PTI
NEW DELHI, MARCH 12
Metamorphosis of the humble 'gumccha' and 'lungi' into trendy sarees and garments besides a range of chunky accessories produced from waste products can be seen at the ongoing Dastkar Purabi Festival here.
Handwoven Khadi, tribal weaves, versatile Ikats and vibrant Kantha embroidery, luminescent Eri and Muga Silks besides handwoven apparel by Bodo tribe of Assam are on offer at the event."We are bringing a teaser of the crafts and craftspeople of the North East and Eastern India. It is the first of what we hope will be an annual event," says Laila Tyabji, founder and chairperson of Dastkar said.
Craftsmen, producers and designers from Odisha, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Manipur, Nagaland, Tripura and Assam are set to showcase handcrafted textiles, home furnishings, jewellery and much more at the festival.
The event is being held in association with Delhi Tourism at Nature Bazzar till March 23.
"The North East and Eastern India hold many cultural riches, including their unique craft traditions, but are comparatively little known compared to states like Gujarat and Rajasthan," says Tyabji.
Cane and bamboo handcrafted products, black pottery, Dhokra metal craft, leather toys, apparels and jewellery made out of gumccha and lungi are some of the highlights.
"From the drama of the bold red, black and white textile motifs of the North East to the delicate woven mastery of the bamboo basketry and mats of West Bengal, the crafts of Eastern India have a subtlety, skill and cultural resonance worth exploring," says Tyabji.
Designer brands like Sanjukta will showcase how the humble "gumccha" and "lungi" metamorphose into trendy garments and sarees and the waste products from these apparels have been used to make chunky accessories.
With sarees priced at Rs, 4,800 and a pair of earnings for Rs 150, the designer has attempted to bring these two fabricsback into the public imagination.
"Is there anything more familiar, and yet more neglected, than the gamcchas and lungis of India? Hand-woven, cotton and tropic-friendly, these fabrics have suffered undeserved neglect, losing out to artificial blends and mill-processed weaves. So to bring back the fabric we have designed sarees stoles and other apparels," says Sanjukta Roy of Sanjukta. Indi silk famously known as Ahimsa silk is soft and durable, which gets better sheen with every wash. Rearing Indi silk worm, spinning yarn by Taokri (drop spindle), weaving traditional indi clothes for their own use in handloom are an age old culture of the Bodo people living in Assam.
"At present, more than 90 per cent women are employed in Indi Luo. They rear silk worm, spin yarn, and even weave in handloom, empowering the women of the region. We have got silk sarees, silk dupattas, stoles and suit a material which starts from Rs 1000 onwards," says Jeenu Mushahary from Indi Lou.
Weaving is the most widely practiced form of craft among craftsmen of Meghalaya, which have been showcased in various mediums such as bamboo, cane, silk, pineapple fiber and cotton.
Apart from weaving, carving in wood and stone, pottery and black smithy are other forms that are prevalent. At Purabi, they will showcase fine bamboo crafts along with handcrafted black pottery. "We have got bamboo baskets and the traditional 'moras' stools. We have got Earthenware, cutlery sets of black pottery. The price range for these products varies between Rs. 150 and can go up to a maximum of Rs 7000," says Rida Gatphoh of Dakti.
