The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : A "crafts" treat for city residents

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

A "crafts" treat for city residents

Special Correspondent

Attractions include "Panchaloga and Nanda lamps"

EYE CATCHERS: Minister for Electricity N. Veerasami, at the bronze idol stall at the All India handicrafts exhibition in Chennai on Monday. — Photo: S. R. Raghunathan

CHENNAI: "Crafts Bazaar," an exclusive exhibition with an exquisite collection of handicrafts was declared open in the city on Monday.

The purpose of the exhibition was to provide additional marketing assistance to artisans, according to Tamilnadu Handicrafts Development Corporation chairman and managing director D. Rajendran. In the current financial year, the corporation plans to organise 18 exhibitions as against 14 last year, including in New Delhi, Kolkatta, and Bangalore.

In the exhibition inaugurated by State Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veerasamy, the corporation launched the "Panchaloga lamps." Certified by the National Metallurgical Laboratory, the lamp is available in two sizes. While one with a height of 9 cm is priced at Rs.439, the other with 11 cm height will cost Rs.599 per piece. Depending on response from consumers, lamps with various sizes would be introduced, said Mr. Rajendran.

Another special lamp displayed at the exhibition is the "Nanda lamp," popularly known as "thoonda vilakku."

The main feature of the lamp is that with sufficient oil it would continue to burn for hours together without having to change the wick.

Lamps with oil capacities of one litre, 500 ml and 250 ml are available. Another attraction is articles made of waste seashells. J. Abraham Raman, who has been making handicraft items from waste seashells for the last 32 years, said he was asked by the corporation to train local fisherwomen in the art.

He was planning to train tsunami-affected fishermen family in the art. Toys, flowers and bouquets made of seashells with prices ranging from Rs.10 to Rs.350 are displayed at the exhibition.

The collection at the exhibition includes bronze icons, wood carvings, brass lamps, Tanjore art plates and paintings, rose wood furniture, "pooja mandapams" made of teak wood, wooden articles by Kashmir artisans, jute products, fashion jewellery, Jaipur paintings, leather articles and handloom sarees from Madurai, Varanasi, Rajasthan and Lucknow.

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