Delectable aroma, scrumptious food, carts full of bling and shine, racks strewn with glamorous clothes, and heaps of fun, we witnessed this all in popular Hyderabadi blogger Dr Ahmed Ashfaq aka Dr. Foodie’s first edition of Jashn-E-Bazaar. Well, Jashn-E-Bazaar 2.0 was no less with its grandeur and pomp.
However, this time, one thing that stood out amidst all the frills, was the massive presentation of art and craft.
The day-long exhibition which took place at King’s Classic Gardens on June 18, was indeed a haven for art lovers with at least 10-12 artists showcasing their talent in a unique way.
As a matter of fact, an entire aisle was dedicated solely to art and craft which clearly shows the length to which organiser Ahmed has gone to highlight the importance of art in the city of Hyderabad.
Art stalls at Jashn-e-Bazaar 2.0
The art stalls at the exhibition had a vast variety ranging from Arabic calligraphy, resin art, terrazzo, multimedia art, scenic paintings, and much more. Scroll ahead to check out what the artists of Jashn-E-Bazaar had to say about their experience.
Aisha Baig, who is trying to convey the message of Islam and show the beauty of the religion through her small business ‘Art By Aisha Barla’, said, “Jashn-E-Bazaar gave me a great platform to display my art and the traffic I got through the exhibition was really good. There were so many other small art business owners like me which was a huge motivation.”
“With resin art, I am striving to make our surroundings more artistic and the kind of response I got today has made me hopeful that art can become a part of our daily life,” said, Saleha Khan aka The Artsy One, another artist who showcased her talent at the expo, “The huge number of art stalls here made me ecstatic that people are so involved into art. Be it creating or buying it and the audience is also equally engaging with it.”
Giving new dimensions to Arabic calligraphy and resin art by combining them, is the founder of Al-Kendi Art Gallery, Salma Balishdaq. Talking about her time at Jashn-E-Bazaar, she said, “My experience at Jashn-E-Bazaar was quite good. With a plethora of art stalls around me, it was great to witness so many different kinds of talent.”
Strolling past the plethora of stalls in the exhibition, we couldn’t stop ourselves from admiring the beautiful set-up Shifa had done for her small business called ‘The Artist’s Corner’. Ranging from mixed media paintings, calligraphy, portraits, and scenic paintings, Shifa does it all with extreme finesse.
“Jashn-E-Bazaar has helped create awareness and appreciation for art among a wider section of the society. Looking forward to more such opportunities from Dr.Foodie,” said the founder of Pop of Colours who had her pretty work on display for the city to admire.
Lastly, Onaiza Walajahi, founder of The Assorted Pallete, who has been the oldest in the business of Arabic Calligraphy showcased her arts Nikahnama (Marriage contracts) at the exhibition along with her paintings and artwork.
Craft stalls at Jashn-E-Bazaar 2.0
While artists were dominating the space, there were some crafters who also reigned with their unique and new concepts. One such brand which had the visitors gripped was TerraRoseum, India’s first exclusive terrarium brand. Speaking to Siasat.com, the founder said, “I feel the aesthetic sense for art is growing, especially in Hyderabad, with people requiring fancy everything, right from their key chains to their trays to their phone covers to their holders to organizers to diaries!”
Another one-of-a-kind brand was Gharelu which had quirky Macramé products and Terrazzo products displayed, while a small party planning business called The Bow Code showcased a variety of handmade products like cake toppers, floral headbands, and party buntings, among many more.
Art scene in Hyderabad
Be it art workshops, gallery spaces, or art exhibitions, over the last few years, there has been a visible spurt in artists that has made the art scene in the city grow by leaps and bounds.
As compared to the earlier days when not everyone had an understanding of art, Hyderabad is now seeing people appreciate art in all kinds and forms.
“Yes! The art scene in Hyderabad is growing, but there is still a pressing need for variety among artists. In the Muslim art community, Arabic Calligraphy is the most dominant and I think Muslim artists should expand their horizons and experiment with other styles as well,” said an artist who wanted to remain anonymous.
While Hyderabad still has a long way to go in terms of art, after witnessing the large number of artists at Jashn-E-Bazaar who also received great praise from visitors, we can say with conviction that an art revolution is on its way to the City Of Nizams.
| Edited by Rasti Amena | 
