One of its kind, trade facilitation centre will help boost Kashi crafts
Crafts from Kashi will come under one roof at the stateof-the-art Trade Facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum, which will be dedicated to the nation by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
The foundation of the museum at Bada Lalpur was also laid by the PM on November 7, 2014.
On display at the unique museum will be Banarasi brocades and saree, metal repousse, gulabi meenakari (pink enameling), lacquer ware, wooden toys, handmade carpets of Bhadohi, Mirzapur-handmade dari, glass beads from Varanasi and Nizamabad black pottery.
Museum also have idols of Lord Rama, Sita, Laxman and of Ravana.
Idol of Lord Buddha in meditation and wooden Ashoka stambh gives glimpses of Sarnath, a holy place near Varanasi visited by Buddhists from across the globe.
Classical music instruments of Banaras, including Tabla, Mridang, dholak, taanpura, Sitar, Sarod, Veena and Shehnai have been preserved and placed for public viewing.
Assistant director Vijay Bahadur Singh told HT, “All items of Banaras handicrafts and those of eastern UP have been preserved at the Trade facilitation Centre and Crafts Museum.”
“The centre will help the handicraft artists and artisans in increasing their income and in carrying forward the traditional skill of crafts of Banaras and adjoining areas.
“Demand of soft stone undercut work will increase manifold as now weavers, artisans, exporters and traders have a common platform in form of TFC,” said master craftsman Bachcha Lal Maurya.
The artisans and craftsmen will get an idea about changing trends and demands in domestic and international market through seminars and workshops by textile and exporters here.
Master craftsman Kunj Bihari feels the centre will give rise to demand of his work gulabi meenakari.
“There were a few takers for gulabi meenakari items and jewellery. Now that the craft have received GI tag, its demand have increased,” Bihari said.
Dr Rajninkant, who works for the cause of craftsmen and weavers, observed, “Trade facilitation centre will help the crafts flourish in the region.”