For the festive season
The Orissa Art and Craft Mela which opens today at the Guild of Service Hall, Casa Major Road, Egmore, will showcase the special crafts of Orissa that express the festive spirit of the season. The Mela is on till September 4. The exquisitely crafted silver filigree jewellery, kumkum boxes, `jaali' trays, pretty jewel boxes, pandaans and hairpins would make perfect gifts for the festivals in the offing — from Ganesh Chathurti to Christmas. The silver filigree products include jewellery items such as necklaces, bangles, earrings and `payals' as well as perfectly crafted `Gitopadesa' chariots, hair clips, shirt buttons and so on.
The red granite items with the typical fluidity of Oriyan art and its fantastic detailing and the Pipli work `torans' are the other attractions. The patachitra and tribal paintings in tussar and silk are other examples of Orissa's craft heritage. Most of the pata paintings and palm leaf wall hangings recount tales from the Ramayana and Mahabharata and the exploits of Lord Jagannath.
Perfect gifts
For those looking for captivating gifts, the dhokra work items provide perfect solutions. Ranging from the tiniest of animals to perfectly proportioned jewel boxes, candle stands, kumkum boxes and local landscapes essayed in three dimensional craft language, each one is a reflection of an age-old art form. And of course there are the great ikat Sambhalpuri, Bomkai and Katki saris of Orissa. The choice of Oriya textiles ranges from ikat Sambhalpuris to colourful ikat bordered saris in cotton and tussar. Many of the designs reflect a high degree of sophisticated design inputs into the traditional weaves. There are other unusual craft items such as lacquered wooden toys for kolu, appliqué work wall hangings and garden umbrellas.
PUSHPA CHARI
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