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Craft of the matter
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There’s plenty of handicraft to choose from
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Photos M. Periasamy
What the hand can do Miniature bicycles, anklets, and glass showpieces
Earlier, it was Sahara Arts and Crafts, and now it’s Village Art and Craft Foundation. Clearly, handicraft lovers in Coimbatore are having a whale of a time, what with an exhibition here or there almost throughout the year. So, you pretty much
know what to expect from the National Art and Craft Expo.
As you enter the first to greet you are the merry ceramic mugs in green, red, blue and earthy shades. They share space with bowls and flower vases.
Dress materials
You then move under the vast roof, and the fun begins. A whole range of dress materials from across the country awaits you. Pick out printed patialas and dupattas from Rs. 350, at one stall, and at another, treat yourself to cotton material in every conceivable hue, for Rs. 60 a metre.
A variety of Kalamkari materials are waiting to be transformed into salwars, kurtas or even shirts. All yours for Rs. 80 a metre! Of course, there are the saris: cotton, silk and chiffon from Kolkata, Andhra Pradesh and Banaras. A cute addition is the Krishna dress for your little one, from Mathura. All the way from Kashmir are wonders in silk – saris and Pashmina shawls.
A couple of stalls from Delhi are exclusively reserved for accessories to go with your salwar kameez or saris. Choose neckwear, earrings, finger rings, bracelets and pendants in metal, plastic and wood. Just close by is a corner for Hyderabad pearls. However, it has more than just pearls. Check out the neckwear of gorgeous chunky stones. Any bigger, and you could use them as door knobs!
The delicate anklets made from an alloy of silver, copper, brass, steel and gold, and also of crystals, are a must-buy. There are plenty of bangles too to pick out.
As if to give your vanity a break, a few stalls have materials to dress up your home with.
Flower vase, candle stand, key holder, and a few other showpieces have all been done very aesthetically in wood and wrought iron. The miniature bicycle is easily a winner. The next stall offers a wide range of cushion covers and bed spreads in classy cotton. At another, take home delightful fridge magnets at Rs. 15.
Ha! What’s an exhibition without footwear and handbags? Any model, any size, Rs. 150 – loudly proclaims the stall with Shanthiniketan leather bags. The footwear too come at a similar price tag. The clogs in denim must surely find a place in your shoe rack. Choose from lampshades, photo frames, dresses, bags, jewellery and pencil holders, all made of beads. Check out the exquisite glass showpieces: dolphins, elephants, deer, horses, parrots, swans and penguins: four of them for Rs. 100. Then there are the regulars such as the digestives, pickles, wrap around skirts, wooden showpieces, centre tables, leather products, agarbathis, and the like, ruthlessly testing the resolve of shopaholics. The expo is open on VOC Grounds, Nanjappa Road. It is on from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. till December 3. Entry and parking are free. All cards are accepted.
W. SREELALITHA
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Metro Plus
Bangalore
Chennai
Coimbatore
Delhi
Hyderabad
Kochi
Madurai
Mangalore
Puducherry
Tiruchirapalli
Thiruvananthapuram
Vijayawada
Visakhapatnam
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