Week-long art exhibition held in Imphal

State Directorate of Handlooms and Textiles under the aegis of Manipur Handloom and Handicrafts Development Corporation Limited conducted a week-long craft and art exhibition of border village at the first Urban Haat in Imphal East.

It was Manipur's first urban haat which showcased crafts from border villages and was an initiative to tap the untapped skills of artists.

The rich art captured the attention of a lot of people from across the globe. Many people of the region practice the art to make a living promote it in the global market.

Altogether, 30 stalls from the border areas villages displayed the domestic and traditional crafts ranging from hand-woven clothing to home decor items.

Use of bamboo and cane products were widely seen in the exhibition as craftsmen and artisans exhibited their items like a bamboo mat, basket of various sizes, traditional platter, fishing implements and many others.

The display of an almost extinct indigenous Woven Palm Rain Capes or also known as Capote de Plumas in Mexican, which is made of Palm leaves was a major attraction.

A craftsman, Thosrii, stated that these Palm leaves product has served a lot of purpose to our ancestors during monsoon season as they give protection from raining and windy seasons. Even today, it is beneficial for us as we could eat the date palm out during the harvest season. Such exhibition is important as this is also part of education on how to preserve the traditional art and craft.

Various craftspersons displayed enormous shapes of Pitchers and cutlery items that promote the antique and ancient pottery of Manipur, home decor items like wooden carvings products from Kamjong district and jewelry made of cocoon silk.

Another artist, Ningwonla said that such platform will be beneficial for us because at the moment we don't have our own cluster/society, but through such platform, we would be able to seek assistance from government side as well. And this is the first time that he is participating in such exhibition.

The state Directorate of Handlooms & Textiles announced that such border exhibition should be organized every year as such rich ancient art and craft that mostly confines in the rural areas will now get opportunities to exhibit in wider platforms and showcase the traditional handlooms and handicrafts of the state.