Diyas are passe. Crackers are noisy.u00a0 Mithai is boring. The Guide tells you where to pick the coolest, most unique of gifts this Diwali, right here in aamchi Mumbai The festival of lights marks the beginning of a new year and is characterised by home improvements of all kinds, <table style="width: 124px; height: 42px" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" width="124" align="right" border="1"> <tbody> <tr> <td><img alt="" src="/imagedata/2010/oct/vaya.jpg" border="3" /></td></tr> <tr> <td> Jamdani print by Bai Lou</td></tr></tbody></table>shopping for clothes and jewellery for family, friends and acquaintances. To make things simpler , there are several exhibitions being held across the city which offer apparel, jewellery and artefacts galore. But we suggest you give designer wear and traditional jewellery a skip. Instead, opt for offbeat products like textiles made by tribals or affordable artworks for a steal. These five options will make this a brighter cracker of a Diwali, we promise! Sunehra Rang at Vaya Buy Indian contemporary and traditional handloom sarees, including Rehwa Society's classic weaves from Maheshwar, Pune-based designer Indira Broker's hand block-printed Tussar silks and Bai Lou's traditional Jamdani prints from West Bengal. Also on display are handwoven sarees with organic cotton and silk from Pollachi in Tamil Nadu, hand-printed Kalamkari sarees, Kota, Uppadas and Kanchivaram pure silk and gold weave sarees from Indian Emporium. The festive collection includes sarees, dupattas, stoles, and scarves. "Fabrics are available in vibrant pinks, purples and oranges. We hope people choose handwoven materials over conventional garments, which will help preserve traditional textile crafts," shares Mira Sagar, owner, Vaya. Till Today, 11 am till 7 pm At Jeevan Kiran, SV Road, Bandra (West). Price range: Rs 800 to Rs 2 lakh New Wave Paithani Originally from Paithan in Aurangabad, Paithani sarees are woven in silk and embroidered with threads of pure gold and silver. The annual exhibition is now in its 23rd year and seeks to promote the art form. Apart from Paithani sarees, it displays Karnataki Kashida sarees and handloom sarees from Orissa. There will also be semi-precious jewellery and sculptures. "We started with just 20 pieces two decades ago; now, we have all of 250 pieces," says Sannidha Bhide, show organiser. Till October 24, 11 am to 8 pm At Ravindra Natya Mandir, Prabhadevi. Price range: Rs 6,000 to Rs 2.5 lakh Basketful of Bliss Mela Lifestyle store Bliss is hosting a Diwali Mela where you can pick up gift boxes, diyas and hampers. "The Mela will feature designs by lesser-known Mumbai-based brands," says Mallika Desai-Thakker, co-owner of Bliss. The event will mark the preview of a jewellery collection by Spyra. Also on offer will be pret wear by Aneehka, kids' couture by Meghna Arya and Mexican kurtas by Pastiche. Colourful garments for Gods will also be on sale. Till October 24, 12 pm to 9 pm At Bliss, Aram Nagar 1, Andheri (West). Price range: Rs 100 to Rs 15,000 Maati's festive range Handicraft store Maati will organise a two-day exhibition where you can shop for tribal jewellery from Orissa, MP and Himachal Pradesh; hand-embroidered bags from Kutch, handcrafted wooden artefacts with brass inlay work from Pilakhuwa in UP, Tussar sarees from Bhagalpur and Maheshwari sarees from MP. "At this exhibition, we will feature products like khadi and linen in festive colours. We are dabbling with traditional crafts to give it a modern spin so they get showcased in the mainstream," shares Jayashree Krishnan, promoter of Maati. Till October 24, 10.30 am to 8.30 pm At 7 Days Art Gallery, Bandra (West). Price range: Rs 50 to Rs 7,000 Le Sutra's affordable art If you're looking for an unconventional gift, why not buy paintings, especially if they are on sale at an affordable price? "Compared to chocolates and diaries that are commonplace, paintings have investment value, are objects of beauty and last forever," reasons Shraddha Purnaye, art curator and show organiser. Here, you can select paintings, graphic art, mixed media art, abstracts, watercolours, figurative art, Warli art and charcoal paintings. You could also opt for smaller, cheaper corporate gifting options that can be customised to your taste. Till November 14, 12 pm to 11 pm At Out of The Blue, Khar (West). Call 9892815670 Price range: Rs 1,000 onwards for corporate gifting

Diyas are passe. Crackers are noisy.  Mithai is boring. The Guide tells you where to pick the coolest, most unique of gifts this Diwali, right here in aamchi Mumbai

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