Thursday 6 December 2007

Shilp Mela - Handicraft Fair

I went to the Shilp Mela or Handicraft Fair and took these pictures.There was a man on stilts walking around.















You can see purses from Kolkata (Calcutta)


And tribal etchings and carvings on bamboo from Central India (Chattisgarh) I bought a wood carving for my sister.






Here is a brass painted bell. Looks very pretty. You can hear it tinkling.Each region and state of India has its uniqueness to offer.Wish I could buy all those treasures.But was happy to admire them. Our artisans and craftsmen are known all over the world. There are more pictures.
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Visitors

Today we had 2 of our friends pay us a surprise visit.
Rina Didi ( didi is elder sister) lives in Malaysia with Martin her Malaysian husband and children.We were remembering her wedding day on a rainy August aftertoon.The reception hall was leaking so they had to protect the cake with an umbrela. She has a photo.

Phillipose Joshua teaches
engineering in a university in South India.
They were our leaders and mentors when we were babes in Christ and had just joined our mission UESI which is a sister organization of IVF.
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LOST
Its past 11pm few minutes ago Aunt S got up to go to the bathroom,she does that without any help. When she did not return to her bed within the time limit, I got up to check.The bathroom light was off and the whole house was dark. I had a mini panic attack.I started running around switching on all the house lights, calling out to her.I found her lying on my bed in my room.She had forgotten where her room was.I gently brought her back and now she is sleeping.Our Goldilocks!

12 Fertilize my soul:

Felisol said...

Dear Amrita,
How lucky your aunt is who is allowed to live amongst her own relatives.
I wish all elderly were treated that way.
I do so dislike our money oriented society where people who do not fit in are sent to institutions. It's cold and inhuman. I sure would not wish to be treated this way.

The marked sure trigged my shopping arm.
I can't help being tempted by nice stuff like that. Nevertheless I try be reasonable and controlled when I'm out shopping.
My money recourses are limited as well.
Have a blessed advent time!
From Felisol

Kate said...

The purses are incredible! So gorgeous!

Kate said...

I read some of your recent posts that I missed (I haven't been able to read very much the last few days). I loved the wedding pictures! Thanks for coming over to my "place" to tell me about them.

Donetta said...

What a fun time. God so redeems my time Sis. It is amazing how many little things in a day are happening to free me up as I accomplish thing.

Sara said...

you are on my mind today my friend and so i come to send my love and prayers online. your artwork photos are so lovely. and i'm glad aunt s was found! what a good caregiver you are. blessings on you today.

inspired said...

some lovely crafts :]

Dick said...

Hi Amrita

Nice photos and story, I like that bell.
Have a nice weekend

Carol-Ann Allen said...

Goldilocks indeed!
Thankfully Goldilocks didn't run away when she was discovered in the wrong bed! Or did she give some resistance? I hope not!

Aura said...

Amrita,the bags are beautiful and so is the bell!
It´s sad when people gets old,is´nt it?Your aunt & mom are still lucky to have you taking care of them.
I have this experience to share you.Few months ago when my mom in law was with us to recuperate from her illness.I woke up one evening when i heard an angry confused voice ,i thought i was dreaming but i forced my eyes to open look towards the bedroom door only to see it open( we dont lock the door),i put my hand on hubbys arm,shake it a bit to wake him up to tell him i heard a voice. He switch on the the light and looking towards my side of the bed and asked,"What is it,Ma?"
I folowed his eyes and there she was ,just at my bedside!Looking confused and seem not to recognized her son or me, she only said,"i want to go to the toilet" It was just next to her bedroom and she could´nt find it!Sad..

Amrita said...

Thank you friends. I will show you some more glimpses of the mela. Allahabad is quite a conservative town and a single woman has to be daring to go off on her own to take photos in a public place. i felt a little scared too lest i be mugged on the way back, but God had His angels around me.I tried to pass myself off as a photo journalist.

actually when I was a teen i wanted to be a journalist, but couldn 't.

No Carol-Ann, Aunty was a little embarassed, sweet girl complied very meekly.She sometimes gets confused about the location of various rooms.The only thing she resists is a bath.That she does not like at all. And I have to coax and cajole her and if needs be threaten her of dire consequenses to get her to bathe.

Dear Aura, its your MIL 's age.My elders suffer from that. You have to take care of them.

Felisol, it is traditional to take care of your elders at in india, but now days you hear horror stories of old people being abused or even killed by their children /relatives or their servants for their money or just to get rid of them.

i know some old people who are not being looked after properly by their children (my cousins).We have given shelter and medical help to one lady.i try to help them and talk to the children, but they don 't care.

A new law has been passed in our parliament which makes provision for senior citizens to complain of ill-treatment against their children.

i am interested in politics and social issues and I want to make people aware of this.

There are old age homes too run by Christians and NGOs and other organizations too.Some very posh old age homes have come up for wealthy people specially those whose children live abroad and can 't take care of them.

Pijush said...

Amrita, I like the purses from Kolkata, others are also amazing. Nice post.

Roo said...

i love those purses! beautiful!