BHUBANESWAR: The 7th Tribal Craft Mela which was inaugurated by CM Naveen Patnaik here is witnessing huge footfalls every day. Around 200 artisans from 14 states across the country have participated in the fair.
The fair houses an alluring display of various tribal art works and merchandise. It aims at promoting traditional tribal art, culture and handicrafts in the country. It is scheduled to continue till November 30.
Various traditional craft works made up of bamboo, clothes and pottery were the centre of attraction apart from other traditional crafts exhibited at the fair.
Patnaik had earlier emphasised on the importance of a huge audience. Denizens of the city have made his words a reality by turning up in droves for the fair.
On brief interactions with Orissa POST, the director of the museum and other stakeholders threw light on the grand fair. Director of SCSTRTI Akhil Bihari Ota said, “21 bilingual tribal dictionaries were released by the Chief Minister; the Tribal Research Institute has been bestowed with the responsibility to script down the dictionaries.”
Traders at the fair view it as a good employment opportunity for them. “We were trained here for three months under the Odisha Tribal Empowerment and Livelihoods programme to make creative home decors and other household items. The programme was chiefly aimed at making us self-dependent,” said Sukanti Kanhar, a tribal artist from Phulbani.
Bande Rao, a tribal artisan from Jharkhand, exhibited a large section of Adivasi clothes as well as bows and arrows. He said, “We have actually displayed our lifestyle before everyone. People are buying clothes based on our textiles. They are even buying bows and arrows for home decor. Even our Patti Chhatri from Goongu leaves and wooden sticks is attracting buyers. This is a huge reward for our hard work.”
The Kheria tribe from Burdhaman has a large display of puppets and dolls at the fair. Sumita Vadka, member of the Dangaria Kandha tribe from Kurli, Odisha, exhibited handmade shawls that attracted many buyers. The whole museum is decked up with beautiful tribal artwork. From outer walls to tree trunks, every space has been used up as a canvas. Various types of ethnic craft works made up of paddy, bamboo, dhokra (non-ferrous metal casting), along with tribal jewellery, paintings, cane and bamboo products were on display at the fair.
Subha Rao, a tribal artisan from Andhra Pradesh, said, “I have come with Lambadi, Banjara bags as well as designer textiles. My stuff is appropriate for both girls and women. My section is flooded with women who wish to buy tribal accessories.”
