The fifth Chandigarh National Crafts Mela-2013 begins here at Kalagram tomorrow November 29 and would be on till December 7 after its inauguration by Punjab Governor and Administrator, Union Territory, Chandigarh, Shivraj V Patil.?
Secretary, Culture, UT Administration, Bhawna Garg and Director, North Zone Cultural Centre, D.S.Saroya told news persons at a press conference here today that the nine day fair is a joint venture of the Chandigarh Administration and North Zone Cultural Centre, Ministry of Culture, Government of India. ?The theme of the fifth edition of the mela this year is ?western India? which would showcase folk traditions, arts and crafts of the western India comprising the states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa and Union Territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu and also Rajasthan apart from other states.?
Acclaimed handloom, craft persons including Shilpa Gurus, National Awardees, Sant Kabir awardees and tribal crafts persons especi8ally selected by Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India would present their works at the fair. The main objective of the national level annual mela would be to showcase Indian handicrafts, handlooms and folk traditions including authentic fragrances and flavours of rich Indian cuisines and also folk music and dances. The fair would provide a platform to the crafts persons to set up an environment where rural crafts traditions would be displayed at the 14 acres Kalagram giving the look of an ethnic village.
There will be choreographed cultural programmes every evening with emphasis on folk music, folk instruments and folk dances from all regions of the country with special focus on western India. Over 300 folk dancers have been invited for the event. Another highlight would be a training camp on miniature paintings of Rajasthan in collaboration with Department of Cultural affairs, Haryana.
