Traditional handicraft closer home

Bengal Trip

The fair is organised by the Craftpersons’ Association, which is a group of economically backward women entrepreneurs and artists from Kolkata. These ladies bring their handiwork to Bangalore every year in search of patrons. This fair makes available a wide variety of authentic Bengalee handicrafts from dry hand-made flowers to lovely sarees to terracotta knick-knacks.

The flowers are made from such materials like corn peel and palm leaves. These colourful flowers are priced at Rs 20 per stick. The fabrics range from summery cottons to dressy silks and the variety in work will leave you breathless. Sarees, kurtis, dupattas and salwar kameez materials in batik, parcy, block print, patch work, chikan kari, kantha, Bengal puri, and ari work are all there for the taking. 

The fair makes available traditional Bengalee handicrafts to Bangaloreans. The prices are very reasonable.

A hand-woven saree with exquisite kantha work would cost you about Rs 3,000. That’s much lesser than at any showroom around here. The work you’ll find at this fair is also far more evolved and unique. Regular shoppers can take solace about swiping a fat number in the fact that their indulgence helps worthy artisans with little monetary backing.

One visit to this fair is equivalent to trips to many emporium.The decent-sized hall makes room for different artisans to display their work. The fair also showcases the work of a jewellery designer and a terracotta artist. The jewellery is quite beautiful. Some of these silver pieces are even gold-coated.

The terracotta artists presents to the buyers pen holders, ‘keep-sakes’, and little stickers. The stickers are quiet pretty.

You can also chat with the artists who have created some of these things.

Which is an interesting experience, you will be overcome by their humility.