The Hindu : A spectrum of handicrafts on display

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Mar 21, 2004

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Other States - Rajasthan

A spectrum of handicrafts on display

By Our Special Correspondent

JAIPUR, MARCH 20. Craftspersons from about a dozen States have attracted the visitors in large numbers to the ongoing Jaipur Gram Shree Mela here by demonstrating their skills live in the fair and established direct linkages with the buyers. The crafts fair, which started on Wednesday, coincides with the festive mood in the Pink City awaiting the colourful Gangaur celebrations next week.

The ten-day-long fair has been organised for the first time in Rajasthan by the State's Rural Non-Farm Development Agency (RUDA) under the auspices of the Central Government's Council for Advancement of People's Action in Rural Technology (CAPART). It was inaugurated by the Additional Chief Secretary, Surendra Kumar.

The artefacts of master craftspersons are on display in about 100 stalls at Ramleela Grounds adjacent to the Walled City. The cultural events, such as `Lokrang' (folk arts), `Srijan' (creation), `Paridhaan' (attire), `Abhivyakti' (expressions), puppet show, skill competition and best stall competition, being held at the venue every evening have added colour to the fair.

The participants have been drawn mainly from Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Orissa, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, West Bengal, Goa and Uttar Pradesh. The scintillating spectrum of handicrafts and a wide array of rural artefacts and craft products have attracted the residents of Jaipur in large numbers to the fair.

The Gram Shree fairs are organised all over the country every year to provide exposure to craftsmen and promote their interaction with the self-help groups and non-Government organisations so as to help them establish market links and create an identity for themselves.

The fair has led to a unique ensemble of rural artisans and traditional craftspersons from across the country in Jaipur, which is also the land of rich traditional crafts. The event has provided a rare opportunity to the discerning connoisseurs of the Pink City to purchase exquisite and quality craft items from other States.

The Managing Director of RUDA, Rohit R. Brandon, said here that the Agency had been working for past few years to support artisans to explore natural resources of the State, especially in three sub-sectors -- wool, leather and minor minerals. The fair is the outcome of the first partnership between RUDA and CAPART.

Mr. Brandon said the RUDA was taking steps for organising the artisans, upgrading their skills and technology by training and facilitating credit for them to provide support in finding missing linkages and value addition of their products. He pointed out that these efforts were bringing good results in the form of crafts awareness among customers and financial and social upliftment of artisans.

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A spectrum of handicrafts on display