Designer and curator Srila Chatterjee is well-known in the Indian arts and culture community for her eye for fine design and exquisite presentations in design shows. One of the many popular shows she curates and particularly close to her heart is the Bengal Bazar. As evident from the show’s title Bengal Bazar, Bengal Bazar involves capturing the essence of Bengal — including art, apparel, home decor, and also food. Srila has been hosting this design showcase event in Mumbai for the last five years and it continues to evolve, with each show getting bigger and better each passing year. This time, Srila is bringing this show to the capital. Let us explore some of the major highlights of the bazaar.
Shola Flowers
For us Bengalis, shola is intrinsically woven with our culture. Shola or Sholapith, also referred to as Indian cork, is a white, soft, lightweight, and porous core extracted from the stem of the spongy aquatic shola plant and resembles and behaves a lot like thermocol. This plant thrives in the marshy, waterlogged areas of Bengal, adding to its mystique. The craft holds a divine and mythical origin, and the pure white color of Sholapith is considered auspicious, making it a preferred material for various religious and social customs. While shola was traditionally employed to adorn deities' statues, serve as hanging decorations, and function as wedding headgear, modern artisans have now diversified their craft to include contemporary designs like Shola Flowers.
Terracotta sculptures by Dolon Kundu
Dolon Kundu, a recipient of the 2019 National Award for Handicraft, was herself an underprivileged woman who has now empowered over 40 women by employing them in her studio. She is an expert in pinch pottery, a technique that entails shaping clay by hand using a unique pinching method.
Brands from Santiniketan
Amoli: A beautiful cafe that also empowers women by employing them to produce delightful and unique handcrafted bric-a-brac
Friends in Delhi, don’t forget to mark your calendars and capture a slice of Bengal at this unique event!
Bengal Bazar
Date: 15th to the 17th of February
Venue: Hauz Khas, Delhi
Follow Srila Chatterjee here.
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