A multi-faceted India trip

Back from my India trip.  It was my second time there, and I enjoyed immensely.  I got to go a little deeper, got to understand the culture better.  My engagement definitely gave me a better appreciation of India.  Having attended an art/craft exchange in Raghurajpur, visited and met up with friends made from my first trip there, seen more of the sights, and accomplished some art works, my visit was "multi-faceted", in my favorite sense of the word. 

For this post, I'm sharing my buys, introducing the breadth of craft work that is India.  Here are a few of my treasures...

 

My new Ganesh.    I've seen a lot of Ganesh, in India and some in Kuala Lumpur.  This one is modern and vibrant, and done with lac or wax.   I got it from the 2nd International Handicrafts and Handloom Fair (IHHF) during one of our trips to Bhubaneswar.

Ehem.  I found this small carved treasure from an artists' studio at the Raghurajpur village.   There were a lot more... erotic depictions; this stood out for me though because it still had a romantic feel to it. 

 

I bought this as a sample of the applique work done in Pipili, Orissa.  

This creature is made out of raw straw or natural fiber material wound together with yarn.  It is made by a cooperative of Indian women.  They held a workshop at the village; I bought this there for 30 rupees.

Now these are made of coconut shells or seeds, painted with different motifs by the artisans.  These are believed to give protection. These are really not generally used as neck pieces, but the foreign artists who stayed at the village (and me) just couldn't help but wear these on their necks.

Oh, this one.  This is made with dhokra -a metal casting process that uses an alloy of brass, nickel, or zinc.

I'm a fan of dhokra, have a pair of dhokra earrings, too.  Spent my last rupees on this.

Finally, a souvenir.  Inside this cocoon is a dead silkworm. A lot of these were on display (as display only!) in a textile booth at the IHHF. I asked my friend Khitish to ask the merchants if I could have one as a souvenir. He and the merchants had a laugh about it... and then gave me one.

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A follow-up post on one of my experiences during RIA/CE:http://wearmesa.blogspot.com/2011/12/from-tree-of-life-design-collaboration.html