11th Chandigarh National Crafts Mela at Kalagram Chandigarh – Day 2nd

Chandigarh.16^th November, 2019. The second day of Eleventh Chandigarh National Crafts Mela witnessed shopping enthusiast from tricity in great numbers, today. The Mela is a 10-day affair that takes place every year at Kalagram organized by North Zone Cultural Center (NZCC), Ministry of Culture, Government of India and the Department of Cultural Affairs, UT. It provides platform to the craftsmen and artists from all over India to showcase and sell their finished products directly to the buyers.

Being a weekend, the fair received a whooping number of buyers for the handicraft products displayed by craftsmen from West to East and North to South. The jute bags from Kolkata, glassware and crockery from Khurja, Merrut, carpets from Badhoi, jewellery and ethnic wear from Jaipur and shawls from Kullu and Srinagar are attracting people hugely. The cookware made out of baked mud at stall no 176 and brassware from Aligarh at stall no 175 are worth trying.

Today's highlight

The Kundan and hand painted meenakari jewellery by Puja Sharma at stall no 124 is attracting a lot of female buyers. One can buy pendants, ear rings, chandbalis, and rings on reasonable prices. Hair accesories and traditional kadas are also on display and sale. You can also match the imitation jewellery available here with your ethnic and modern dresses. The products range from RS 100 to 600. "I buy my raw material from Srinath Dwara in Udaipur and hand paint the finished products with Meenakari paints", says Pooja, who does her work mostly without assistance and is based in Jaipur. "I have received great response from women and girls in tricity and it's worth coming here", added Puja who is here for third consecutive year.

The Food Court

The Food Court is serving cuisines from different states. Cookery artists from Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh and Haryana are offering ethnic and street foods on reasonable price. 

The mouthwatering Jalebi from Gohana, Haryana, is interesting to both see and eat. The king-size Jalebi is a sight worth seeing and trying. It is a speciality sweet of Gohana and popular in the state of Haryana and Delhi. 

Amusement venue

The amusement area is offering a variety of rides, swings and camel rides for the visitors.

The folk performers like kachchi ghodis, bazigars and been jogis are performing live at the venue. The visitors were seen busy enjoying the presentations, dancing and taking selfies with the artists. The Gudumbaja folk dancers from Madhya Pradesh performed during the evening show. Gudumbaja is a drum played to mark festivities and marriages and social functions. More than fifteen people dance on the rhythm of dhol, dhapli, shehnai and manjira. The Rathwas from Rajasthan enthralled the audience thereafter. 

Earlier, the Manipuri folk dancers remained the highlight of the stage performances with the sword fight showing the valor of the land and also how women stay ahead in the war fare. The beautiful dancers from Kashmir brought colour to the evening by presenting Rouf, the folk dance of their land.

Arts Galore

While Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi has organised an exhibition of the artefacts mostly made out of paper and bukram with a live show by Vinay Sharma from Jaipur, explaining the importance of the things and articles we used in the 1940's, Skill India Craft India, an exhibition by Dr Asha Arpit will be open at the Art Gallery from Sunday. It is an educational and motivational photo exhibition. It throws light on how we bargain while buying Crafts ignoring the hard work and cost born by the workers and artisans.

Vinod P Kavle, Secretary Cultural Affairs, Director Cultural Affairs UT Saurabh Arora and Director NZCC Saubhagya Vardhan were present on the occasion.