CHENNAI: The allure of handicrafts, clothes and oxidised jewellery has always been one that I could never resist, even as a child. And the perfect place for me to let lose the shopping animal in me is the Annual Indian Haat Festival.
A festival that brings in artisans and craftsmen from all over India is happening in namma Chennai at the Co-Optex Exhibition Ground in Egmore till June 25. As I made my way inside the grounds, multiple rows of stores with different handmade and handcrafted products greeted me. The first thing that caught my eye, however, was a shop that sold oxidised jewellery. The shopkeeper, who had come from Odisha, was indulgently haggling prices in broken Hindi and English with a few customers who were insistent on getting a discount for their purchases.
While I browsed through racks of earrings, bracelets and anklets, the nose pins caught my eye. If you love nose pins as much as I do there are clip-ons coloured in rich oxidised silver. The next shop I moved on to was one where the items were made out of terracotta.
The shop owner, Jyoti, is based out of Bengaluru and has spent her time crafting terracotta earrings, pots and other traditional toys.
Jyoti says, “Although I am based out of Bangalore, my native town is Channapatna. Once I got married, I moved to Bangalore, took a few classes on how to craft with terracotta, and began my business. I currently supply my jewellery to Chennai shops. One shop is in T Nagar, where I supply my terracotta earrings.”
With a wide range of products from wooden toy basketball simulators for kids, to wall hangings made from wood and clay, Jyoti’s shop reminded me of my younger days as a toddler, waddling about the house with my wooden kitchen sets and animal figurines. From house decor to porcelain cups, there were rows of shops that vied for the customers’ attention as their eyes drifted to every corner of the ground. From colourful saris, embossed metal plates and decorated mirrors, to shawls and chunnis to protect ourselves from the blistering heat, the exhibition had something for everyone.
Vendors selling Chikankari kurtis called out to the customers while others showcased their impressive collections of rugs that were handmade. Kiran, a member of the organising team, says, “This is a festival to celebrate the handloom industry and the artisans who make these products all across India. This is the second time we’ve come to Chennai, and we usually host this festival in Bangalore and Mysore as well.” So, for the shoppers who, like myself, fancy handmade products, and want to support artists from all over India, The Indian Haat Festival is worth checking out this week.