Nothing can beat the charm and beauty of rustic life. A combination of serenity and colourful extravagance of villages came alive in the ‘Graamya Mela’, exposition of rural India organised by Bishop Cotton Women’s Christian College on Saturday.

College students dressed in their ethnic best set a perfect mood to create the magical aura of villages  representing the states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Maharashtra, Bihar, Rajasthan, Punjab, Bengal and the seven sisters of the north east.

Distinctive huts signifying different regions of the country decorated with native embellishments and serving traditional cuisine were the main attraction of the mela.

The Punjabi straw hut had the ‘manje’ (known as khat in hindi) as seating arrangement for serving exotic Punjabi food.

The Rajastani hut guarded by a live camel showcased interesting jewellery pieces and items of home decor.
The north eastern hut displayed delicately embroidered stoles, ladies t-shirts with an ethnic touch and artifacts made out of cane. Maharashtrian worli art, Tamil Nadu’s Pongal and Lalu’s favourite cow from Bihar were also a part of the mela.

Weekly bazaar

Students also depicted a small ‘sante’ (a village’s weekly bazaar) selling a variety of items right from beads to coconuts. Folk dance performances by students and yakshagana and dollu kunita sponsored by the state government added a dash of entertainment to the mela.

Apart from this handicrafts displayed by artisans from the Ministry of Textiles were eye catching, be it the wooden necklaces and earrings from Shimoga, naturally dyed bangles of Channapatna or hand made dolls.
Along with the fun and frolic that surrounded the event students also showed their commitment towards society.
Proceeds from ‘Graamya Mela’ will be utilised by the college to adopt a village.