There is a riot of colours and a clutter of items inside the Maditssia Hall now. And this is when all the consignments for the crafts bazaar organised by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) have not yet arrived! Due to the flood ravaged situation of the region, says the exhibition In charge K.Balasundar, the things are taking time to reach. Lifeline of the region has been snapped, lakhs of people affected and trains have been cancelled, he says, but hopes that by this weekend, the exhibition will pick up and be more filled up. However, since the inauguration of the exhibition last Sunday, the sales have been encouraging, he adds and hopes to do a good business this autumn as well. This is the tenth year of the exhibition in Madurai and peoples’ response to the expo really breathes life into the skills of the crafts persons from far. When vast and colourful, charming and original, real ‘made in India’ products from the eight North Eastern sister States are on display, you know it is not just an exhibition. It is also an attempt to spread awareness about the region’s culture and heritage and provide a platform for the craftsmanship. So from a simple handmade wooden hair stick that costs Rs.12 to muga silk saris with hand embroidery of the Kaziranga rhino all over costing Rs.12,000, you get to see a huge range and variety as you walk around to the sweet smell of grass, the golden hues of cane, the vibrant and bright colours of fabric and the elegance of bamboo, all organised stall wise. The dynamics and diversity of the multi-layered crafts sector shows in cane sofa sets, chairs, teapoys, modas, bins, planters, lamps shades and vases, woven baskets and trays from Assam, the chic door and window screens made with darba grass from Tripura, the handmade Sitalpatti mats and bags from Coochbehar, the wooden toys, paper holders, pen stands and bamboo caps and beer mugs from Mizoram, the kauna grass mattress from Imphal, the tribal shawls and jackets from Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland, the Manipuri saris and dupattas with tribal temple designs, woollens caps and shoes from Sikkim, fancy woven baskets and cane jewel boxes from Meghalaya. Every item is crafted with an eye for design, aesthetics and comfort. “Handloom weaving and handicrafts provides mass employment to locals in the region,” says Jayasree Chanda, a recipient of the West Bengal master crafts person award for the plaited cane mats also called the cool mats. “The repertoire and the life of our products is sturdy,” she says and is the reason why the exhibition sees the return of old and new customers every year. “The cost and durability has an appeal,” she adds. This being the festival season, says Balasundar, there is a following among buyers here for the home décor and adornments. He says this year particularly the fastest moving item has been the sculptures of various gods and goddesses made out of carvings on thick bamboo roots. It is among one of the most striking crafts of Assam and priced at Rs.650, the item is winning over visitors to the fair. Fancy jute jewellery and foot wear, handbags, purses and clutches made out of cane and bamboo and some traditional attires like the mekla-chador of Assam have caught peoples’ fancy. The exhibition is offering 10 per cent discount on all handicrafts and 20 per cent discount on handloom. Check out the exquisite crafts exhibition, sale and demonstration anytime between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Open all days till October 2.

Stay updated with all the Latest Madurai headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.