Baliyatra in Cuttack is considered the biggest fair of the country. In view of the growing popularity of the fair, an additional Baliyatra has been organised in Bhubaneswar starting this year. These two festivals in the twin cities have been attracting thousands of visitors. The fairs are a shopper’s delight as one can find everything from modern gadgets and ethnic handicrafts to small household articles.
Orissa POST spoke to a few women who visit the historical fair in Cuttack each year to get their favourite stuff at throwaway prices.
Sunita Sahoo of Cuttack said, “Baliyatra is the only fair in the state that offers products at competitive prices. I make a list of my requirements before visiting the fair. One of the things that I like to buy at the fair is a variety of spices. Spice manufacturers offer gifts along with the purchases. The spices I buy from Baliyatra last nearly six months. Last year, I got a bucket as a gift. This year, I plan to buy washing powder in addition to spices.”
Lopamudra Priyadarshini of Jajpur said, “If you have a weakness for sarees, then this fair is the best place to find a large variety and good collections. If you visit the ORMAS stall at the lower ground of the fair, you will find the famous Chanderi sarees and brass metal products of Madhya Pradesh, woollen items from Kashmir, leather products from Rajasthan, and woodcraft from Andhra Pradesh. Besides, Odisha’s handloom and handicrafts are also on display at the stalls. But one needs to visit the fair during the day to buy a saree as in the evening, the place gets very crowded. It is not only sarees, but other dresses are also available at low prices. ORMAS brings ethnic and other products from every district of the state and from other states for the customers.”
“If you want to decorate your home with artifacts and handmade products, then Baliyatra is the perfect destination for you,” said Pragyan Patnaik of Bhubaneswar. “Besides maple and pine wood cups, bamboo products and herbal toiletries, the fair has a huge variety of handmade photo frames. There is plenty of choice in woodwork items and you will certainly end up buying some of them. In other fairs, the sellers charge exorbitant prices for these items. The reason, as explained by a seller, is simple. They can afford to sell their items with less margin of profit at this fair as the volume of sales is huge due to the high footfall.”
Arundhati Rout of Bhubaneswar said, “Handloom, fancy home decor items, jewellery and fashion accessories for women are a huge hit at the fair. Items such as Punjabi shoes, tribal ornaments and other artifacts are also a big draw. For those who love food, there is a huge variety of delicacies from different places. The food stalls do good business. Although the fair is held in winter, visitors don’t hesitate to buy ice-cream and kulfi, as they don’t want to give the ‘Buy one, get one’ offer a miss. This year, I plan to visit the fair in Bhubaneswar.”
SOYONG, OP