If you are looking for something different to decorate your house, the Northeast Crafts Fair at the Exhibition Ground can be the right place with its wide range of bamboo handicrafts, wooden artefacts, Manipuri dolls and Naga dried flowers. Organised by the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Ltd., Purbashree Emporium and sponsored by the Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, the fair takes shoppers on a trip through several states.
Smiling faces of the people from the mystical regions of the Northeast greet the visitors at the entrance. Their rich tradition and fine craftsmanship is reflected in each and every craft on display. The expo has about 50 stalls that showcase several varieties of traditional wares, from Assam ‘Muga’ and silk sarees, Tripura silk sarees to Naga shawls.
The first thing that catches one’s eye is the intricately designed collection of bamboo and cane furniture from Manipur and Assam. While a corner stool costs `1000, the intricately designed ones are priced till `18,000. Be it Assamese jute items or Kouna cushions, every artefact reflects the states’ ethnicity. Apart from cane and bamboo baskets from Tripura, woven cane trays in different sizes and ring flower vases adorned with artificial plants are this year’s attractions. Talented craftsmen from Tripura have carved exquisite designs out of driftwood.
A stall from Manipur has silk saris, dupattas and suit material. Muga silk shawls are also available. Kantha worked saris with motifs inspired from Madhubhani and Warli paintings are in great demand. Nagaland has a stall of dried flowers in pretty shapes and colours priced between `15 to `30 per piece.
The state that has the largest number of items on display is Assam. Cute but comfortable cane ‘modas’, garden furniture (`3,500 onwards) and so on are bound to attract those who have a yen for bamboo products.
“The main objective of the exhibition is to promote the handicrafts of the northeast region, give a platform to the artisans to reach out to the public and eradicate the role of the middleman in the handicrafts sector,” Madhusmita Panda, coordinator of the craft fair said.
The fair will be on February 5.