A Visit To An Exhibition
The winter months in New Delhi can be described as the exhibition and fair months. At any given point of time, the National Capital Region plays host to as many as four to five exhibitions and fairs of varying sizes. The other day I visited the Textile and Costume Exhibition, held at the Agha Khan Hall at the Bhagwan Das Road, New Delhi. Various models and transparencies about the production of different types of cloth were on show. They were cleverly interspersed with the actual fabrics and designs. The most exciting aspect of the exhibition was the usage of these varieties of cloth in fashion and dressmaking. Dresses designed by famous dress designers of the country adorned different fiberglass statues. Nearly all the cloth-producing states of India had taken part in the exhibition. They were Mizoram, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and many more. Each state had put as exhibits their finest fabrics and the art of producing them. Some states had gone as far as bringing the actual artisans from their remote villages. By doing this they wanted to drive home the point about hard work and exploitation that exists in the area of handlooms and cottage production of fabric. Enlightened guides and experts were guiding people about the specialty of each kind of textile. Many people were mingling freely with the weavers, others were copying designs on their sketch pads. Still, others were staring at the display in awe. In all the exhibition was a very educational experience.
