29th Surajkund International Crafts Mela culminates on promising note

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Written by Linda Hohnholz

SURAJKUND, India – The 29th Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2015 closed on a ceremonious note today.

SURAJKUND, India – The 29th Surajkund International Crafts Mela 2015 closed on a ceremonious note today. The event was attended by the Hon’ble Governor of Chhattisgarh, Shri Balramji DasTandon, the Tourism Minister of Haryana Shri Ram Bilas Sharma, the Minister ofState for Tourism, Shri Karan Dev Kamboj and the Hon’ble Governor of Haryana,Prof Kaptan Singh Solanki.

Chhattisgarh, the theme state at this year’s mela, showcased the priceless works of art and crafts of itsextraordinarily talented craftsmen from the different tribes and regions of the state.

A record breaking year at the world’slargest crafts expo in terms of footfalls, over 12 lakh visitors including 1.6lakh foreigners visited the Mela over the fortnight. An astounding 941 craftperson meanwhile, showcased their crafts and arts at the Mela this year. Last year the footfall wasover 10 lakh out of which 80,000 were foreigners. This increase is a positive sign and would go a long way in providing an impetus to thetourism of the country.

Hon’ble Governor ofChhattisgarh, Shri Balram ji Das Tandon was the special invitee on the occasion. He complimented the Government of Haryana for itsefforts and said that the Surajkund Mela offered a great platform for thenext generations to connect with India’s cultureand folk arts. He further added that this Mela offereda perfect opportunity for the states of the country in particular toshowcase their culture and traditions.

The Surajkund Mela ended with an awardceremony, rewarding the outstanding craftsmen at the fifteen-day extravaganza.It was a proud moment for Chhattisgarh after Godhna silk weaver Seema fromChhattisgarh won the ‘Kala Shree’ award, while Ravindra, a bell-metal sculptorbagged the ‘Kala Nidhi’ award. The Mela has played an irreversiblerole in taking Chhattisgarh’s arts and crafts to the international and nationallevel.

Over 300 artists from Chhattisgarh worked day andnight to bring alive the cultures and tradition of the state at the SurajkundMela. The state is showcasing its handicrafts, art and culture in about a 100stalls. On display is the best that Chhattisgarh has to offer, such as ‘Godna’painting, replica of Lord Ganesha Temple at Barsoor in Dantewada, ‘Rudra Shiva’of Tala.

Over 200 artists from Chhattisgarhworked to give a final touch to the depiction of the‘Madai Mela’. The artists also depicted the famous ‘Gedi Dance’ ofChhattisgarh on the walls at the venue. Domestic and foreign visitors also got an opportunity to savor Chhattisgarhi cuisine.

Theme state Chhattisgarh’s fabrics,weavers and craftsmen along with talented designers from the National Instituteof Fashion Technology (NIFT), showcased the state’s exquisite craftsmanship inweaving and apparel designing. The show was warmly welcomed with a huge roundof applause by the august gathering at the Mela.

Earlier during the course of the Mela, Mr. Santosh Misra, Managing Director of the ChhattisgarhTourism Board said, “Such initiatives focus on the uniqueness of Chhattisgarh’sarts, crafts, textiles, fabrics, weaving and most importantly the craftsmen.”
20 countriesparticipated in this edition of the Mela like Lebanon, Sri Lanka, Nepal,Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Thailand, Rwanda, Syria, Vietnam, Uganda,Mongolia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan& Georgia.

Shri Ram Bilas Sharma, Tourism Minister, Haryana,said that the participation of 20 countries in the Mela offers encouragementand motivation. He further added that the government shall think aboutextending the duration of the Mela from a fortnight to one month, as it presented a colorful show of cultural performances, and blended thecrafts and traditions of different countries beautifully.

About the author

Avatar of Linda Hohnholz

Linda Hohnholz

Editor in chief for eTurboNews based in the eTN HQ.

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