A slice of Bengal in the capital
8 Jun 2012 7:33 AM GMT
It’s an all new look of Bengal that we are witnessing these days with the Kolkata Knight Riders winning their first ever Indian Premier League and then the franchisee owner Shah Rukh Khan making the otherwise-not-so-effervescent Didi shake a leg or two at the winning ceremony.
Not a wrong time then, to revisit some of the things the state is famous for. Head for the Bengal handicraft and handloom fair, which is back to the capital with its third installment.
This festival, organised by the West Bengal State Export Promotion Society under the government of West Bengal has more than 50 stalls from various parts of Bengal showcasing a range of handmade products that are essential for everyday use.
The prices at which they are selling the products are quite cheap. We checked out a stall where you can get everything from a back-scratcher to a spoon, made from buffalo horns. For kids, there are key chains with an in-built whistle which you can get for as cheap as Rs 60.
If jewellery is your thing, then this is the place for you. At another stall, you can get a range of neck pieces, earrings, rings, etc. Here you will find wooden jewellery painted with fabric colours, jewellery made from things as exotic as bamboo and jute which come with wood detailing.
Prices start from Rs 100. ‘We always attract people with our products because we are getting something unique for the public. Though the products move fast, our main problem is the stagnant prices,’ rues stall-owner Laxmi Narayan Saha. ‘Even with the rising inflation, we are still getting the price that we got 20 years back, he adds.
What really attracted us in this fair was Sabita Sarkar’s stall. She’s selling saris, kurtis and these very attractive artificial nests that she makes using coconut skin that is very poplular in Bengal. Sarkar does beautiful embroidery work using thread and various semi-precious stones on fabrics like cotton, silk and georgette to make saris and kurtis. The price range of saris is from Rs 600 to Rs 3,500.
While the products are interesting, the scorching heat has been keeping visitors away, lament the stall owners.
‘I have been participating in the festival for all three years. This is the first time I have seen so less crowd,’ said a stall owner.
At Basanti Mandal’s stall, you will get everything from a hair clip to a jewellery box to a table lamp, made of bamboo. They are very handy and at the same time look attractive.
At various other stalls, we found home decor items made from sea shells, wooden masks, pots made of sea shells from the coastal areas of Bengal, lamps, vases and handfans made of jute and other natural fibres.
At another stall, there were airtight containers, wall clocks, lamps, paper weights, ash trays and other products all of which were crafted from wood. The products here had a lot of finesse.
‘We use mahogany wood to make our products, all of which are crafted from a single piece of wood. This wood has a natural shine so we don’t need to polish it,' says a visibly delighted Bulbul Sarkar who was very happy with the sales.
It’s said that one has to live in Bengal to know about the cultural heritage. When Bengal is coming to your city, why miss this chance!
DETAILS
Where: Shilpi Haat, Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Till: 15 June, 10.30 am to 7.30 pm daily
Not a wrong time then, to revisit some of the things the state is famous for. Head for the Bengal handicraft and handloom fair, which is back to the capital with its third installment.
This festival, organised by the West Bengal State Export Promotion Society under the government of West Bengal has more than 50 stalls from various parts of Bengal showcasing a range of handmade products that are essential for everyday use.
The prices at which they are selling the products are quite cheap. We checked out a stall where you can get everything from a back-scratcher to a spoon, made from buffalo horns. For kids, there are key chains with an in-built whistle which you can get for as cheap as Rs 60.
If jewellery is your thing, then this is the place for you. At another stall, you can get a range of neck pieces, earrings, rings, etc. Here you will find wooden jewellery painted with fabric colours, jewellery made from things as exotic as bamboo and jute which come with wood detailing.
Prices start from Rs 100. ‘We always attract people with our products because we are getting something unique for the public. Though the products move fast, our main problem is the stagnant prices,’ rues stall-owner Laxmi Narayan Saha. ‘Even with the rising inflation, we are still getting the price that we got 20 years back, he adds.
What really attracted us in this fair was Sabita Sarkar’s stall. She’s selling saris, kurtis and these very attractive artificial nests that she makes using coconut skin that is very poplular in Bengal. Sarkar does beautiful embroidery work using thread and various semi-precious stones on fabrics like cotton, silk and georgette to make saris and kurtis. The price range of saris is from Rs 600 to Rs 3,500.
While the products are interesting, the scorching heat has been keeping visitors away, lament the stall owners.
‘I have been participating in the festival for all three years. This is the first time I have seen so less crowd,’ said a stall owner.
At Basanti Mandal’s stall, you will get everything from a hair clip to a jewellery box to a table lamp, made of bamboo. They are very handy and at the same time look attractive.
At various other stalls, we found home decor items made from sea shells, wooden masks, pots made of sea shells from the coastal areas of Bengal, lamps, vases and handfans made of jute and other natural fibres.
At another stall, there were airtight containers, wall clocks, lamps, paper weights, ash trays and other products all of which were crafted from wood. The products here had a lot of finesse.
‘We use mahogany wood to make our products, all of which are crafted from a single piece of wood. This wood has a natural shine so we don’t need to polish it,' says a visibly delighted Bulbul Sarkar who was very happy with the sales.
It’s said that one has to live in Bengal to know about the cultural heritage. When Bengal is coming to your city, why miss this chance!
DETAILS
Where: Shilpi Haat, Baba Kharak Singh Marg
Till: 15 June, 10.30 am to 7.30 pm daily
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