Bhubaneswar: The State Government is committed to the growth and prosperity of terracotta and pottery crafts, said Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts Minister Pradip Bal Samanta while inaugurating the State-level Annual Terracotta Exhibition ‘MRUTTIKA’-2026 at IDCO Exhibition Ground in Bhubaneswar Saturday.
Addressing media persons, the Minister described terracotta and pottery as living examples of Odisha’s rich ancient handicraft traditions and stressed the need to promote artisans engaged in these traditional crafts.
The exhibition aims to provide artisans with a platform to showcase their creations and promote their products among a wider audience. Commissioner-cum-Secretary of the department Guha Poonam Tapas Kumar said that the primary objective of the exhibition is to showcase terracotta and pottery crafts under one roof and provide a commercial platform for the growth and prosperity of artisans.
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The exhibition has been organised by the Department of Handlooms, Textiles and Handicrafts keeping the festival of Diwali in view. It will continue till November 6. This year, a total of 218 stalls have been set up.
The exhibition will remain open every day from 11 am to 9 pm. Around 380 terracotta and pottery artisans from 26 districts of Odisha are participating in the exhibition. This year, business turnover of more than `3 crore is expected.
Cultural programmes will be organised every evening to attract visitors. The Theme Pavilion showcases the journey of terracotta handicrafts. During the inauguration, both the Minister and the Secretary visited the exhibition stalls and enquired about the well-being of the artisans.
During their interaction, the artisans shared their experiences of being associated with the terracotta craft and spoke about the profits they earn through their year-long Handicrafts business.