An evening well spent

Yesterday evening, the OH and I shopped for products made in different parts of the country, tapping our feet to folk music from the farthest corners of India, feasted our eyes on pretty pretty things that had no use for us but which we loved, looking at artisans working hard on their craft, taking breaks in between for kulhad chai and yummy mirchi bajjis and aloo tikkis. We had the most delightful of times, with the cool, breezy weather and overcast sky, which took mercy on us and decided not to play spoilsport by raining all over us in the open-air exhibition. I am talking about the Dastkar Nature Bazaar 2011 at the Palace Grounds.

Two of my dearest wishes came true yesterday – of drinking kulhad chai (I can’t believe I waited till yesterday to have it!) and of buying a Sambhalpuri saree. I had been drooling over the Orissi sarees at every possible opportunity, and finally took the plunge yesterday. And I LOVE the way it looks when I wear it. 🙂 We bought a few other knick-knacks for the house, including some fun thread-and-bead necklaces for myself. Hopefully, I should be able to post some pictures of our findings soon.

We found a lot of other things that we would like to buy for our home, but decided they would have to wait till later. We returned home tired from all the walking around in the huge grounds, hunting for stuff, our bank balance lighter, but content and happy as two little kids. All in all, it was an evening well spent.

For the uninitiated, ‘Dastkar is a registered society and NGO with over 30 years of working in the craft sector and a national outreach of over 200 crafts groups in 18 states in India. It is committed to breaking the barriers that separate the craftspeople from mainstream urban markets, reviving and revitalizing both the craft and the community. The Dastkari Bazaars and Exhibitions are the culmination of this process.’  (Source: Here) The Dastkar fair is usually held once a year in Bangalore, generally at the Palace Grounds, and we make it a point to visit it without fail. Like always, this year too, it is worth a visit. This year’s fair ends today, August 14, and the timings are 11 AM to 8.30 PM. If you haven’t visited the exhibition already, please do go now. Highly recommended.