Pre-puja exposition ushers in festive spirit
DURGA PUJA, the grand celebration of faith, art and aesthetics, is just a few weeks away. Heralding the joyous mood ahead of the festive season, a nine-day exhibition to showcase an array of exquisite and exclusive handloom as well as handicrafts by master weavers and craft-persons of Bengal, was inaugurated at the national Capital recently.
The sixth edition of the ‘Bengal Prepuja Exposition’, which is being organized by the Office of the Resident Commissioner, Government of West Bengal, from August 19-27, was formally inaugurated at Handloom Haat, Janpath, in the gracious presence of Dr Krishna Gupta, Principal Resident Commissioner and R D Meena, Officer on Special Duty and Principal Advisor, Office of the Resident Commissioner.
Seventy artisans from twelve districts of West Bengal are participating in the exposition which is aimed at promoting the rich and glorious tradition of Bengal handicrafts and handloom and also ensuring commercial benefits to the craftspersons and weavers ahead of the Durga Puja festival.
The exposition boasts of a range of beautiful handloom and handicrafts products, including Baluchari, Batik, Tangail and Kantha Stitch sarees, Shantiniketan leather bags and purses as well as dokra and copper ornaments.
In addition to that, a scintillating performance by acclaimed Odissi dancer-choreographer Padmashree Ranjana Gauhar and her troupe, presenting Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore’s dance drama “Chitrangada”, left the audience spell-bound at the courtyard of Handloom Haat, Janpath, last evening.
The dance production recounted the tale of Chitrangada, a brave Manipuri princess, and Arjuna, the great warrior from the epic Mahabharata.
Another cultural soiree will be organized at the same venue on August 26, from 6.30 pm onwards, with a performance by well-known Bengali folk band “Sahajiya”. The group combines traditional Bengali folk musical instruments like ektara, dotara, khamak and dubki with instruments from other parts of the world to render a wide range of Bengali folk songs such as Bhatiyali, Bhawaiya, Jhumur, Baul and Fakiri.
The initiative is supported by the Departments of Industry, Commerce & Enterprises, Tourism, and Information & Cultural Affairs, Government of West Bengal. The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, which is providing the platform of ‘Handloom Haat’, has extended valuable assistance to this endeavour.