Art Attack

Exhibiting their fine art works at the centre, many of them are state or national award winners. They feel that such a platform would help in getting international appreciation and also give them an idea of trends overseas. 8220;I have been getting offers to exhibit my works abroad in countries like London, Japan, America and so on. The CYG platform is likely to help me get an idea of the demand of consumers abroad,8221; says Manmohan Soni, a chann-hatodi kalakaar from Kulpahar in Mahoba, Uttar Pradesh, who hammers in fine designs of different deities on brass metal. 8220;This is the traditional art of Uttar Pradesh, which has been there for over 100 years, I learnt it from my father and now I teach it to other aspiring artists at Gyasi Purtan Kala Kendra in UP,8221; adds Soni, the first in his family to bag a state and national award.

With the skill of superior carvings, the association of national award has been there for three generations with the family of Rajender Parshad Bonndwal from Haryana. Bondwal, 1984 national award winner for ivory carvings has participated in impart training in Germany and is now the general secretary of Haryana State Karigar Assosiation. 8220;The main reason to come to the games at Pune was to display our work and let more and more people know about it. Initially we made carvings on ivory, but after ivory was banned now we make them on wood, sandalwood and bone. This is an art inherited to all the men in our family.8221;

Nazda Thakur, artisan, who is displaying the handicraft grass puppet, says that CYG platform is an opportunity to display our rural craft that she learnt from her grandmother and mother and will teach it to her daughter and daughter-in-law. 8220;Strips of coloured hay are turned and plated to make different items like baskets, dolls that are replicas of the goddess and so on. Our works have been recognised by many associations and we earn our living from it,8221; says Thakur.

Doll puppets have been there everywhere, but leather puppets made by Khande Ramdaas, showcases a different art. 8220;First a drawing is made on the translucent leather sheet, which is painted with powder colours then strings are attached,8221; explains Ramdaas from Andhra Pradesh.

Coming from the snow valley, the Wani brothers are displaying traditional Kashmiri Hazara painting work on paper mache box. 8220;This is the traditional art of Kashmir, the boxes are used to store jewellery and other antique items,8221; says Nazir Ahmed and Mohammed Maqbool Wani from Srinagar, who use almost 10 colours on each box and say that the procedure is long and expensive. Conversly, a terracotta artist from Tamil Nadu, can make attractive Ganesh idols idols with just pieces of a Renolyds pen, an ice-cream stick, wet clay and 30 seconds in hand.

An not to miss on the Pune kid, Haris Khan, a standard five student from Sinhagad City School who is also showing his portraits besides the Pottachitra paintings by Sudam Charan Sahu from Puri, Orrisa, Tanjore painting by J Mohan from Tamil Nadu and traditional Rajasthani paintings by Hari Narayan, from Jaipur.

Crowing the counter, the foreign athletes and the volunteers enjoyed seeing the course of action Rehana and Mohammed Salim from Hyderabad undertook to make colourful and stone-embedded lac bangles. Along with the bangles other ornaments, accessories and outfits from various places like Rajasthan and Kutch and Bhuj district of Gujarat are also at display.