Good things come from the most unexpected quarters.
I learnt this when I checked out a small shop which I pass by almost every day
and also the same shop where I got my terracotta urli from. Terracotta Ganeshas
are quite the rage nowadays and this place has a huge collection of Ganeshas in
all shapes and sizes and poses. My favourite is the Ganesha in the gondola :D. Another
favourite is a “magic lamp” which the owner will be more than happy to
demonstrate. Apart from Ganeshas, the shop also has lot of terracotta figurines
of gods and goddesses. There are also terracotta dolls depicting people from
different occupations like vegetable vendor, iron smith, carpenter etc along
with dolls of birds and animals. The precision and the detailing of the work are
amazing and so are the innovative stances in which Ganesha has been molded. These
are ideal for bombe habba/bommala
koluvu (the doll festival during Navaratri in South India). They also seem like
a good option for return gifts or wedding favours especially the Ganeshas. And
the cost is lesser than those available in malls/online though bargaining is
not at all entertained. I have seen these kinds of clay dolls in Jayanagar BDA
complex as well but the quality and finishing is not as good as these. The
owner tells me that they have a workshop near Hebbal where they create these dolls
with the help of local artists who design them. The diversity and range of
Indian handicrafts is mindboggling and needs our support to reach its full
potential. A recently concluded handicraft fair generated business enquiries
worth Rs.2500 crore (read article here).
It is good to see such trade fairs happening for promoting the Indian handicraft
sector. The government seems to be waking up to the need to tap into this
sector by bringing it back into limelight. We should also do our bit in
promoting and supporting the artists of India :)
Where - Right opposite Ragi Gudda Temple, JP Nagar, third shop on the left
Where - Right opposite Ragi Gudda Temple, JP Nagar, third shop on the left
Terracotta Ganeshas (the gondola one is too cute :))
Note the details, so realistic
Loved the Rabindranath Tagore plaque
All shapes and sizes
My favourites - the magic lamp and the boatman :)
Psst...another vendor in the same shop has the cutest of ethnic wear for kids. Damn cute :)
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Very nice stuff indeed!
ReplyDeleteYup :) So much of talent and so many art forms in India :)
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