This exhibition in Hyderabad celebrates traditional craftsmanship

Featuring over 90 stalls, with artistes from across the country, the crafts bazaar offers a diverse range of products, including weaves, hand block prints, embroideries, and a variety of crafts made from materials like grass, bamboo, and more

Hyderabad: With a blend of traditional craftsmanship and innovative designs, featuring a wide array of products, Dastakari Haat Samiti has brought the best of Indian craftsmanship together at the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality Management (NITHM), Gachibowli.

Featuring over 90 stalls, with artistes from across the country, including Bihar, Rajasthan, Delhi, and others showcasing their work, the crafts bazaar offers a diverse range of products, including weaves, hand block prints, embroideries, and a variety of crafts made from materials like grass, bamboo, and more.

The exhibition also featured a collection of jewellery, stationery, ceramic, terracotta items and traditional art forms like Gond, Kalighat, Phads, Pattachitra and Pichhwais.
“You can find all kinds of handmade products at the bazaar, sold directly by the artistes themselves. From the cloth to the print on the cloth, stamps, and paintings, everything is crafted by the artistes present here,” says Chanchal, the owner of a handmade brass stall from Delhi while emphasising the authenticity of the products.

Artisans demonstrate creativity with unconventional materials, such as paper made from elephant dung and handcrafted items from waste materials like loofas, leaves, and coconut. Jagdish being one of them from Bengaluru showcases lamps made from loofah and onion peels, as well as hangings and table coasters from peepal leaves and trays from coconut leftovers.

“I can make a creative thing from any kind of waste you give me — from coconut waste, leaves, iron waste, to onion fillings. I have made lamps out of old cassettes, speaker holders out of coconuts, and tissue holders from cassettes too,” says Jagdish, who has an eye and hand for converting junk into art.

Visitors could witness many Indian handicrafts like Kolhapuris, neem wood combs, baskets, paintings, pebble tic tac toe, tribal bamboo craft, and more. They would also able to experience hands-on learning with artisans demonstrating Pattachitra art, Madhubani art, Gond Painting, Clay work, and Terracotta.

The exhibition offers more than just crafts, as visitors also can witness live performance by Latif Khan Manganiar, a renowned folk musician from Barmer, Rajasthan, and his group. They showcase Rajasthani folk music and Kalbelia dance, keeping traditional art forms alive.

The week-long expo will go on till February 11 and is open for Hyderabadis to shop and enjoy the street treats from 11 am to 8 pm.