Bamboo sarees in high demand at this exhibition in Hyderabad

The ongoing Swayambhar Naari exhibition, hosted at Young Women's Christian Association in Secunderabad, is drawing attention with its eco-friendly offerings.

Hyderabad: The ongoing Swayambhar Naari exhibition, hosted at Young Womens Christian Association in Secunderabad, is drawing attention with its eco-friendly offerings.

Organized by artisans from Shantiniketan, West Bengal, this crafts exhibition features a wide range of handicraft products ranging from 500-year-old Kantha sarees to Patachitra paintings.

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One of the major standouts of the exhibition is the Bamboo Jamdani saree made completely out of Bamboo. “As people are nowadays moving to the sustainable fashion, we’ve for the first time experimented weaving the saree completely with bamboo. Each saree starts at cost of Rs 5000,” said Debasis Chowdhury, the weaver from Kolkata.

Aside from Bamboo Sarees, the exhibition features a diverse array of handicrafts from around 19 artists from Kolkata. Khesh Sarees, crafted using a unique weaving technique, and 500-year-old Kantha sarees showcasing the art of needlework, are the other unique attractions on display.

“Kantha is a popular style of embroidery crafted by rural women in Bengal. It is perhaps the oldest form of Indian embroidery traced back to the first and second AD. The thought behind this needlework was to reuse old clothes and materials and turn them into something new,” said Sudeshna Paul, Secretary at Swayambhar.

Silk, Tassar, Cotton Sarees, exclusive Kantha Saree, Grass Mats, Jewellery, Batik Bed Sheets, Leather, and Sea Shell Products, also attract art and craft enthusiasts. “We are organising this exhibition from past 30 years as an effort to help artisans showcase their work and revive age old crafts such as Jamdani Tribal Weaving, Metallic Tissue Silk, Bamboo Jamdani, and other handlooms,” Paul added.

Artisans also engage in live painting demonstrations of batik and Patachitra on umbrellas and clothing, providing visitors with a glimpse into this ancient craft. The exhibition will be on display from 11 am to 8 pm till September 14th.