If you are looking at stocking up on gifts and home essentials for the upcoming Pongal season, the ongoing Dastkar Bazaar in Chennai has a range of products on offer. At the event are several artisan-led brands showcasing everything from sabai grass weaving and papier mache, to lacquer toys and handcrafted apparel.

This time around, the fair has been organised at a new venue — YMCA Boys Town at OMR, and artisans look forward to interacting with consumers from the city. Albeit, the lack of an organised parking system and the uneven pathways need to be looked into.

Colourful Parsi embroidery by Anushree Malhotra | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Alongside crafts, a series of artisan-led demonstrations, including glass bangle making, carpet weaving, and Sholapith work, and cultural performances are also being held at the venue.

Here are a few highlights of participating brands at the event:

Anushree Malhothra, Kolkata, West Bengal

Designer Anushree Malhotra has revived the rare and intricate art of Parsi embroidery in her collection. This exclusive art form, which often features Nature-inspired motifs such as flowers, birds, and animals, is created by 80 women who are specially trained in this craft.

“These women work from their homes, utilising raw materials sourced by the organisation, and earn a livelihood through their craft,” says Arpita Khatua, representative of the brand. She goes on to say that although Parsi embroidery is not native to West Bengal, the brand aims at reviving this fading art form. They have succeeded in incorporating this embriodery into a wide range of products. The collections feature off-white or white fabrics adorned with colourful embroidery, adding a unique touch to their kurtas, shirts, stoles, accessories, hair accessories, and home decor items.

Blouses by Porgai | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Porgai, Sittilingi, Tamil Nadu

At the stall where Porgai showcased their creations, all eyes were on their readymade blouse collections and kidswear. The Porgai Artisans Association is a society of Lambadi women artisans who hand-process unique traditional embroidery designs. Based in the Sittilingi Valley in Tamil Nadu’s Dharmapuri district.

Founded by artisans Neela R and Gammi K, with Dr Lalitha Regi in 2006, Porgai, provides a livelihood to over 75 women in the valley. Radhika Rammohan, founder of ReStore, an organic store in the city that supports Porgai, says, “All the designs and products are created by these women artists without any design interventions, making them purely their own creations. Their colour combinations and designs are inspired by the flora and fauna of their surroundings and these elements are incorporated into the products they develop.” The products, such as saris, ready-to-wear blouses and garments, and home decor, feature intricate Lambadi embroidery, which takes many days to complete, even for a simple design.

Hastha, Chennai, Tamil Nadu

Hastha is an ethnic brand of hand-block printed clothing and accessories founded by Divya Vigneshwaran. “Our mission is to train autistic and special needs adults in hand block printing and develop products, thus ensuring an income source for them,” says Divya. Well-known for their unisex T-shirts, dhotis, umbrellas, and home decor, the products draw inspiration from traditional Indian arts such as Madhubani, warli, and rangoli.

Dhoti with traditional rangoli block prints | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

At its heart, Hastha believes in the dignity of every human being and creates earning opportunities for adults with special needs. The brand focusses on ethical production, with products that are mindful of the environment, artisans, and customers.

Srikalahasthi, Bhaskarpeta, Andhra Pradesh

Award-winning artist Y. Kanchana’s kalamkari collections are breathtaking. “I learned this art two decades ago and have now trained 10 women in Bhaskarpeta where I hail from. As a team, we produce saris, dupattas, and yardage. We use eco-friendly dyes to create these artworks that are entirely handmade.”

Y. Kanchana with her creations | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

Kalamkari involves a multi-step process that includes hand-painting with a special stick and using natural dyes derived from vegetables. Her sari collection features Chennuri, Chanderi, and tussar silk. She also offers intricately designed dupattas, stoles, and blouse materials. Kalamkari art primarily uses earthy colours such as indigo, mustard, rust, black, and green, but here, there are also some unusual shades such as pink, orange, and vermilion.

The Dastkar Bazaar is on till January 12 at YMCA Boys Town, OMR, Kottivakkam. 11 am to 8 pm. Entry fee is ₹50. For details, call 9454043048