International crafts fair wraps up in India
Munawar Zaman
Press TV, Haryana
It is the most dramatic public carnival, or perhaps a visual delight for many craft lovers in this part of the world. Craftsmen from across the globe have come together with most of their exquisite crafts from their countries. In the dusty terrains of Faridabad in India’s Haryana, a fortnight crafts festival has just concluded with momentous traditions of several nations.
This is one of the largest open-sky fairs in the world where craftsmen not just from India, but from around the world, are displaying their expertise. Reports suggest millions in India are working as craftspeople, and the sector is the second largest job generator in the country.
The 34th edition of the fair started on February 1 and was organized by Haryana Tourism with Uzbekistan as the partner nation. The fair is spread across a vast landscape and had a participation of over 30 nations, including the SAARC nations displaying their majestic handicrafts.
The fair provided a rare opportunity to showcase a variety of vintage items, rural culture, home furnishing items, jewelry, food, handicrafts, handlooms, performing arts, and other traditional activities. Exotic purchases on display at the fair include silk products, precious stones, leather and woodwork, and art and craft products.
Every country is displaying its exclusivity and specialty, depending on historical influences, traditional skills, and the raw materials. While the global economic crises has reduced peoples spending, exhibitors from abroad say they want to sell their products on affordable prices so that everyone can afford, but it is not all about money, they say, but an experience that brings people from across the globe together under one roof.
India’s crafts industry is worth billions of dollars and a source of income for millions, especially in rural parts of the country, but experts say the sector is in the state of decline due to many factors, including changing market demands and large scale competition. They say fairs like these can be an ideal platform to promote the sector.
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