THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It was as if India’s villages came calling at the Victoria Jubilee Hall in Palayam. Inaugurated on May 17 by actress Shaithya Santhosh, the capital is hosting the Rajasthan Grameen Mela, the exhibition cum sale expo. The expo has more than about 25 stalls selling items ranging from clothes, food, jewellery to small items such as combs, toys among other items. Sold directly by the artisans themselves, the products are authentic and traditional.
The expo has sellers from about 22 states. Exclusive and ethnic cloth works such as the chikan work from Lucknow, printed silk sarees, block print dress materials, Baluchari boutique sarees from Kolkata, dress materials and kalamkari from Telangana, Benaras zambani and the kantha work from West Bengal among others are on display. Exotic antique pieces of jewellery from across the country are also on sale.
This is not the first time the city is hosting such an event. Mohammed Amjad, a weaver hailing from Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh, stated the earnings are low as this is the off-season. “Onam and Vishu are the peak time in Kerala. We are expecting the business to grow in the coming days. The artists deserve better. The handicrafts are not available in the commercial market,” he said. The expo will conclude on May 26. The group will then head to Palakkad.