Karnataka - Bangalore   

‘Sampoorn’ slice of India at crafts mela

BANGALORE: Fifty artisans from across the country — many of them winners of national awards — have come together here for a two-week crafts mela, an annual endeavour of Sampoorn, a non-governmental organisation (NGO).

One of them, Ashok Kumar Jana of Paschim Midnapur district in West Bengal, has bagged a national award for a river grass mat woven by him. He took three months to make it. “The dry riverbed grass is spliced by human teeth into hair-thin strips,” he says.

All thee handcrafted pieces brought together under the Sampoorn banner speak of artistic ingenuity.

It’s a long array — sandalwood carvings of Haryana, musical instruments fashioned out of bottle gourd, lampshades, pen stands, blue pottery from Rajasthan, jewellery from Karwar, bead work from Manipur, bamboo and bead work from Gujarat, Orissa’s palm leaf paintings, Madhubani and Tanjore paintings, handwoven clothes from Assam and wooden combs from Uttar Pradesh.

Pottery by Sandhya Subbaramaiah of “Clay Tones” highlight the earthy hues of the Garden City.

Organising such a mela has been the dream of jewellery designer-turned-entrepreneur Shalini Sudarshan for long.

“I used to showcase my ethnic jewellery at all craft exhibitions organised by NGOs. The sincerity and passion with which the artisans go about their work inspired me. I sensed the importance of keeping them away from middlemen,” she adds.

Sampoorn was registered as an NGO two years ago, with nine committee members.

“If the Government helps me out, I will take my artisans to Dastkar and Dilli Haat,” she adds. The crafts mela at Safina Plaza will be on till October 28.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Bangalore software exports to touch Rs. 70,000 crore this fiscal
Five boys escape from remand home
Results announced
Compensation for dead policemen’s families
Watershed scheme planned in six districts
Weavers in Doddaballapur town face an uncertain future
Reservation for disabled: State to move apex court
FKCCI not member of elite bodies
‘Appoint representative citizen’s committee’
Making out a case for regional languages
A ‘green’ wedding
Deck yourself up this Diwali
‘Sampoorn’ slice of India at crafts mela
Bringing out the Dasara spirit
Certificates

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu