KARACHI: Whether they were ralli varieties, ajraks, Sindhi caps, block prints, tie and dye designs, sussi or khaadi weaves, indigo or terracotta pottery from Hala or cute decoration pieces and toys, they all made good sales as the three-day culture extravaganza, the Jashn-i-Bahar or Spring Craft Festival, organised by the Sindh Indigenous Traditional Crafts Company in collaboration with the Mohatta Palace Museum, opened at the palace lawns here on Friday.

Zarina Chohan at one of the ralli stalls said that the applique work on rallis takes time and effort, not to mention skill. So it is expensive, too. Her cheapest ralli at the stall was for Rs20,000. “But it is made of only 15 applique work pieces which took us only one-and-a-half months to put together,” she said, adding that she also had rallis that were made by stitching together 60 such pieces that obviously took more time to make and cost far more.

Arsalan Khan from Tando Allahyar was minding a stall full of indigo colour glazed pottery from Hala. These include vases, pots and plates. The plates were priced at Rs1,800 each but they were microwavable and dishwasher safe. Right across at another stall there was another kind of Hala pottery, which was not the usual blue or indigo in colour. It was terracotta pottery, which despite not being shiny or glazed, carried its own charm and beauty … and buyers.

Glass bangles from Hyderabad also had with them the Kashmiri metal bangles. Mohammad Irshad, the gentleman at the stall, explained that they specially got the Kashmiri bangles from Lahore to use them in Hyderabad bangle sets. “We in Hyderabad don’t make metal bangles, which are made with machines. We make glass bangles by hand. Still, we acquired the metal bangles because they are trending,” he said.

Three-day Jashn-i-Bahar to end with musical performances

Date palm leaves from Khairpur Mirs had been used to make pretty baskets, wall hangings, tissue boxes, purses and pouches at a stall.

Tie and dye suits and dupatta from Tando Allah Yar brought out the most beautiful colour combinations.

Toys made from cardboard and paper at a Hyderabad stall included swords, axes, bow and arrows. Ashok Kohli there said that he made all the toys at home with his family.

Mother Aasan Devi and son Chander Mal from Badin were selling embroidered and glass work patches. The mother said that she learned the art from her mother and grandmother but now she is passing it on to 20 girls at a time in her village.

Nearby, at another stall, there was Razzak Dino from Matiari with suits printed with natural dyes. His hemstitched silk suits were very expensive at Rs12,000 each but they were finding buyers.

The sussi and khaadi cloth woven on traditional hand looms in Hala, and being sold at Mazhar Mirza’s stall, were the most reasonably priced at Rs500 or 600 per metre.

At another stall, one could enjoy a live demonstration of carving blocks for creating block prints. All in all, it was an experience in exploring, shopping and learning about Sindh’s crafts and culture. Designed as an immersive family experience, the event also includes folk music performances along with a chance to immerse in authentic Sindhi cuisine.

The first day had performances by Suhno Faqeer and various instrumental artists, day two will include performances by Akhtar Channal Zehri, Aadoo Baghat and others while the grand finale of the Jashn-i-Bahar on Sunday will feature the soulful voice of Sanam Marvi.

Published in Dawn, April 18th, 2026