Sawan might be few days away but the mood is not! And the celebratory moods ahead of onset of Sawan precipitated in the form of Saawan Sindhara – a fest where women artisan from several States converged at Ranchi Club.
They put on display handmade products like sarees, suits, gift items, jewelry and everything that concerns women, beauty, children and of course, holy and green month of Sawan! As many as 70 stalls were put which were headed by women artisans from several part of country. The beauty of the fest is in the uniqueness that handmade outfits and other products carry.
Renu Jalan and Aparna Saraf – the two ladies from Kolkata – had especially come to Ranchi to exhibit their handmade products which included Filigree Quilling, punch craft, especially made beautiful envelops and several other textile items. Saraf’s Filigree Quillings were drawing huge attention of visitors. What exactly is this filigree Quilling which invited attention of peopleIJ
It is an art form where strips of paper are rolled, shaped, and glued together to create beautiful and decorative designs. The paper is wound around a quill to create a basic coil shape which is then glued at the tip and these shaped coils are arranged to form flowers, leaves, and various ornamental patterns.
This exhibition had given Saraf, who till recently had been just a housewife, a platform to showcase her creativity. She credits her teacher for bringing this creativity out of her and her father Pawan Bajaj for coming in Ranchi to show case her creativity.
“Filigree quilling is just so beautiful result of creativity. I owe this to my teacher in Kolkata Sangeeta Sureak. I learnt it from her. I always had this passion for making such handmade items. But that had gone somewhere in hibernation. It is my father-in-law who encouraged me to pursue my passion. And my father, Pawan Bajaj inspired me to come here in Ranchi and put this stall,” Saraf said.
All the stalls were owned by women artisans. Another women artisan Monisha Poddar, a textiles designer from Delhi said the items she had put on display were her own creation. “And that is why the prices of these items are lower than that in market,” she adds. Renu, in her fifties, she seemed to defy the young people’s exuberance. “I have wholesale outlets for the handmade products at our home. But here in Ranchi I have come and display these items just for the promotion of handicrafts and the products that we manufacture in pour own hands,” Renu said.
The fair was inaugurated by famous gynecologist Usha Rani. It would conclude on Sunday. Entry to the fest is free.