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Goan Handicrafts-Elegant and Exquisite New Delhi, Nov 21 (PTI) All those who thought Goa was only about beaches, sea and carefree life with oodles of fun and frolic need to explore the state further and discover its art and culture. For years, Goa has been sterotyped as a land of dreams and romance, which though it is has overshadowed the various other facets of Goan way of life, especially the Goan handicrafts. These handicrafts are an amalgam of Indian and Portugese culture and range from pottery and terracotta, brass metal ware, sea shell craft and furniture to coconut mask carving, bamboo work and papier mache among others. "Goa's distinct identity enriched by a remarkable blend of Indian and Portuguese culture is perhaps best reflected in the arts and crafts fashioned by the hands of Goan artists," says Radhika, the owner of a firm that designs and manufactures sea shell articles. Though the handicrafts made from sea shells can be found throughout the Southern coastal line, the real and authentic ones are found only in Goa, she claims. The shell work is a cumbersome and a labour oriented process. The shells are first collected from the beaches, washed with a detergent and cut to suitable size, if the need be as more than often they are used in their original forms, and then pasted on a base like wood or earthen pots. But then these shell works, including chandeliers, curtains pot hangers, table mats, clocks, mirror frames and even idols are rather exorbitant and not within the reach of the common man. PTI
