware from Tamil Nadu can be repaired. The broken pieces can be reshaped into new items after treatment. This is not possible with the soil from Bengal.

Apart from a range of textiles, metal and stone jewellery, space has been allotted to tribal artefacts, jewellery and gift articles. The exhibition has a lovely collection of delicate artwork on metal deer, peacock and flower vase by artisans from Muradabad, hand-embroidered sarees from Lucknow, pith (netti in Tamil) flowers, Kundan and Minakari bangles from Ajmer, Kashmiri garments and minakari work on metal from Gujarat.

The Hoysala-style 7-foot panchaloka idol of Kesavaperumal and the carved rosewood swing costing Rs. 2.16 lakhs are some of the special items on display. The Tamilnadu Handicrafts Development Corporation, popularly known as Poompuhar, provides marketing assistance to craftsmen in the State. B. Valarmathi, Minister for Rural Industries, inaugurated the exhibition, which will be on till August 10 from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. at C.P. Art Centre on Eldams Road in Alwarpet. A special discount of 10 per cent is offered on all items.

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