Designer Sharbari Dutta inaugurates a garment exhibition at Bhawanipore Education SocietyTheatre personality Usha Ganguly and craftsman Rajendra Baghel at a dokra exhibitionTerracotta artefacts on display at a festival at Bharatiyam Cultural Centre and (right) a dance performance at the same eventA new range of imported furniture from Yellows

lPyramids in the folds of a skirt, Sphinx on a T-shirt, sturdy stallions in vibrant hues on a wall-hanging a la M.F. Husain — the imagination of young designers at Bhawanipore Education Society undergoing the one-year fashion technology course, went on an overdrive. The ongoing exhibition of the works of students at the college campus is also in keeping with the season, with a lot of vibrant hues on display.

Titled ‘Fashion Visual Display’, the exhibition featuring the creations of fashion students in the past six months was inaugurated by designer Sharbari Dutta. “Each student takes an artist or a monument for inspiration and creates a story board from which they bring out the final product,” explained Heena Gorsia, general secretary of the college. Based on their ‘inspiration’, the students have created wide-ranging motifs in a variety of textiles embellished with paints, dyes and embroidery. Thereafter, the students took to their sewing machines to come up with skirts, blouses, cholis, scarves and sarongs in interesting shapes and patterns. The exhibition also throws up a lot of stuff in crepe and bandhni to go with the mood of the season. The exhibition will be on till today.

lTribal culture maybe far removed from our ‘civilised’ norms, but their art and craft finds pride of place in urban homes. Dokra from Bastar in Chhattisgarh is one such craft, prized for its intricate motifs and interesting shapes. One can now witness its stylised, local tribal idioms at Gallery Kanishka’s at 2/1 Hindusthan Road, that is hosting an exhibition-cum-sale of dokra figurines.

Inaugurated by theatre personality Usha Ganguly, the showing features a host of dokra figurines by National Award winner for dokra-casting, Rajendra Baghel. The exhibits on display range from three-inch tortoises to over three-feet high figurines. Besides various tribal gods and goddesses — Jhitku-Mitku (God and Goddess of peace), Dokri Deo (Goddess of wealth), Rau Deo (the protector) and Mauli Mata (whose image is worshipped before Mauli Mela begins in the month of Fagun), the exhibits include masks or veer mukhouti (usually worn as a sign of victory), tori or bugles, figures of tribal sportswomen, Ganesha and Shiva idols, numerous animal and human figures, as well as a tribal village fashioned on a square plot.

These figurines are painstakingly culled by a vanishing wax technique, explained craftsman Rajendra. “First the desired model is made of black clay and rice husk. Thereafter, the model is shaped by filing or chipping. The entire model is then encased by bees’ wax thread. The unique texture and intricacy of dokra is achieved by these wax threads. The model is again covered by a layer of clay and coal dust. Another coating of termite dust and rice husk follows. The model is now ready to be baked in a kiln. The wax melts, leaving behind a hollow model into which molten bronze is poured. Casting over, the dokra item is now ready to be polished and ‘finished’,” he details.

Each dokra item is unique. Once the casting is over, the clay model needs to be broken to take out the finished product. Not surprisingly, the prices starting from Rs 50 can go as high as Rs 1 lakh for really big and intricate items. Says Baghel, “People mostly go for small pieces, but we can show our skill in the big ones.”

The exhibition will continue till March 31 and will remain open between 11 am and 8 pm from Monday to Saturday. Phone nos: 24634296, 9830015854.

lNorth-east India is a rich storehouse of culture, most of which remains unexplored and unappreciated till date. To promote facets of North-east culture, Eastern Zonal Cultural Centre organised a North-east festival at its Bharatiyam Cultural Centre in Salt Lake. As eager enthusiasts poured into the open-air theatre in the evening, the curtains went up on the Singhi Chham folk dances of Sikkim, the Dhaowa, Farkanti and Sathar folk dances of the Rabhas of Assam and Nungthelleima — a Shumang Lila.

The traditional Shumang Lila is a performing art form of Manipur which is based on folk dance, theatre and martial art. Nungthelleima, performed at the open air theatre, is a Shumang Lila based on mythology. Dressed in traditional Manipuri attire, the performers enacted a war scene involving the mythological chief of Gods, warriors, wild animals and youth.

Next to take the stage was the Rabha community of Assam with their rich folk dances. While the Dhaowa dance delineated the struggles, hostilities and conflicts that culminate in battles and wars, the Farkanti dance emphasised the Rabhas’ belief that the souls of the dead are reborn as animals and birds. The Sathar dance lent an air of merriment to the festival with its joyful tribute to youthfulness and love. The Singhi Chham or lion dance of Sikkim, as it is popularly known, also kept the audience glued to their seats.

Apart from the bold dance and theatrical performances, the highlights of the North-east festival included an exhibition of handloom and handicraft items from Assam, Nagaland, Meghalaya and Tripura. From masalas to coir items, muga silks, wooden artefacts and agarbattis, there was every reason to rejoice in the wide variety that the North-east has to offer. The festival is on till today.

lInterior designer Brinda Daga has gone a step ahead and brought a new range of imported furniture to Calcutta. Fashioned out of Malaysian teakwood, the range is titled Yellows. It includes furniture, luminaries and showpieces that will add glamour to the lifestyle of Calcuttans. Brinda and Sanjay Gupta, co-director, Yellows Conglomerate, feel that Calcutta is undergoing rapid economic changes and waking up to new styles and trends. And the result is the launch of a wonderful collection of lifestyle products. “With Yellows, we have ensured that Calcuttans needn’t go out of the city to get quality lifestyle products. It will be available in the heart of the city.”

As an introductory feat, Yellows is holding an exhibition of its products at Trinity Plaza on 84/1/A Topsia Road. While a steady stream of visitors and orders ensures that there are many takers for the Yellows brand of products, Brinda and Sanjay are all set to come up with their first showroom in Calcutta soon. Aimed at testing the likes and dislikes of potential customers, the launch exhibition is proving to be a success. “We are getting feedback from customers so that we can constantly innovate and change our designs to make available to our clients, a new experience, a whole new facet of Yellows each time they drop in,” says Brinda.

The Yellows range of lifestyle products includes household and office furniture, garden chairs, artefacts, chandeliers and lamps. From the plush and absolutely sinkable sensation in the sofa to the beautiful antique cut in the dining table, Yellows has it all. The glossy finish to the wood and the designer touch ensures that the furniture is one up on style and comfort. Yellows will cater to the tastes of a particular segment that looks for international quality at an affordable range.

Keeping this in mind, the beds have been priced between Rs 15,000 and Rs 35,000, the leather sofas between Rs 30,000 and Rs 45,000, the dining table between Rs 18,000 and Rs 60,000 and the chandeliers between Rs 2,500 and Rs 10,000. A bedroom set includes a bed, two side tables, a wardrobe and a dressing table and is available for as little as Rs 60,000. Beds include those with leather headboards and wooden panels. For those who like small pieces of furniture, a shoe cabinet, rosewood table, centre table, parlour cabinet, low height TV unit, flower shelf, tea table or a computer table from Yellows is sure to add character to the home. Bringing the feel-good experience to town, the launch exhibition of Yellows is on till March 9.

Pix by Rashbehari Das