KOCHI: When was the last time you saw that gimcrack Gujarati puppet gyrating a la Shakira? For all the city folks here is a golden chance to have a peek at the entertaining traditional puppet show. Apart from oodles of quality stuff, the handicrafts and handloom exhibition, organised by Ernakulam Gujarat Emporium at Women’s Association Hall has puppet shows at regular intervals. A total of 45 stalls from 9 states in the exhibition feature a good collection of handpicked stuff along with fresh designs and trendy options.
The highlight of the exhibition is the bewitching Mughal artworks from Agra. The exquisite pieces made in white metal take you back to the time of emperors and queens with their sheer nobility and archaic charm. Candle stands with glass embellishments, the antique message boxes in which kings used to send their messages, elegant mirror stands, exotic hairpins - all seem to be out of a Mughal-e-Azam frame.
Spunky animals and cute deities in washable white metal will definitely tempt you. Also available in earthen shades made of oxidized metal their price range starts at Rs 100. Wooden fruit bowls and flower stands made of a single cut, partition screens with lovely art work, candle stands, flower vases, pen holders and curios - the stall from Sarangpur, UP have them all.
From Rajasthan are the incredible gemstone paintings that use crushed precious and semi precious gems for their impeccable look. Jewel boxes, pen stands, lampshades, key holders and magazine holders with gemstone paintings are available within a range of Rs 700. Another attraction of the exhibition is wood artists Ravi Kishen Bhatt and Suresh Bhatt from Ahmedabad who chisel out brilliant woodcarvings in front of you. You can even bring wood of your own choice and they will make a marvel out of it at an affordable price. You can buy the special brass needle and other stuff used for Kashmiri velvet embroidery work, and that’s not all - an expert will teach you the embroidery work in only ten to fifteen minutes.
Hunting for something special? Bamboo puttukutties that your grandmothers used for making that yummy steam cake are available for Rs 60.
You can also find a worthy collection of feng shui articles. You can make your pick from glittering small turtles, the three Chinese gods, Mandarin ducks, Chinese zodiac champ cards, golden dragons and the usual feng shui frogs and little laughing Buddhas.
The stall also has special Tibetan bells made of seven metals representing seven planets.
Expert advice on how and where to place what you buy is free.
The evergreen kalamkaris, pochampallis and bandhinis are there - but this time with a twist in the tale. The kalamkaris spot a freshly minted look in a variety of hues other than the traditional reds and yellows. The bandhinis and pochampallis are more contemporary with unique designs and attractive colour combinations.
The price range for hand woven Kashmiri shawls with cut designs starts at Rs 400. Small sculptures made of panchaloham, deco painted Ravi Varma prints, 99% pure silver ornaments with genuine gemstones, hand printed bathik bed sheets, bamboo craft from West Bengal, jute and cloth bags, Lucknow chikan material, Gujarati bangles studded with Australian diamonds, and terracotta sculptures are other things on offer. You will get a rebate of 20% on handlooms and 10% on handicrafts.
The exhibition is on till November 16.
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