Lucknow: Man may be the finest manifestation of this most basic element of life, but clay craft on display in 60-odd stalls at the ongoing Maati Kala Utsav evokes awe no less. Traditional art, skills of artisans, techniques and technology have blended with clay to create exquisite shapes, forms and colours in this govt initiative to promote One District One Product.Earthen lamps in a vast variety make choosing difficult. The painted butterfly-like wings and the innovative shapes of diyas defy imagination regarding where and how to use them. Paint on big ones is washproof and their durability and reusability make the Rs 40-apiece price a worthy proposition.A stall of candles and diyas made of beeswax also sells honey. “We move from one state to another throughout the honey season,” said Sabita, part of a beekeepers’ team, adding, “Wax, the by-product, is utilised in making candles and diyas.”Raj Prajapati from Chinhat displays huge cartons brimming with diyas, ranging in price from Rs 1 to Rs 15 for two. “The intricately designed ones can be reused several times,” he said. Shubham from Gorakhpur shows a conch-shaped two-piece lamp that promises a dim shimmer once a glowing diya is placed within. His colourful terracotta paraphernalia comprises vases, planters, Ganpati with or without a pedestal, piggybanks, whistles and decorative items.Lucknow resident Neelam said she spends six months in Kolkata every year to curate her collection of Lakshmi-Ganesh idols; the most expensive pair was Rs 4,000 (“all sold out”) and the most modest was Rs 200 a pair. Homemaker Rekha Tiwari used her leisure time and talent in creating beautiful toral and bandhanvaar strings for which she sources material from near and far.Stalls by artisans from Azamgarh offer wax diyas in beautiful colours and designs, besides wicker pellets that can be fixed or floated on any diya. Azamgarh stalls also offer pots, pans and griddles for use as cookware. Sitting on the threshold of the expo is Ibrar Ahmad with lamps that need neither oil nor fire. They glow as soon as you pour water into them.Kanpur’s Gitanjali Sachan is vending a variety of pickles, spices, papad, badi, mungodi, mathri, thekua, etc., all prepared by women. “Spicy powder buknu is a distinct specialty of Kanpur, prepared with 21 spices and that is the highlight and fastest selling of all our products,” said Sachan’s son Siddharth, an HBTI graduate in food technology, serving an MNC. He added, “The overwhelming taste of the spice mix is our answer to the popular peri peri, teriyaki and other flavour boosters.”Uttar Pradesh Mati Kala Board general manager Shishir said, “Through ODOP, we are bringing rural artisans to urban markets.”
