Bhubaneswar: The Handloom, Textiles & Handicrafts Department is all set to organise 15th Toshali National Crafts Mela at Janata Maidan, Bhubaneswar from January 21 to February 4.
Padmini Dian, Minister HT&H, made the announcement along with various arrangements for the fair here Monday.
Dian said, “Artisans, weavers and sculptors from all over the country will participate in this crafts fair and will exhibit their traditional and contemporary handicraft and handloom products. The vision of the fair is to offer an open forum to artists, artisans and connoisseurs to strengthen their economic position derived by creating market for their products.”
It also aims to preserve and nurture the traditional art forms, handicrafts and handlooms of India and create awareness and educate the people on the skills and creative intricacies involved in making the products.
This year, the chief objective of organising the event is to provide marketing scope to the artisans/ weavers of the state as well as the country who faced severe difficulties for marketing of their products due to the pandemic. The fair will be organised within the parameters of COVID-19 guidelines specified by the state government.
This year, the fair will accommodate 250 Handicraft & Handloom stalls out of which 80 weavers/artisans from different states of the country will be sponsored by DC (Handlooms) / DC (Handicrafts), GOI. Similarly 110 artisans and 60 weavers of the state will be sponsored by DH & CI, Odisha and Directorate of Textiles and Handlooms, Odisha respectively.
Sufficient number of security personnel will be engaged in different blocks to maintain social distancing and ensure using masks and sanitizer.
Proper care will be taken for sanitization of the mela ground at regular interval. Use of mask and social distancing are being made mandatory for exhibitors/ visitors and officials inside the mela ground. All the COVID-19 measures will be included in publicity items like hoardings/ standees etc for awareness of the visitors.
PNN
