Drape beautiful

Drape beautiful

Shimmering silk saris with intricate thread work and varying designs of beautiful cotton saris, add colour to the national-level Handloom Expo-2013 at the Exhibition Ground here. The exhibition, inaugurated on August 26 by Textile Secretary Usha Padhee, is being organised by the Odisha State Weavers Cooperative Society Ltd (Boyanika), the only Apex Society of the state for marketing of Handlooms.

Over 10 Indian states are participating in the expo. Here, weavers from remote parts of the states are taking part and marketing their products directly before the consumers without involvement of middlemen, agents, wholesalers or retailers.

Women have a wide variety to choose from cotton and silk saris on display. Beautiful silk saris, with contrasting colours, laced with gold threading of varying peacock and mango-shaped designs, ranging from Rs 3,000 to Rs 20,000 take centre stage. Tanchoi, Jamdani and Jamavar varieties from Uttar Pradesh and Baluchari and Kantha sarees from West Bengal sarees ranging from `300 to `3,000 also appeal to a variety of buyers. Bengal cotton sarees that come with zari work are available from the price range of `800. Also available are Mangalagiri handloom sarees and eco-friendly vegetable-dyed Kalamkari ones.

One can also get home furnishings, stoles and dupattas of their choice from the exhibition. The timeless rugs with trademark designs and vibrant colours are also sure to catch the eye. Kashmiri salwar suits embroidered with traditional motifs have many takers as they are priced between ` 375 and Rs 1 500.

From Odisha, the pure silk saris are available in prices ranging from `3,000 to `6,000 and the cotton varieties range  from Rs 500 to Rs 2,500. The Khandua silk saris and ikat saris are eye-catching.

Visitors say the exhibition is an excellent opportunity for the locals to buy the latest varieties and quality products that are coming straight from the weavers’ loom. Banker Beena Palit who is making her second visit to the expo said it is a good collection of garments. She is impressed with the Sambalpuri sarees. “Their genuineness and quality are assured. They are selling sarees with designs which are just one week old,” she said. There is also a lot of difference in price compared to the market outside.

The stalls remain open daily from 1 pm to 9 pm and the expo will continue till September 5.

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