North East crafts and handlooms; big crowd puller

New Delhi, Oct 5 (UNI) The North East craft and handloom items displayed at the ongoing handicrafts and folk arts fair, 'Shilpotsav' at the capital's Dilli Haat, attracted an endless number of zealous crowd with their overwhelming response and adulation for the artisans' exquisite art works.

Standing distinctively from other participants from different parts of the country, the North Easterns in no way lagged behind in contributing to the event with their ingenious and creative work, giving the crowds an opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the exquisite art skills from the farther part of the country.

Cane and Bamboo household items, antique jewelleries, stone made antique tea and dinner sets, lovely decorated handloom $ jute bags, shawls, jute shapals, bamboo $ coconut bags, purses, colourful dried natural flowers and herbs made the crowd go gaga, exhorting them to pick up the items of their choices.

''These jewelleries are so gorgeous. No one can turn his eyes away without purchasing one of those. I will definitely be buying a matching set going with my dress,'' said Joan Deroche from the US.

Stalls displaying the traditional dresses of Assam, Manipur, Nagaland were crammed with people despite their high prices for the exceptional ethnic quotient they possessed.

The prime attraction at the Assam stall was the traditional Muga and Pat 'Mekhela Chador', which ranged from Rs 3000-Rs 7000, along with the displayed silk and cotton 'Gamosa'(a traditional body wiping towel, also used to present to elders to show respect) for Rs 300.

''I am very happy to see the interest of the crowds here. We have almost sold 70 per cent of the traditional wears we brought from Assam. Even we have got some orders for Muga and Pat silk wears,'' one of the participants from Assam, Ganga Thakuria told UNI.

Sikkim also participated with some rare collection of handiwork on candles (candle montea), hand made papers and file covers from wild plants, paper bags, lovely fabric works on cushions and wall hangings with dragons (traditional lucky signs).

Exhibiting designable and colourful cotton Phaneks, shawls, scarfs, handloom bags, Manipuri girls sitting at their stalls seemed busy detailing people how to wear their traditional dresses.

''I think the artisans had put a lot of effort and hard work into the products. I am fond of Manipuri traditional wears. They are so lovely and one looks so charming in these dresses. I am planning to buy a dress for my daughter Sara,'' said Sarina Mitra, a visitor at the fair.

Subhash Desbandhu at the Tripura stall, when asked about the financial gains, seemed satisfied with the income till date with a few more days still to go. His exquisite craft works on cane, jute and bamboo items immensely appealed the crowds.

Colourful natural dry flowers, field and spongy grass along with displayed antique tea sets made of sarpentine and weather rocks (found exclusively in the hills of Manipur) at the stall placed by Diocesan Social Service Society (DSSS), Imphal took away the hearts of the crowds.

Paolo Ferraru from Italy, while buying a wooden bull's face to gift his friend, admired the craft works of the artisans at a Assam stall which displayed products like bamboo 'khaloi', bamboo made grapes, flutes, dried rubber plant, leechi plant, coconut leaf and some wild plants.

UNI