KOZHIKODE: Every Onam, the city comes alive not just with the aroma of fresh flowers all the way from Tamil Nadu, but also with the various exhibitions that come up in different corners of the city with dress materials and other products from different parts of the country.
Like every year, the Surabhi outlet, which puts on sale products from the Kerala State Handicrafts Apex Co-operative Society Ltd, has opened its special Onam expo with exclusive saree collections and other products such as handmade metal items and Feng Shui products from across the country and even abroad.
To lay one's hands on some authentic Feng Shui products, one does not have to travel to Nepal or Haridwar. Products such as the Feng Shui frog, Laughing Buddha, Wealth Ship and Pi Yao can now be brought from the Surabhi Handicrafts Emporium. Rudrakshas and singing bowl from Nepal are the other prominent items displayed at the counter. This Tibetan piece, forged from an alloy of seven metals, was used in Asia before 500 BC. The extraordinary vibrating qualities of the bowl, tagged at `1,000 and onwards, is believed to restore harmony in human bodies.
Apart from the Feng Shui items, there are also the typical regional handicraft items showcased at the expo. From bamboo cane baskets to banana fibre mats and wooden flower baskets and spoons, the collection is simply abundant. They also have a wide collection of exclusive handloom cotton sarees such as Chettinad cotton, cotton sarees with Chungidi design and Tamil Nadu cotton to name a few, which are priced from `540 to `1,500. An exemplary collection of pearls and semi-precious stones brought all the way from Hyderabad are also available at the expo at economic rates.
Hand-picked varieties of white metal idols and decorative items made in Nagna, Coimbatore, are also available at the expo. Amongst the traditional items produced at the Kerala State Handicrafts Apex Co-operative Society Ltd, the 'para' is quite high in demand. "Along with the products brought from other districts, products such as our traditional 'para' and 'bhasma cheppu' made from jackfruit tree bark and other wood have good movement here," says Subaja K, manager in charge.
Besides these products, they also have on sale the traditional Aranmula mirrors. “There is just one family that produces these mirrors now. The time, effort and the material used for making these make them quite priceless.
Despite the costly price tag which starts from `2,000, they are still some of the most sought-after products at the emporium. We even had a mirror costing nearly one lakh, which was sold out,” says the manager in charge.
The expo, which opens at 10 am, is going on at the Aradhana Tourist Home Building, Kallayi Road, and will conclude on September 6.