The colours and textures of India’s rich textile tradition are on full display at the Global Village Weaves Pavilion which continues to be among the most popular sections of the trade fair.
The 50 stalls at the pavilion are nearly always packed with shoppers looking for bargains on silky-soft Pashmina shawls from Kashmir, Kalamkari printed cottons and silks, Mukesh-work sarees from Lucknow, traditional cottons from Bengal and hundreds such exclusive handloom fabrics.
What makes the pavilion unique is that the stalls have been set up by the weavers themselves to the advantage of both buyers and sellers. Shoppers can buy a variety of garments and furnishings, ranging in price from Rs 150 to Rs 15,000.
Cotton, silk and georgette fabric with the famous ‘chikan’ embroidery from Lucknow can be found in stalls from Uttar Pradesh. Weavers from Andhra Pradesh showcase the stunning craftsmanship in Pochampalli sarees and Kalamkari work and an array of garments with hand-painted designs on them.
Exquisite Kundan, zardosi and pearl embroidered sarees; Madhya Pradesh’s famous Chanderi and Maheshwari cotton fabrics; Tassar, Kosa, Muga and Mulberry silks from the North East; and the labour-intensive Kantha and Jamdani work by artisans from Bengal add richness to the pavilion.
Besides clothing there are home furnishings with intricate crochet and appliqué work, printed cotton bedspreads from Rajasthan, curtains, tablecloth, coasters and other such items.
Artisan Syed Hyder Aga has come all the way from UP with a collection of beautifully hand embroidered and unusually heavy Lucknowi wedding sarees, some of which have taken up to eight months to design. His creations have proven extremely popular with the visitors.
Another novelty for people in Kerala is a collection of linen clothing brought by weavers from Bhagalpur, and sarees from Andhra Pradesh that smell faintly of fresh milk. The Weaves pavilion has been set up Hyderabad based Revathi Creative Communications.
