An array of items

The Hast Karigar Society is hosting an exhibition of ethnic weaves and traditional craft, with the theme ‘Redefining our Past to Create Our Future’ at Chitrakala Parishat. The exhibition-cum-sale is open for ten days till June 24.

This exhibition was inaugurated by Geetha Narayanan, founder and director of the Srishti School of Art, Design, and Technology.

Craftsmen from 16 states are participating and a total of 45 stalls have been put up. The first stall features terracotta. “Twice every year, we come to Bangalore to exhibit our works. If the event is organised well, we come here thrice and earn around Rs 1 lakh. Otherwise, we earn around Rs 50- 60,000,” says Mahesh, a terracotta craftsman from Delhi.

He adds that they really have to work hard to get the art right. This particular stall contains diyas, tablas, murthis, tulsi pots and vases made of terracotta.

There is also a handicraft stall from Andhra Pradesh. The items here are made of goat leather and include puppets, lampshades, clocks, frames, paintings, figurines, etc. “Generally the market is really good in Delhi and Mumbai. In London, people like and appreciate our culture; hence the sales are good over there too,” says the stall owner.


The exhibition includes an array of cloth stalls, which are a delight to the eye. One such stall is a Rajasthani handmade textile stall, which has cushion covers, curtain covers and table covers.

“First, we trace the design and then we do the threading. Now that machines have come, it’s tough to get workers who can make handmade products,” says the stall owner
Shabih Abidi, who has put up a maheshwari sari stall, from Indore, has an array of beautiful saris that attract many female visitors. He explains that the importance of these saris is because of the borders, which are very intricately worked.

“With time, we have also modified our maheshwari saris; we have mulberry silk and chikan work in these saris too,” he explains.

The other works that are exhibited are wooden carvings and puzzles, statues made out of iron and delightful paintings by Gond tribals from Madhya Pradesh, which include beautiful patterns of dots and lines.