Milieu of cultures

The mela at Shilparamam gives an opportunity to the denizens to witness various crafts from across the country

Shilparamam has come alive with beautiful handicrafts and tribal-art-works exhibited by the finest craftsmen from around the country.It is a soul-feasting experience for all the shopaholics as the All India Crafts Mela, which started on December 15 has more than 500 stalls that showcase jewellery, carpets, toys, handicrafts, textiles, cookware and even furniture.

Sravanthi, a software professional and a patron at the mela stated that the exhibition gives a glimpse of various cultures and its arts across India and is a good experience.

“The exhibition is not just a great place to experience the arts and crafts from different cultures from around the country but also provides a unique shopping experience for the foreign tourists. As they get to feel the beauty of rural India and take home a piece of ethnic Indian art.”

Artisans talk Kashmir-based Gowhar, who has been making Kashmir silk scarves since 20 years says, “I come to Hyderabad every four months to sell the Kashmiri scarves.

We put up stalls from at various places in the city. We are a group of five members and we carefully select attractive colours and embroidery designs on finest Kashmiri silk.

This is a needlework is called as “Arri” and our specialty, the pashmina scarves costs around Rs 1,700.”Nitin from Maharashtra, who is selling pure silk Paithani sarees, says, “The Paithani sarees are world famous. Our elders started this in 1987 and we are continuing the work since.

It takes two months to work on each saree. Some sarees like tissue Paithani takes more than two years. Every year we exhibit our works at Shilparamam. Each Paithani saree costs from Rs 10,000 to 2 lakh.”

Amit Kumar, who hails from Jitwarpur, Bihar, who is showcasing paintings Goddess Sita at the mela. “From where I come Goddess Sita’s painting is considered as good luck and most of the paintings represent the wedding of Goddess Sita.

This art is in existence for more than 200 years now and my grandmother Sita Devi, 84, was awarded Padma Sri for her contribution to this art by the Union government,” Amit shares.

Talking about the colours used in paintings Amit adds, “The colours we use in the paintings are completely organic and water resistant and we do not use canvas for our paintings but it is made from half cloth and half canvas”.

Aneela from Sattupalli Khammam, who is showcasing sarees and dress materials with Kalamkari, block work and patch work designs says, “I have a boutique in my hometown and we take orders to design different sarees.

More than 50 members work with me and we take national and international orders also. My husband, Venkata Ratnam and I are in this field for more than 15 years now.”