Handicrafts of a country showcases the rich cultural and artistic history of that nation. The vibrancy of Indian ethnicity can be easily noticed to be alive in the exotic handicrafts masterpieces. All the beautifully handcrafted items which catches the fancy of art connoisseurs world over are mainly categorized under the following heads :

Cane and Bamboo Crafts
Handmade paper craft
Bell Metal Crafts
Jute Handicrafts
Clay and terracotta crafts
Textile crafts
Stone Crafts
Wooden Handicrafts

Indian manufacturers are engaged in carving endless articles such as antiques, blue pottery, carved firniture, metal work, marble work, wooden crafts, miniature paintings, sculptures, enduring paintings, Pichwais, toys, traditional games, handmade office accessories, home furnishings, home decorations, papier mache, apparels, accessories and many more hand-made items of your interest and need.

Tata’s Rs-1 lakh Nano has already made a global splash. Then there is HCL’s homegrown Mileaptop. Weighing less than a kilogram and priced below Rs 15,000, the entry-level laptop is touted as the cheapest in the market. “The idea is to increase PC penetration in India and improve Net accessibility,” says Rajendra Kumar, executive VP, HCL.

And let’s not forget Maruti’s first concept car. Saurabh Singh and Rajesh Gogu created waves at the recent Delhi Auto Expo. The duo designed the A-Star at Maruti Udyog’s Manesar plant. Soon, the car will be seen on European motorways. Maruti engineers have worked with Suzuki Motors to design Swift and Zen Estilo as well. “We hope to design and produce our own car model from India by 2011,” says C V Raman, chief general manager (engineering), Maruti Udyog.

From cars to tractors, refrigerators to laptops, made-and-designed-in-India is becoming a sought after label.

Saree, the eternally fashionable and elegant drape from India, has defined Indian womanhood for over 5000 years now. Its charm lies in its simplicity, flowing grace, the endless possibilities it offers. Available in countless interesting fabrics, patterns and colours, this six-yard wonder is the most preferred garment in any woman’s wardrobe.

Saree – Always Trendy, Always Appropriate Over the years, the saree has evolved to suit the changing lifestyle and preferences of its wearer. In spite of the growing popularity of western wear, saree still holds its ground firmly. Being the only garment that conceals figure flaws and brings out the best in any woman, saree is equally admired by both wearers and designers. It is considered the most sensuous, stylish and sophisticated attire even today. From Shimmering Silks and Elegant Chiffons to Flowing Crepes and Georgettes, available in vivid colors and embellished with the most intricate embroidery work, saree comes in the most mesmerizing avatars one can imagine. Such wide-ranging variety makes it suitable for all occasions – from weddings to formal functions and official meetings to social get-togethers. Moreover, it looks gorgeous on women of all ages and builds.

Tips for Saree Wearers

* Heavier women should wear fabrics like Chiffon, Crepe, Georgette and avoid Organza, Tissue and Cotton. This rule applies vice versa for very thin women who want a fuller look.
* Large prints and sarees with broad borders make one look shorter.
* Heavier women should wear straight cut, non-flare petticoats underneath the saree.
* Cotton sarees should be starched and ironed properly before wearing.
* For office wear, one should choose cotton sarees in subtle colours and prints. These should be worn with the pallu folded in pleats and pinned on the shoulder.
* Heavy silk sarees with golden thread work should be wrapped in a saree cover before storing.
* Always wear sandals before draping the saree.

Endless Draping Possibilities

A saree can be draped in innumerable innovative styles. Few of these styles have originated as regional preferences – Bengali style, Gujarati style, Maharashtrian style, and others like the Airhostess style to suit professional requirements. Rest are purely inventive ways of wearing the same fabric differently. Most popular style of draping a saree is the Nivi drape (reverse style). Here the saree is tied around the waist, close to the navel, with 6-9 pleats tucked into the petticoat at the front and the pallu draped over the left shoulder. One can choose to either pin up the pallu loosely over the left shoulder or try a more professional look with a pleated pallu firmly put in place on the shoulder.Another popular style is the Gujarati drape. It is different from the reverse style, in the way the pallu is draped. Instead of the left shoulder, the pallu is brought to the front over the right shoulder and the left corner of the pallu is tucked near the left hip.Then there is the charming Bengali style where the sari is tucked in at the left side and then stretched back to the right hip from the left shoulder. The pallu is then encircled around the back to come out below the right arm and thrown again on the left shoulder. Interestingly a heavy key is used to keep it in place.

These are just a few of the possibilities in saree draping styles. With a little creativity, it is possible to experiment and create different styles for different occasions.

After a Center for Science and Environment study found 24 times the acceptable level of pesticides in soda sold in India, a few state governments acted quickly to ban the big name soft drinks — Coca-Cola and PepsiCo — but the country’s top business groups warned Thursday that the move could hurt India’s economy.

Both the Confederation of Indian Industry and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry say that decisions to ban Coca-Cola and PepsiCo products from schools, colleges and hospitals run by the government are likely to hurt the country’s broader economy, slowing the investment climate. Representatives reported being particularly disturbed by the total ban on the soft drink brands by the Southern state of Kerala, where both companies run plants.

“Government actions have to be driven by rule of law and in the overall public interest,” said R. Seshasayee, president of Confederation of Indian Industry, who noted that the standards used by CSE were part of a government “proposal” that has not yet passed into Indian law. “We are concerned that the apparently arbitrary decisions have been taken … without going through the due process of law.”

Both Seshasayee and FICCI President Saroj K. Poddar assert that the states should have followed up the CSE study with their own tests, and then sent notice to Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, in keeping with proper procedures.

“It is amazing to observe the legal and regulatory contortions these pro-business Indian politicians will go through to keep selling pesticide-laden products to their own people,” remarked Mike Adams, a consumer health advocate and critic of the marketing practices of soft drink companies. “And claiming that the banning of soft drinks containing unsafe chemicals would be harmful to India’s economy is preposterous. Why do they not consider the potential of harm to India’s people and their health?”

While India-based Coca-Cola and PepsiCo officials have declined to comment to the media on the issue, Kari Bjorhus, a U.S.-based spokesperson for Coca-Cola, said they were “disappointed that the (Kerala) government would make a decision like that based on inaccurate information.”

“Our products are perfectly safe, and there is no reason to take them away from consumers,” she said.

India has brought similar charges against both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo before; three years ago, a CSE study caused allegations of excessive pesticides to be leveled at the companies, and their sales suffered. A few months later, the sales figures recovered.

“For three years we have looked very hard at this and engaged the best scientific minds in the world,” said Dick Detwiler, a spokesman for PepsiCo’s international division in New York. “All of the data and all of the science point to the fact our products in India are absolutely safe, just as they are elsewhere in the world.”

This is a small comfort for Indian parents, many of whom think the ban is a great idea.

“It is a good decision,” said Molly Kurian, a housewife in Kerala’s capital, Cochin. “My children have been addicts of Pepsi and Coke. Now I can teach them how to drink water.”

“In my opinion,” added Adams, “even without the presence of pesticides, these beverage products are harmful enough on their own to ban their sale in schools and government institutions. The link between sugary beverages and diabetes or obesity is well established in the scientific literature.”

“I am impressed that India is doing what the U.S. government refuses to do: protect its own people from harmful products marketed by unethical corporations,” Adams said.