The International Fleet Review village at A U Engineering College Grounds has a wide variety of handlooms, khadi and handicrafts, IFR curios etc. From paper mache, charcoal art to imposing wood carvings to small Durga images the handicrafts stand out.

The stalls in the exhibition are set up by South Central Zone Cultural Centre, Nagpur.

The fair-like atmosphere is complete with a “totewale” from Rajasthan and “bahurupis,” also from Rajasthan going around in make-up drawing huge crowds taking pictures. Babloo, who donned the role of Krishna, was a favourite with women who broke into a spontaneous traditional dance with him at the centre. “I was a joker yesterday and god knows what (I am) tomorrow,” he laughs.

Children are all eyes at the demonstration of pottery by making small toys and objects.

The leather lamp shades attract the attention of visitors but its maker V. Kullayappa from Nimmalakunta in Dharmavaram mandal of Anantapur was busy drawing “Srirama Pattabhishekam” on goat skin. The sola-pith craft from West Bengal has brought in variety of Durga idols including the small ones that are used to decorate homes with the belief that they augur well for the household.

Huge wood carvings including big ones of deities are brought by Ayyappa Swamy Arts from Chittoor district. They are carved from neem and “simachinta,” a local variety, says K. Srinivasulu of the stall. It is the intricate carving with small tools that is important and not the cost of the wood, he points out. Making the carvings a part of interiors making them part of the design is catching up as a trend, he says.