Ethnic allure

Ethnic allure

The Seven Sisters of India (the seven North Eastern states) have a lot to offer in terms of handicrafts, textiles and beautiful traditional items. Curating a hand-picked variety of these products from the region, Mousumi Bora has opened a store called The Mystic Valley in Pimple Saudagar. Talking about bringing a slice of her heritage to Pune, she says, “Since I belong to the North East, I wanted to show how much the region has to offer in terms of fabric, jewellery, food and culture. I have always wanted to introduce these things to the people of western India. When I talk about our heritage to people in this city, I have seen fascination in their eyes. They have a curious look on their face because they probably haven’t visited the region. I felt that I can spread awareness about the crafts of the North East by showcasing a variety of products from there, and this will in turn help the artisans as well.”

She set up a shop in October this year and has since been busy catering to the demands of her clientèle. States like Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya and Tripura are known for their bamboo craft. From tools to jewellery, they use bamboo to make it all. Bora has stocked a range of these bamboo craftworks including mugs, jewellery, and little knick-knacks at The Mystic Valley. 

This apart, she also has a range of black pottery items native to Manipur called Longpi Hampai. This form of pottery is indigenous to Longpi, which refers to two villages Longpi Kajui and Longpi Khullen in the Ukhrul district. The pottery items were believed to be used as cooking utensils by a major Naga ethnic group called the Tangkhuls from the Indo-Burma border, before aluminium pots came over. The handmade sling bags and Kauna grass baskets are a steal. 

The mekhela sador is another high-demand item in her store. Quite like the saree, but with a little variation, the mekhela sador is the indigenous traditional outfit from Assam. While the saree is one long stretch of fabric, the mekhela sador is a two-piece outfit — a sarong-like cloth that needs to be pleated and wrapped around the waist and a top dupatta-like piece which needs to be tucked into the wrap. “I have a range of Assamese silk mekhela sador at the store which goes excellently with the traditional bamboo jewellery found abundantly there. We also have natural dye stoles with Eri designs on the border,” says Bora. 

“We have a range of mekhela sador in Assam silk, Muga silk,Tussar silk, semi-cotton with Eri work and rabha work. But the products are not only for women. We have a range of Tussar silk shirts with traditional motifs, Eri jackets and more for men,” says she.

An attraction for yoga enthusiasts are the water hyacinth yoga mats. “Most of the handicrafts are sourced from artisans from Assam, Tripura, Manipur and some of the products are sourced from local women entrepreneurs who are open to customising them according to the requirements of our clients,” she says.
 
Besides handicrafts and apparel, The Mystic Valley also offers a range of the freshest Assamese teas. “Our customers love the Assamese organic tea and the CTC tea we offer,” says she. 
 
ST Reader Service
The Mystic Valley is on the 1st Floor at Kunal Icon Road, Pimple Saudagar

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