Underprivileged women get a chance to showcase their art and craft in Bhopal
Bhopal: The 3-day National Exhibition & Shopping Carnival christened as “Jazba” left the people of Bhopal, the city of lakes fascinated and having a memory long to cherish with.
The carnival was organised by women in Bhopal between March 16 to 18 in Hindi Bhavan under the aegis of an NGO called IIWA, (Iqra International Women’s Alliance). The “Jazba” was held under the supervision of internationally acclaimed social activist Uzma Naheed, president of IIWA, of Mumbai.
The IIWA is an NGO working for Socio-Economic Empowerment, (SEE), of the underprivileged women. With constant hard work IIWA has successfully involved 3000 underprivileged women across the country producing more than150 items.
The main highlight of the carnival was the stall of Siasat Indian Art & Calligraphy Gallery put up by Siasat, the leading newspaper of South India published from Hyderabad and Bangalore. It was the star attraction of the carnival. Entrepreneurs from all over the country participated in the carnival.
Alok Sanjar, Member of Parliament from Bhopal Constituency, who visited the exhibition on the last day was mesmerized and overwhelmed at the collection of rare art work in the Siasat’s Indian Art & Calligraphy Gallery. “I would leave everything and learn Calligraphy while getting fully involved in it”, he exclaimed!
Meanwhile, the exhibition showcased hundreds of artifacts which included the artwork of renowned artists Nayeem Saberi, Faheem Saberi, Mohammed Hakeem, Mohammed Amir, canvas paintings of Abdul Lateef Farooqui, Wooden art of Mohammad Mazharuddin.
Manoj Shrivastava, the Principal Secretary in the Department of Commercial Tax, Culture and Religious Trusts and Endowments to the government of MP lamented that in this machine age of mass industrialization and production the tradition of honouring the hand which is instrumental in making beautiful handicrafts items has been vanishing. However, while eulogising Uzma Naheed for promoting handicrafts, he said the services IIWA will go a long way to re-establish the importance of hand once more in making the home made hand goods much sought after.
Uzma Naheed, who is active in empowering underprivileged women, while speaking in the inaugural function, informed that IIWA encourages them by nurturing the creativity of the women’s inherent natural talents in production of various handicraft items which have ready market. IIWA uses its creativity in modifying the existing arts and crafts of each state of India as per the latest trend.
IIWA believes in forming an alliance with NGOs, Media and Corporate sector; this concept was highly appreciated by the United Nations in the International Conference in Turkey.
