Curated interior decorations, handcrafted jewellery, fancy Indian clothing and classical Indian Tanjore paintings are up for sale at the Singapore International Indian Shopping Festival over the weekend.
The festival, which started yesterday and ends on Sunday, is held at Suntec Convention & Exhibition Centre, Halls 403 and 404, from 10am to 10pm. Admission is free.
It is in its fourth year and is jointly organised by events management company De Ideaz with Tamil Murasu and Tabla newspapers.
Last year's edition received more than 70,000 visitors, according to De Ideaz.
This year, the event is bigger, with 200 exhibitors, about 50 more than last year.
Art and furniture collectors will find traditional oil lamps and marble and bronze sculptures at Artisans, a store that sells collectibles sourced from all over India.
Its goods are priced from $500 for a traditional oil lamp to $10,000 for antique paintings created in the classical South Indian Tanjore style.
Lovers of ornate jewellery will be interested in the artisanal pieces made of silver, gold and precious stones that are offered by Arizma and in locally handmade designs featuring semi-precious stones at Apre Singapore.
For the fashion-forward, Indian brand Myrah, which specialises in organic clothing, will be highlighting at the exhibition a selection of designs of traditional Indian outfits as well as a line of Fusionwear, where traditional designs are given a modern twist.
Prices start from $250 for a hand-painted sari suitable for everyday wear and from $1,000 for a more exquisite and embellished sari meant for formal events.
In addition, visitors can expect a plethora of performances, including acts by Oli 96.8FM DJs Anand and Vimala, stars of Zee TV's reality dance competition Dance Singapore Dance and DJ Anuraga from Bollywood-themed nightclub Bollywood Lah!.
Award-winning Indian movie star Rana Daggubati is also scheduled to make a special appearance tomorrow.
Speciality Indian food is also available. The festival features street food from different Indian cities, such as Shiv Vada Pav, a deep-fried potato snack from Mumbai; and Dabali, a spicy snack that originates from the Kutch district of India .
Mr Nalaka Kularatne, director of Apre Singapore, says: "The festival, which combines food, art and culture, is a great avenue for exhibitors to connect with the local Indian community. "
