Craft fiesta

Being the capital of a country as diverse as India, Delhi and it's surrounding towns have imbibed that diversity over the years. From food and handicrafts to language and culture, the entire National Capital Region is a melange of the best that the country has on offer. So what makes a 15-day handicrafts carnival so unique? The 28th Surajkund International Crafts Mela kicked off on February 1, bringing with it the familiar excitement that it has since 1987. The festival went international last year, with around 20 countries participating with their stalls. The line-up of participating nations looks promising this year too, with Russia, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Uzbekistan, Iran, Uganda, Brazil, Portugal, and the SAARC nations of Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Nepal, among others confirming their presence.

Held at a rustic venue spread across 40 acres with 735 huts for stalls, skilled artisans will showcase their handiwork in a bid to promote some of India's oldest, and in some cases, dying traditional handicrafts.

As is traditional with Surajkund, one Indian state is highlighted each year as the theme state. For this year's edition, the organisers have chosen Goa, featuring it for the second time after a gap of 12 years. The ambience, showcasing the country's various crafts, performing arts and delicious, local cuisine designed around the theme state, has a profusion of cloth butterflies, flowers, buntings and danglers with birds and sunflowers, revolving around the theme of spring. Going beyond Goan beaches and its tropical climate, the mela ground will also house gate-structures and a Viceroy arch, taking visitors deeper into Goa's Portuguese history. The venue's 'Natyashala' segment is done up with sculptures made from waste material and Venetian masks in honour of the performing arts that it will host.

To further promote and highlight the Goan theme, as well as tourism in Haryana (where Surajkund is located), a family each from both the states will live in an enclosure called 'Apna Ghar'. The families will help visitors understand the local lifestyle and culture of the people of these two states. Apart from a theme state, the mela will host Sri Lanka as its partner nation.

Every evening, several dance and music performances will be held at the mela ground's open-air 'Chaupal' and 'Natyashala' sections. Artistes from Ivory Coast, Thailand, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and other participating countries will showcase their indigenous talent every evening. Some of these performances to look forward to over the course of two weeks include a play by actor Mita Vashisht, qawwalis by Delhi's Nizami Brothers, Rajasthani folk songs by Ustad Ghazi Khan and sufi music by singer Hans Raj Hans. Hasya kavi Surinder Sharma and his group will tickle the funny bone with their trademark comedy acts. Goa will bring forth its local talent with performances of the state's folk dances of Dhalo, Morula and Corridinho, among others.

Culinary delights aren't far behind, with a Rajasthani haveli food court and Goan and Sri Lankan local specialties added to the regular Mughlai-Chinese-South Indian food fare. The venue is friendly for the differently-abled visitors, where golf carts and battery operated vehicles will ferry them across different sections.

Surajkund International Crafts Mela will be on till February 15 at Surajkund Mela Grounds, near Badarpur. For a complete list of events and to book entry tickets, visit www.haryanatourism.gov.in