The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Rural crafts on show

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Feb 03, 2007
ePaper


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Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Rural crafts on show

Staff Reporter

45 artisans are taking part in the expo hosted by SIPA

TRADITIONAL ART: An artist displays handicraft items at the SIPA fair at NT Enclave community hall. — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI: "Modern pottery is tougher to break as the pieces are made of special clay," says Balu from Villupuram, pointing to flower vases painted in bright hues.

Lined up in his stall at Arts and Crafts Fair were different types of lampshades and candleholders. Acrylic paint is used on the pottery pieces, each priced between Rs.30 and Rs.250. Hosted by Federation of South India Producer Associations (SIPA), the exhibition has 45 artisans from across the country gathered at NT Enclave community hall, 52, Cathedral Road to showcase their products. The fair was inaugurated by M.P.Nirmala, managing director of Cooptex, on Thursday. Visitors cannot miss the modern pottery of National award winner Shuklal Prajapathi from Haryana. His collections include terracotta sculptures and miniature flower vases.

Textiles across the country, be it Kashmiri shawls, Lucknow chikanwork materials or Gujarati beadwork, give city-dwellers a rare opportunity to buy products of rural craftsmen.

Wooden statuettes attract attention. A.Gnana Sundari, marketing executive of Eco-Friendly Jewellery said about 100 families from across the State including Villupuram, Tirupatur and Puducherry were trained in making ceramic and wooden bead chains. They earn up to Rs. 100 a day through the craft.

Handmade stone vessels and containers from Namakkal that can store perishable goods for a considerable time, Chennapatna toys and Montessori toys from Puducherry also attract attention.

There are also natural dye towels and soap covers from Theni. The exhibition is on till February 18. For details, contact 2435 2313.

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