Festival showcases art, craft from NE states

New Delhi:  Under the soft autumn sun, a line of handicraft and handloom stalls at the sprawling lawns of IGNCA emanated a burst of colours adding zing to a background exploding with music, dance and countless Buddhist prayer flags.
The products on sale in those stalls ranged from flower vase, sandals, table lamps, floral bags, traditional clothes and jewellery, decorative flowers and a whole lot of household items woven and carved out of perishable and wildly growing plants like water hyacinth, cane, wood and bamboo.
The third installment of the North East Festival brought 60 artisans and small textile entrepreneurs to the capital from all the eight states of the region who have displayed the nuisances of their craftsmanship through various items. The menacing water weed- water hyacinth has been transformed into different kinds of bags ranging from totes, clutch, purse with innovative and alluring and up on the shelves for sale in a stall from Assam.
An idol of Ganesha carved out of bamboo stem has been brought by an artisan from Tripura.
A natural textile entrepreneur from Manipur has cane basket and bins, kauna grass productions and an illustrative collection of mats, runners and durries made of cane to offer.
A woman entrepreneur from Meghalaya is selling pure Lankadong turmeric, a high quality turmeric which is exported globally. Nagaland weavers and artisans brought the handicrafts of the 16 different Naga tribes each which together compose the state. (PTI)