Something for everybody at Shravan mela Check out the handloom sarees, dress materials and handicrafts at Cidco's Urban Haat

Something for everybody at Shravan mela

What better time to do some ethnic shopping than just before a major festival? Check out the handloom sarees, dress materials and handicrafts at Cidco's Urban Haat

Keeping in mind the current month in the Hindu calendar, Cidco Urban haat has organised a 'Shravan mela' whereone can find a plethora of handloom products and handicraft items. Jewellery and leather products too are aplenty at this mela. So if you're looking at getting some shopping done this month, don't miss on having a look at the items put up on display at the mela. The mela which began on August 11 will continue till August 31. Besides local sellers from near by areas, there are artisans who have come all the way from places like Kolhapur, West Bengal, Aurangabad, Bastar and Indore. "This event is organised by Cidco and sponsored by Development Commissioner Handicrafts New Delhi Ministry of Textiles. More than 100 artisans from different states have participated in the mela and have exclusive products to offer. The objective of this exhibition is to eradicate middlemen and facilitate artisans to sell their products directly to customers. For exporters and bulk buyers this is a good opportunity to come in contact with real artisans," says Urban Hatt manager KS Nair. In handicraft products, there are wrought iron craft and dhokra craft of Bastar, embroidered ladies bags from Kutch, Gujarati toran for home decoration, shell products from Goa and eco-friendly handicrafts of Jharkhand too are available. As far as leather products are concerned then there are leather toys, ladies bags, home decorative products from Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Footwear for women in exclusive designs from Mumbai and Matheran too are being sold. One can even find Kolhapuri chappals from Maharashtra as well. The artisans have tried designing chappals as per the taste of the customers. There is a wide range of dress materials, tops, silk and cotton saris, bedsheets and cushion covers too. Besides, there are kosa tussar silk saris and kurtis from Bastar district. The pure silk kanjeevaram saris are extremely attractive. There is a wide range of junk jewellery and girls can surely find everything from earrings to fancy hair brooches and different kinds of chains. All types of shell, bone, crystal, stone and jute jewellery prepared by artisans from Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Goa and Kolapur in different designs are available. Besides, a particular bangle made of grass and unique palm leaf jewellery is being sold from Rs10 onwards. There are thread jewelleries as well, which are being sold from Rs80 onwards. There is a kind of changeable jewellery being sold at a particular store. Although the chain and earring is the same you can change the drops of the earning and the chain's pendant depending on the clothes you wear. Old-style Kolhapuri ornaments such as chinchpeti (choker), tanmani (short necklace) and nath (nose ring) too are available. The microplated jewellery is a mix of silver and copper. The polish is said to be long-lasting and the range starts from Rs150.