Mega fair to promote handicraft in Mysore

Over 150 artisans from across the country, including national and international award winners, will participate in one of the biggest handicraft fairs commencing in Mysore tomorrow.

The 10-day mega fair is aimed at exposing artisans to the public and lovers of crafts and creating an open market for them so that they can their items directly to the consumers. As artisans will sell their items directly to buyers, the rates will be lesser than elsewhere.

The JNN Mysore Urban Haat at the Hebbal Industrial Area is the venue for the all-India handicraft exhibition, ‘Gandhi Shilp Bazaar’, sponsored by the development commissioner (handicrafts), ministry of textiles, Government of India, and organised by the Haat.

Highlighting the special features of the mega display, assistant director of Handicraft Marketing and Service Extension Centre of Mysore S C

Devaramani said five leading artisans from five states would demonstrate their handicraft. Over 30 self-help groups will also display the craft items made by their women members.

Third in the annual series organised in Mysore, the last two handicraft exhibitions organised on Gandhi Jayanti, on October 2, had evoked good response and it saw a turnover of between Rs 30 lakh and Rs 40 lakh and this encouraged them to organise the present mid-year fair, Shivalingaswamy of the Urban Haat said.

The Handicraft Marketing Centre had provided financial assistance to the artisans to display their items. Artisans from Orissa, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, the North East and Karnataka were among those participating in the handicraft exhibition to conclude on August 2, the assistant director said.

In addition to the exhibition, the Centre will hold a 100-day programme in Mysore to support artisans with health benefits, insurance coverage and credit card facilities. This programme will be launched shortly.

Besides, the Centre had asked the Marketing Centre to organise a programme every month for 12 months.

Devaramani said the state government had been asked to take up the project to promote a traditional toy craft centre in Chennapatna. A financial assistance of Rs 96 lakh had been provided for the project and the government had been urged to make use of the fund without allowing it to lapse.