Indigenous fabrics on display. Picture by S.H. Patgiri

Guwahati, July 26: The Srimanta Sankardev Kalakshetra here has lined up a visual feast for those interested in the traditional finery of various ethnic groups of the Northeast.

A textile gallery named Vastra Vithika is being set up within the Purbajyoti Museum at the region’s premier cultural complex. The ambience will be typically tribal and mannequins dressed in traditional costumes of various indigenous groups will give visitors an insight into ethnic fashion.

The project is being executed in collaboration with the Indian Museum in Calcutta.

“We will try to showcase the dress patterns of the different ethnic groups and a collection of handloom and textiles collected from across the region,” a Kalakshetra official said.

The textile patterns of over 22 tribal groups, including the Bodos, Rabhas, Misings, Karbis and Tiwas, will be on display at the gallery.

“It will be a textile gallery in sync with the lifestyles of these tribes. We will create a diorama with two-dimensional and three-dimensional objects and life-sized models,” the official said.

A separate showcase is being arranged for the designs and patterns typical of the region.

The gallery is expected to add to the uniqueness of the Kalakshetra, which is spread across a sprawling campus of 10.28 hectares at Panjabari. The many attractions include a heritage park and a village for artists.

The Lalit Kala Bhawan has sufficient space for exhibitions, art and sculpture workshops and an art gallery. The cultural museum is a storehouse of cultural objects and articles used by different ethnic groups.

The exhibits at the new gallery will be placed systematically to give visitors a crystal-clear idea of each community’s distinctive attire. “For instance, certain costumes are worn only by married women. We will try to display the techniques, patterns and motifs in the context of their socio-cultural life,” the Kalakshetra official said.