GURJARI

Go to Gurjari, located on the quiet Khader Nawaz Khan Road in the tree-filled, shady Chaitanya complex, and you will find yourself amidst a bewildering and fascinating array of ethnic products from Gujarat.  If one decides to have Gujarat or ethnicity as the theme for decorating a home, then one can beautify almost the entire home with the range of items on sale here.

Gurjari is the showroom of the Gujarat State Handicraft Development Corporation.  There are only eight showrooms, or emporia as they are referred to, all over India.  The emporia have been established to promote the traditional, exquisite arts and handicraft of Gujarat and to provide an outlet for the state’s artisans and craftsmen.

The Chennai branch of Gurjari, started in 1992, has a large collection of handicraft from different parts of Gujarat, spread over a mezzanine and a ground floor in an area of about 1900 sq feet.  Textile-based crafts form a major part of the collection, while wooden pieces, metalwork and leather items are some of the other products that are sold.

The textile-based products range from folders to bedcovers, bed sheets, cushion and bolster covers, durries (rugs), bags, satchels, pouches, string-purses, wall hangings, torans (door hangings), sarees and dress materials, all in brilliant colours and designs.  The work done on the fabrics amply display the amazing variety and diversity of Gujarat’s crafts – from embroidery, appliqué, cut-work, block-printing, tie and dye, batik, bandhni (tie and die), mirror and tanka work.

Traditional furniture featured in the emporium include the famous lacquer finish products from Sankheda, like minakari, wood-carved, jute and white-metal work.  Out of these, jute furniture is the most popular and fast moving.  The jewellery section has unique traditional and contemporary earrings; chokers and necklaces made of agate, metal, beads and in some cases superbly combined with mirror-work and seashells.

Leather products consist of slippers, joothis, small mirror frames, penholders and little purses, all ornamented with embroidery and mirror-work.  Decorative cases and jewellery boxes made of wood, covered with white metal, gilded brass and copper are some of the metal crafts on sale.

Some matchless items found at the emporium are the clay whistles and coasters (at Rs 7/- they are the lowest-priced products here) from Patan, and puppets from the tribal arts of the Wadej region in Gujarat.

While talking to the Emporium Manager, K Chandra Sekharan about the loss of  the wealth of arts and crafts from the Bhuj region, due to the devastating earthquake in January, he said, “Gurjari is helping artisans in those areas by getting them orders for work since they have been badly hit and are not in a position to find work for themselves.  The finished goods are given a market through Gurjari outlets.”

The assortment of items, the vibrant colours and exclusive arts of Gujarat, the courteous staff and the pocket-friendly pricing – all combine to make sure that one does not leave Gurjari without making at least one purchase, be it a clay whistle or a Sankheda sofa-set.

Address: Gurjari, Shop No: A, Chaitanya Building, No-12, Khader Nawaz Khan Road, Nungambakkam, Chennai – 600 006.
Phone: 825 0619.

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