Artisans from seven northeastern states at the crafts fair in Bhubaneswar. Pictures by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Jan. 5: Craft items, available in innovative designs and made of bamboo and cane, are on display at the North East Crafts Fair going on at the Exhibition Ground.

Artisans from the seven northeast states have displayed articles at the fair that began on Thursday.

Food baskets and trays, made of cane, bamboo and different kinds of grass, are one of the most popular items at the fair. These decorative accessories for dining table are washable and come in varying shades of brown.

“We first soak the grass in water overnight to make it soft. Then we work on it and start tying it,” said R.K. Singh, a young craftsman from Arunachal Pradesh. He said the items have a decent longevity.

“We prepare these food baskets, decorative show pieces from two varieties of grass namely, kusa and kus,” he said.

Bamboo candle stands, flower vases, wall hangings, hand fans, musical instruments, winnowing trays and miniature items for toys are put on display at the fair.

Handbags, purses and clutches, made of cane and bamboo, and cane footwear are also available here.

“We have items with a range between Rs 20 to Rs 600. There is a great demand for our items here,” said Simal Biswas from Tripura.

One of the attractive items is the miniature set of instruments for daily use, souvenirs, archery and other weapons used by the Khasi tribe. These are on display at the Meghalaya kiosk. Moreover, there is also wood carving, made of bamboo roots, at the Tripura kiosk.

“The items are so beautiful, that at times, it becomes tough to choose among them,” said Kuinjarani Behera, a homemaker.

“The handloom and mats, incense sticks and dry flower items from Assam, Tripura, Nagaland and Manipur are amazing. The patterns are unique,” said Meghna Dash, a management student.

The fair, organised by the North Eastern Handicrafts and Handlooms Development Corporation Limited, Shillong, exhibited cane and timber furniture from the northeast states and other handloom and handicraft items from Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, Bengal and Orissa.

“The fair is organised every year in Bhubaneswar and has a great response. We would suggest the visitors to give their feedback and suggestions, so that the artisans can make the products more attractive and useful,” said regional manager of the fair S.K. Pujari.