Rediscovering my Indian Roots at Sampoorn’s Vastrabhushana & Native Bazaar

From the deep indigoes of Shibori to the dexterously hand painted Kalamkari and from the eclectic charms of the Kutch and Kantha embroidery to the elegant sophistication of the Lucknawi Chikan, my experience at the Vastrabhushana (by Sampoorn) was anything but ordinary. This exhibition was like a treasure trove for all the connoisseurs of traditional Indian weaves (one of them being me) 🙂 I was absolutely smitten by the wide array of these crafts available. Here’s a little glimpse of what enamored me most at the latest edition of  Sampoorn:

There were quite a few stalls stocking yards and yards of beautiful woven and vegetable dyed fabrics. One of them – Riti’s (Bangalore) had a decent  line-up of Shibori, Ajrakh, Kalamkari, Jahota, hand-pressed block prints. While I was already aware of the tedious vegetable dyeing processes in Ajrakh and Kalamkari (16-18 stages), the owner at the stall told me that the Jahota craft (from Jaipur) involved as many as 36 stages of dyeing and washes! Incredible, isn’t it? And the best part – these fabrics don’t just represent a part of our culture, they are also skin friendly/hypoallergenic.

Some of the most amazing woven and embroidered fabrics I saw here. Featured here: Ikat yardage in vibrant colours and Kantha embroidered fabric, stoles, and saris.

Elegant Chikankari fabric, vibrant Leheriya saris and hand painted dupattas.

Stunning colours in the Banarasi silk and cotton fabrics and saris.

I just fell in love with these lovely beady beauties and a Kutch embroidered dress at a stall and ultimately gave in to my temptations! Also, take a look at the beautiful Kalamkari kurtas and the very stylish indigo jacket.

The Native Bazaar at Sampoorn was yet another splendid handicraft extravaganza attracting talented craftsmen from all over India to showcase their exquisite art and craft. From colour popped Madhubani paintings to Jaipur’s handcrafted wooden trunks to black stone pottery from Manipur, this craft bazaar was a treat for any home decor lover. Take a look:

  

This stall from Jaipur had the most amazing wooden decor – stunning marble and blue pottery console tables and dressers, huge wooden chests with brass detailing, and really cute chakki tables!

Old or new, small or big, simple or exquisitely handcrafted, brass just never ceases to amaze me!

Beautiful, vivid Madhubani paintings by the very talented Vidushini Prasad.

A whole lot of silver jewellery, stone and beaded trinkets and clutches to completely enchant you!

Get ready to wear ‘Vibrant Gujarat‘ and Rajasthan on your sleeves – literally! Eclectic embroidered jackets, clutches, and handbags from Kutch and reversible block printed jackets from Jaipur.

Lovely boxes, salt and pepper sprinklers, and other cutlery made from sea shells and buffalo horn.

Terracotta coasters, trays, glasses and cutlery holders. Also, colourful leather lampshades in all shapes and sizes from Andhra Pradesh.

Bed linen colour burst – from Kantha to Applique work to Kalamkari and bright block prints. Aren’t they beautiful?

Foot mats and dhurries from Mirzapur, and these colourful woven baskets and mojaris from Hisar were showstoppers sure enough!

 

Lots of options for budding gardeners too!

Traditional or modern, ethnic or contemporary, the uniqueness and versatility of the Indian yardage makes it the perfect choice for all kinds of silhouettes. Similarly, when it comes to the Indian handicrafts, there’s certainly more to them than meets the eye and this edition of Sampoorn was a celebration of our stunning weaves and art and craft forms across India coming together in one place. I came out completely inspired and almost broke! How was your experience at this incredible exhibition? Let us know in the comments below.

For the uninitiated, Sampoorn Native Bazaar is on at the Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath till 13th September, 2015.