IN THE modern world of plastic and chrome, humankind's fascination with natural materials endures. The popularity of terracotta, earthenware, leatherware, hand-crafted ornaments and textiles made of natural fibre and dyed in vegetable dyes was never more evident than in the Nature Bazaar.

The fair, held every year for four years now, showcases India's traditional handicrafts and provides an opportunity for an interface between the craftspersons and the consumers. To give the event a contemporary orientation, Dastakar had organised a workshop where students from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, worked closely with weavers and leather workers. The designer garments and accessories that came out of the workshop were also on display.

What made the fair more than a crafts mela were stalls like that of Navdanya