An ethnic design home in Bangalore by an interior designer who specializes in using pillars in apartment, Athangudi tiles, block printed fabrics, and Karaikudi style of architecture.
Cacophony of color and voices. Overwhelmed. Women dressed in their elegant best. Where it feels like an over-sized FabIndia showroom. Where new-age khadi and linen fabrics overshadow kanjivaram and banarasi sarees. That pretty much sums up my first day experience at Vastrabharana: the handloom exhibition organized by Crafts Council of Karnataka. It is an annual exhibition that happens in the last week/first week of September/October. One for which women save in the months leading upto it so that they can splurge to their heart’s content.And I’m not kidding. The queue at the cash/credit card counter was longer than the entry line to Chinnaswamy stadium to see you know what. What does this exhibition have? Fabrics: ajrakh, hand-block printed, kanjivaram, pochampally, ikat, kalamkari, linen, andhra khadi, kantha, banarasi, chikankari, tussar, raw silk, chanderi, maheshwari etc Saris Blouse material Stoles in silk and cotton Silver and other handmade jewellery How is this…
Sampoorn Santhe, organized by Sampoorn, is currently being held at Chitra Kala Parishath. Bangalore is a treat for craft lovers. Last week, I went to the half-yearly Kala Madhyam held at Basava Bhavan (you didn’t miss anything as the show was a flop!) . So, I was not enthusiastic about Sampoorn Santhe but still found myself there yesterday morning with the camera in tow and grey skies over. Am I glad to have made the trip? You bet!
Sampoorn Santhe was very refreshing. No regular stalls, no regular vendors and o0dles of freshness and color. If you are a Dastkar regular, then I’m told (by aagor guys) the annual exhibition will not be held this year in Bangalore.
Some of my favorite picks here.
I picked up a kumkum box. These colorful organizers are made in Bangalore out of wood. You had pretty wall hooks, watering cans, organizers, pencils, and holders all priced very reasonably. The small ones were around Rs.50.
Hello everyone! Hope you all are having a great week. I’m back to the grind today after a 4-day vacation in Goa but refreshed and ready to go. Though the weather was not sunny, it wasn’t bad. While going through the FB archives, I saw an update from Dastkar about their new online partner iTokri and wasted no time in checking it out. Yes, another online site but pleasantly surprised as most brands are the ones that pull you like a magnet to these numerous exhibitions like Dastkar. If you can’t make it to one in person, you can shop for it online. I’m talking of products from brands like Jugaad, Haathi Chaap and a few others from Dastkar that are hugely popular. My favorite picks from the site on first scan are: A tarshi patchwork bag from Jugaad for Rs. 249 Unstitched fabric from Dastkar at Rs.280 for 2 meters…
Ever heard the name Hands of India? I first read about the founder sisters – Malyada and Ramya in ET Wealth . They grew up in a small town called Vrindaban. After graduating, their careers took them separate ways (a stint with the Indian Air Force and IT) and to different places but one thing stayed common – their love for fabrics and all things eco-friendly. That’s how Hands of India was born in 2006. Hands of India may not be as popular as their relatively newer, online counterparts but their story has the strength to take them places. The connection at the grassroots will make all the difference with good marketing. I saw that they conduct regular exhibitions in Chennai and one recently in Bangalore as well. Image courtesy: Hands of India