Crafts across India from Tamil Nadu to Jammu and Kashmir and from Gujarat to West Bengal are in focus at the Shilpkala Utsav, an annual festival of crafts and the one of the only women artisans' craft bazaar in the city, which began here today.
Minister of State for Textiles Santosh K Gangawal and BJP leader Meenakshi Lekhi inaugurated the three-day crafts bazaar.
The fourth edition of the bazaar is showcasing a variety of handcrafted collection of textiles, crafts, paintings, jewelery and accessories in a range of materials by 78 participants from 18 states.
"Our focus is on empowering women, promoting their crafts while eliminating and reducing their dependence on middlemen. The idea is to offer them an opportunity to meet customers and understand the urban taste," one of the organisers said.
To add to the festivity of arts and crafts live demonstrations by artisans and cultural performances by a variety of artists are also scheduled on all the three days.
The event is hosted by the All India Women's Conference, a independent women's voluntary organisation which began in 1927 with the aim of improving the social welfare of women in India. It currently has close to 500 branches in the country.
"This year the textile unit under AIWC is organising a fashion show with the theme of unity in diversity, which includes a complete showcase of Indian garments. This is our first effort at a fashion show," says one of the organisers.
The Shilpkala Utsav is being supported for the second year in a row by the Office of the Development Commissioner of Handicrafts, in the textile ministry.
Crafts from the Chamba region, which is a dying craft also leather craft, blue pottery, Lucknowi chikan, Tanjore paintings, aromatic candles etc are on display.
