Shoppers throng the Handloom Expo on Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar. Picture by Ashwinee Pati

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 13: Women in the capital find themselves spoilt for choice. For them, it is a difficult task to choose between Khandua patta silks woven in Cuttack and evergreen Bomkai classics from Sambalpur.

The Handloom Expo being held on Exhibition Ground here has been a huge hit with shoppers making their pick from a rich collection of beautifully woven Odisha handloom saris.

Pure silk woven into elaborate designs, especially on the borders and one end of the sari, can be found in striking shades, apart from interesting mix of colours in the ikkat dyed saris and dress materials in pure cotton.

Organised by Boyanika under the state handlooms, textiles and handicrafts department and sponsored by development commissioner for the handlooms ministry of textiles, the fair features products from clusters and primary weavers’ co-operative societies from across the state.

The 42 participants at the 32 kiosks belong to 12 handloom zones of the state such as Cuttack, Sonepur, Athgarh, Bargarh, Balangir, Boudh, Khurda, Dhenkanal, Baripada, Balasore, Berhampur and Nayagarh.

“The sale is quite good with customers trooping in despite incessant rain. We are getting customers’ feedback on what designs, patterns or colours they would want us to work on,” said an artisan from Berhampur at the exhibition.

Officer in charge of the expo Bijay Prasanna Dwivedi said such an expo was, for the first time, being conducted during monsoon in the state.

“There are discounts on all our handloom products to help people buy more of Odisha’s hand-woven fabrics,” he said.

The exhibition that will conclude on August 20 offers handloom products priced within the range of Rs 200 to Rs 10,000.