With the Metro fully functional and the MG Road boulevard in beautiful shape, Namma Metro has now opened Bengaluru Sante at the Swamy Vivekananda Metro Station.
This is an exhibition where one can find all kinds of traditional and rural items from sweet treats and papads to batik and kalamkari saris. The Sante houses around 50 artisans from in and around Karnataka.
“Some of us were selected and the others volunteered. It is great that we get to sell our items in such a convenient place,” says Sharadha Rao, who owns a stall for jute handbags at the Sante.
Indeed, the Sante is built to represent an old village. The stone stalls are decorated with colourful banners and are surrounded by shallow traditional-looking wells and fountains.
The stalls at the exhibition span the length of the Metro station. These include those with khadi shirts, coir mats, oil paintings, hand-made pots and paper bags, jams and spices.
The most beneficial part of the Sante for the artisans is the fact that there is no middleman involved.
The artisans man their own stalls while proudly selling their wares.
The price range is moderate and starts at Rs 10. “When I was asked to participate in the Sante, I tried to be different and thought about what the customer wants rather than what I can make. So, even though I make batik fabric decorations (fabric designed with wax and tie-dyed), I applied the same technique to turn them into saris. Then, I began making wire jewellery, fibre as well as terracotta rangoli designs for people who don’t have time to decorate their houses during festivals,” says Hema Shekar.
Although business is slow, some of the fast-selling items include jute handbags, jewellery items and buttered muruku.
With the slow demise of traditional wares, the Bengaluru Sante has brought back a fresh take on rural culture. The wide range of items and perfect setting make it a must visit.
