Stage set for 17th Toshali National Crafts Mela

Bhubaneswar: The 17th Toshali National Craft Mela is scheduled to be held at Janata Maidan, Bhubaneswar from February 01 to February 12.

Artisans, weavers, from all over the country will participate in this Crafts Mela and exhibit their traditional and contemporary handicraft and handloom products. As important cultural nerve centre of the country, Bhubaneswar hosts the Toshali National Crafts Mela at Janata Maidan every year. The crafts mela has already carved a unique niche of its own in the country’s Annual Carnival Calendar.

The vision of the mela is to offer an open forum to artists, artisans ad connoisseurs for interaction. It will also strengthen the position of the weavers and artisans who are economically derived by creating market for their products as well as preserve and nurture the traditional art forms, handicrafts and handlooms of India. This mela will create awareness and educate the people on the skills and creative intricacies involved in making the products.

This year the “Theme Pavilion” of the Mela will showcase the “Handlooms: Tradition & Trends”.

This year, 560 artisans and weavers will participate in the mela, out of which 250 handicrafts artisans from different part of the country are sponsored by Development Commissioner (Handicrafts) under National Handcrafts Fair Scheme. 50 weavers from different part of the country have been sponsored by DC (Handlooms).

Similarly, 150 Artisans and 110 Weavers of the State have been sponsored by Directorate of Handicrafts, Odisha and Directorate of Textiles and Handlooms, Odisha respectively. Apart from that, Educational Institutes and Govt organisations related to Handicrafts and Handlooms sector of  the State/ India will also participate in the event for awareness of the visitors.Apex Handicrafts Corporations of other States will also participate in the mela to showcase the rich handicrafts and handlooms of that State.        

This year, a food court having 25 food stalls will offer delicious multi cuisine foodstuffs to the visitors along with traditional Odia cuisine by exclusive hotels and restaurants. Out of these some stalls are earmarked for Govt Organizations like Millet Mission / OMFED / OTDC.

The mela will be opened every day from 02:30PM to 09:30PM. All related logistics arrangement i.e. Fire brigade, Security, First Aid Service, Ambulance, drinking water, toilets, ATM Counters will be available in the mela premises. Free accommodation along with transportation facility will be provided to the lady exhibitors.

The mela will host cultural programmes each evening between 6PM to 9:30PM, inviting eminent artists and troops from different parts of the country as well as the State. The Cultural Programme will be arranged in association with Odisha Sangeet Natak Akademy, Deptt. of Odia Language, Literature & Culture., Govt of Odisha. A fashion show will be organized showcasing rich handloom/handicrafts products of our State.

This year the mela will be Accessible, Inclusive and Sustainable (AIS), a differently-abled & Senior Citizen friendly event. A special help desk with provision of wheel chair will be arranged for smooth movement and visit of differently-abled & Senior Citizen. Special toilet blocks for specially-abled men and women visitors will be there. A mother and baby care room will also be available for mother and baby.

The 17th Toshali National Crafts Mela will be a plastic free zone. Sufficient handmade bags will be available inside the mela ground for exhibitors and visitors

Last year the mela witnessed a foot fall of 19lakh people and Rs16.13 Crore businesses was achieved. It is expected that around 20 lakh people will visit the mela this year and products worth Rs20.00 Crore will be sold approximately.

During the inaugural event, Life Time Achievement awardees of the handicrafts sector for the year 2019, 2020, 2021will be felicitated. Similarly, State Award for Handicrafts and Handloom sector for the year 2019, 2020,2021 will be given to eminent personalities.

The mela is being organized by Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department in association with Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, and Govt. of India.

State Institute for Development of Arts &Crafts (SIDAC), Gandamunda, Bhubaneswar an autonomous organization under Handlooms, Textiles & Handicrafts Department, Govt. of Odisha is the implementing agency of this mega National level Crafts Mela.