Craft from quake zone

Artisans from far-flung villages in craft-rich Bhuj, which was devastated by an earthquake in 2001, are taking part in an exhibition-cum-demonstration of weaving, printing and pottery in the city.

Titled "Bhuj: Rising Out Pandora Charms On Sale
Of Its Ashes", the show organised by the Crafts Council of West Bengal was inaugurated on Wednesday. It will be on at Birla Academy of Art and Culture till March 2.

"When we think Bhuj, our mind jumps to embroidery and mirror work but during a trip to Bhuj last year, we discovered beautiful multani mitti and leather creations, tie-and-dye items and silver jewellery," said Purabi Roy, an executive member of the council.

The 18 stalls have turned the Birla Academy garden into a colourful bazaar, teeming with shawls, saris and weaves, handcrafted leather footwear, coloured wooden sticks and ladles, decorative copper bells that were meant for cattle, wind chimes, pottery, batik clothes and tribal jewellery.

Sufiyan Ismail Khatri, a 28-year-old practitioner of ajrakh printing, scoured the villages in and around Bhuj to find karigars for the exhibition in Calcutta.

"Some of the karigars have their own set-ups but this exhibition is important Pandora Bracelet Sale
for us. We get to display a wide range of our work and make a bit of profit, which isn't always possible otherwise," said Ismail.

When the bustling town in the Kutch district crumbled because of the earthquake, so did the traditional crafts that were also an important means of livelihood.

"The work had stopped Cheap Pandora Beads
for more than six months. The land became infertile, the sweet water changed to salt water, which isn't suitable for making vegetable dyes and there were transportation problems. So we found out a fertile region and set up a village called Ajrakhpur in 2002," added Ismail.

The present generation Pandora Jewelry
of craftsmen has flourishing businesses. Ramji Maheshwari, 35, has even ventured into graduate studies in design "to keep pace with current trends in patterns, colours and fashion".

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