Handicraft exhibition to commemorate Gandhiji's birth anniversary

Bandani and wood work from Gujarat, bead work and gudia shilp from Madhya Pradesh, thread jewellery from Uttarakhand, together with embroidery and block from Uttar Pradesh are among the traditional Indian crafts that will be part of a new exhibition commemorating Mahatma Gandhi's 150th birth anniversary.

"An Ode to Mahatma Gandhi", organised by Dastkari Haat Samiti, will pay tribute to the father of the nation who revolutionised the handloom and handicraft sector. 

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It will open at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts here on October 1. "A nurturer, supporter and innovator of handmade and handcrafted products and artisans, Gandhiji helped India's economy and gave the craftspersons a platform to grow. This exhibition celebrates that movement. 

"At a time when fast fashion is at its peak, a show like this brings us back to 'swades' and is unapologetic of its rejection of a lifestyle that is not sustainable," organisers said. 

A special showcase of 25 images of Gandhi all made in different styles of textile crafts like handloom weaving, tie and dye work, shibori embroidery, batik, durry weaving as well as traditional art forms like Godhna, Gond, Patachitra, Madhubani, Worli, kavad art, terracotta and miniature paintings will be on display. Samiti founder Jaya Jaitly said Gandhi's notion of 'swades' laid the foundation for village industries in India, helping artisans and crafts people across the country to connect with the consumer. 

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"It is with that same zeal and effort that Dastkari Haat Samiti has handpicked crafts persons to help them come to the forefront. "Our bazaar honours the ideology of Mahatma Gandhi that specifically spoke of the rural crafts persons and sustaining the environment," she said. 

The exhibition will feature 90 artisans handpicked by the Samiti from remote parts of India including some hitherto unknown crafts persons who are unable to travel to Delhi as well as others who have made a special effort to offer new items and designs in their art or craft forms. 

There will be a range of handicraft products on offer including objects of home decor, hand painted diyas, trinkets, and textiles done in traditional crafts like wood carving and inlay, bamboo work, glass work, rice and thread work, sanjhi paper cut work and silver work. The show is set to continue till October 8.

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